First time kubota buyer

[Fmac12]

I just traded my Massey Ferguson 250 for a 2021 ls2501. I am getting older and needed to down size some. Is a ls2501 90 hours. has hst,loader,cruise control and canopy. Wanted 18500 could only her him down to 18400. He did give me a decent trade so came out owing 9400. Story behind the low hours is previous owner brought back and traded up to m series, l2501 not enough power. So far seems fine.

fmac

 

[85Hokie]

Good machine - hope you got some service records?

When the time comes - not sure if at 200 hours, change the hydraulic fluid - do not skimp, get the S-UDT2 from your local K dealer or online. Run Kubota hydraulic filters too - yes we all know that Kubota does not make them, but there have been reports of non OEM hydraulic filters leaking and bursting.

What is your primary use of this L2501?

Not sure if the old M-F was geared or not, but once you use the HST for a bit - you will see you get a lot more work done per unit of time!

 

[fried1765]

Good machine - hope you got some service records?

When the time comes - not sure if at 200 hours, change the hydraulic fluid - do not skimp, get the S-UDT2 from your local K dealer or online. Run Kubota hydraulic filters too - yes we all know that Kubota does not make them, but there have been reports of non OEM hydraulic filters leaking and bursting.

What is your primary use of this L2501?

Not sure if the old M-F was geared or not, but once you use the HST for a bit - you will see you get a lot more work done per unit of time!

"there have been reports of non OEM hydraulic filters leaking and bursting".
A bit of paranoia there,....me thinks.
I use Baldwin, or Donaldson filters, and have zero worries!

 

[DustyRusty]

"there have been reports of non OEM hydraulic filters leaking and bursting".
A bit of paranoia there,....me thinks.
I use Baldwin, or Donaldson filters, and have zero worries!

I used to use off-brand filters, however, the off-brand prices are getting more expensive, and most brand-specific filters have decreased. Today I can buy a Ford filter for the same price as the NAPA filter, and buying Kubota filters is a similar situation.

 

[bbxlr8]

Welcome - great helpful group here.

I'm biased of course, but found the 2501 to be "just right"
Kick myself all the time: For not buying it sooner!!

 

[fried1765]

I used to use off-brand filters, however, the off-brand prices are getting more expensive, and most brand-specific filters have decreased. Today I can buy a Ford filter for the same price as the NAPA filter, and buying Kubota filters is a similar situation.

The REAL question here is : Who actually makes filters for Kubota, or Ford, or GM ?
Could be Baldwin,....or Donaldson, ....or even Chinesium, Wong Sing!

 

[GeoHorn]

Since we’re hijacking this thread…. I’ll mention that I have spin-on filters from cars/trucks I no longer own…. which are physically interchangeable with the genuine Kubota oil filter on my tractor.

The filters I’ve had (in my garage) were for my Volvo boat outdrive and my ‘94 Jeep Cherokee….. basically S16 or LF16 or PH8 filters….one of the most-common filters ever produced. They are FRAM and SuperTech and LEE and NAPA, etc etc, and have been here in their original packaging for ten years or more.

I’ve checked at filter-cross-reference charts and they are generically the same filter and similar quality as the Kubota filters.

My thought is to use them on my next Kubota oil-change.…. Then I begin to “dither”… I only use my tractor about One Oil-Change-period annually…. It’’d be 4 or 5 years before I used up all the old filters I’ve saved over the last four decades…. What can possibly go-wrong? I think… Saving $12 bucks…. what would an engine cost me if it spews all the oil onto the ground and I didn’t notice while shredding a field this summer…?

Would such a scenario be more …or less… likely if I bought a new Kubota filter..?
Hmmmnn…..

And WHY? …do I buy more filters than I need this week…. just to have sit-around the place for months and years…

I cleaned out my Dad’s garage after he and Mom both passed…. back in 2014…. and found a shelf full of Dad’s K-MART FILTERS for his 88 Oldsmobile…!!

 

[Fmac12]

I just traded my Massey Ferguson 250 for a 2021 ls2501. I am getting older and needed to down size some. Is a ls2501 90 hours. has hst,loader,cruise control and canopy. Wanted 18500 could only her him down to 18400. He did give me a decent trade so came out owing 9400. Story behind the low hours is previous owner brought back and traded up to m series, l2501 not enough power. So far seems fine.

fmac

Used the Massey to farm and a little logging. is about time I slowed down at 79 years young time catches up with you. Now just bushhoging and keeping up the mile road into our home And other odd jobs.

 

[DustyRusty]

The REAL question here is : Who actually makes filters for Kubota, or Ford, or GM ?
Could be Baldwin,....or Donaldson, ....or even Chinesium, Wong Sing!

It isn't who makes them, it is to what standard do they make them. I doubt that Kubota has a factory for filters, but I am relatively certain that they have a standard that the manufacturer must follow. No different than tires on a car, the car manufacturer tells the tire manufacturer what they want in the tire, and the tire manufacturer manufactures the tires to that standard. This is what happened with the 1995 For Explorers, Ford directed Firestone to produce a tire that gave a good ride with low air pressure. The problem is that they came apart at highway speed because the side walls were too thin, resulting in a nationwide recall.

 

[fried1765]

It isn't who makes them, it is to what standard do they make them. I doubt that Kubota has a factory for filters, but I am relatively certain that they have a standard that the manufacturer must follow. No different than tires on a car, the car manufacturer tells the tire manufacturer what they want in the tire, and the tire manufacturer manufactures the tires to that standard. This is what happened with the 1995 For Explorers, Ford directed Firestone to produce a tire that gave a good ride with low air pressure. The problem is that they came apart at highway speed because the side walls were too thin, resulting in a nationwide recall.

I do agree that Kubota likely has a "standard" that must be met to carry their label.
I rather doubt however, that a filter maker makes a particular filter to met a specific Kubota standard.
Kubota likely has selected a filter maker that already HAS a filter meeting Kubota standards.
That filter maker may also sell millions of the exact same filter under their own brand name, and/or the names of other filter retailers.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I just traded my Massey Ferguson 250 for a 2021 ls2501. I am getting older and needed to down size some. Is a ls2501 90 hours. has hst,loader,cruise control and canopy. Wanted 18500 could only her him down to 18400. He did give me a decent trade so came out owing 9400. Story behind the low hours is previous owner brought back and traded up to m series, l2501 not enough power. So far seems fine.

fmac

Welcome aboard sir!

I think you're gonna like that 2501, I know I sure do. (but I am new to tractor'in)

I have a "wierd" or "oxymoronic" take on the filter/oil thing.

All my Yamahas get Yamalube and Yamaha filters.

My Kubota gets Kubota filters and Kubota oil and Kubota hydraulic fluid. (although I am considering switching to Rotella for the engine oil, but don't tell anyone )

My Cummins gets Wix filters and Rotella T-3 oil.

My wifes Caravan gets Wally World Synthetic , and whatever filter Wally World has on special.

Edit: And I have no "specific reason" or "proof" that my way is the the right way. It just feels right to me and it's my money.

 

[fried1765]

Welcome aboard sir!

I think you're gonna like that 2501, I know I sure do. (but I am new to tractor'in)

View attachment 124029


I have a "wierd" or "oxymoronic" take on the filter/oil thing.

All my Yamahas get Yamalube and Yamaha filters.

My Kubota gets Kubota filters and Kubota oil and Kubota hydraulic fluid. (although I am considering switching to Rotella for the engine oil, but don't tell anyone )

My Cummins gets Wix filters and Rotella T-3 oil.

My wifes Caravan gets Wally World Synthetic , and whatever filter Wally World has on special.

And.......Your Wally World engine is likely just as happy as the others!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

And.......Your Wally World engine is likely just as happy as the others!

Yep, she's rolling up on 170K as we speak.

But Wally World oil will never soil my Yami's......I know....crazy.

 

[PaulL]

I love a good thread on filters. Once started they can't be stopped.

I put Kubota filters and fluids in. Why? They cost about the same as generic filters and fluids. But I don't have to look up parts numbers, work out if it's equivalent, or take any risk. So for basically the same money as a generic, I can go to my Kubota dealer and say "I need the filters and fluids for my B2601 service" and they give them all to me, and I put them in my car and go home, and everything fits/works/is what I needed.

I guess it might cost me 10 bucks less if I really thought about it. And if I get it wrong once and have to drive back to the shop, that costs me 10 bucks. Plus time and annoyance.

Horses for courses. I don't get upset if other people do it differently than I do. But I have my reasons and they make sense to me.

 

[BMill]

Noobie here and just wanted to give a shout out and say hello. Pretty much on a whim decided to buy a subcompact to due tired of moving snow. Got a little over 32 feet last winter (first winter I had to pay someone else to shovel my roof on old part of home) and this winter it looks like it's gonna finish at only about 12 or so feet. Getting close to 70 in a few and with a fractured back it hurts to push a snowblower around for an hour just doing driveway. Only have a 1/4 acre but being on a steep I hill decided I wanted to try keep part of my back yard open to drive around. Tired of only being able to drive around my house 5 or 6 months of the year ... having my trailers buried in snow half the year. Got a Kubota .. older but maintained well .. and not too high a price for the work the last owner put into it to make it as tip top as possible.
1980 D7100 4wd with loader with just over 600 hrs
Rebuilt rams and valve control and 2 new hoses to the pump
Looks like new tires and rims but never asked. Shifts smooth for the most part.
Only smokes when starting, smokes less when I warm the plugs longer ... like over 90 seconds. Starts first time when patient to warm the plugs.
All new fluids and he put in new battery the day before I picked it up .... I drove 8 hrs there and back to get it.
Proud of it .... Just wanted to show a few pics. She seems to work like a Beast Of Burden ! I'm in the process of chopping some use car cables to fit for the front tires, will decide later about chains for the rears .. so far have moved close to (est.) 3 truck bed loads worth of snow to open my property up in just a few hours of work ..but fronts are at a point they spin. I have to say .... I'm proud of this purchase !!
Butch

 

[BMill]

Last winter snowblowing .... convinced me I need a Beast Of Burden ... I hope I can keep my property open around my house .. or at least half of it and put my trailers when I can get to them. Go Kubota !

 

[fried1765]

I love a good thread on filters. Once started they can't be stopped.

I put Kubota filters and fluids in. Why? They cost about the same as generic filters and fluids. But I don't have to look up parts numbers, work out if it's equivalent, or take any risk. So for basically the same money as a generic, I can go to my Kubota dealer and say "I need the filters and fluids for my B2601 service" and they give them all to me, and I put them in my car and go home, and everything fits/works/is what I needed.

I guess it might cost me 10 bucks less if I really thought about it. And if I get it wrong once and have to drive back to the shop, that costs me 10 bucks. Plus time and annoyance.

Horses for courses. I don't get upset if other people do it differently than I do. But I have my reasons and they make sense to me.

Drive to nearest Kubota dealer is 150 miles RT (242 Km in NZ) for me.
Even in my little Corolla, that would be $20 USD worth of gas (petrol)
I do not do that!
I buy filters (usually on E-Bay), either by Baldwin, or Donaldson, both very reputable USA filter manufacturers.
I just love (ship price included) delivery to my door!
I have found filter cross reference tables to be very accurate!

 

[PaulL]

Drive to nearest Kubota dealer is 150 miles RT (242 Km in NZ) for me.
Even in my little Corolla, that would be $20 USD worth of gas (petrol)
I do not do that!
I buy filters (usually on E-Bay), either by Baldwin, or Donaldson, both very reputable USA filter manufacturers.
I just love (ship price included) delivery to my door!
I have found filter cross reference tables to be very accurate!

And that is entirely reasonable for your situation. I drive right past a Kubota dealer a couple times a month, and services aren't so urgent for me that they can't wait till I'm next past.

 

[BMill]

Ok .. been a long day. Made my "chains" for front wheels from older cables for car tires (sized for passenger car tire's) and worked great. Had to cut off about 12 inches or more of cable and remove 2 ea cross "links" off each cable ... and grind down the Ferrules left behind for cable stops and added a couple ferrules for adjusting / fitting ... though they were not needed. Never thought they would dig in as well as they did so got a lot of snow moved in just a couple of hours. However elation of the speed of progress of this go round soon turned to dismay ... Let me just say .. If your a Noob like me ... new to diesel engines ... tractors or otherwise .. Read your owners manual before thinking you can learn as you go .. Yes, you will indeed learn .. from your mistakes. Was on a roll moving snow, big smile on my face .. then tractor just died .. like out of fuel died. Been there, I know when an engine's run out of "gas" .. snowblower does it to me always. No prob .. filled with diesel .. went to start , then my dismay. Not starting. Read all the online stuff about ...quality diesel ... quality fuel filter .. and quality injectors and glow plugs. Then I read the manual. If all goes well tomorrow I'll be moving a lot more snow ... after bleeding my fuel system ... lol. I hope after bleeding everything goes well and problem free, however I'm sure those plugs and injectors have been in there for awhile. We will see. A few pics of a great running Beast Of Burden.

 

[NCL4701]

Ok .. been a long day. Made my "chains" for front wheels from older cables for car tires (sized for passenger car tire's) and worked great. Had to cut off about 12 inches or more of cable and remove 2 ea cross "links" off each cable ... and grind down the Ferrules left behind for cable stops and added a couple ferrules for adjusting / fitting ... though they were not needed. Never thought they would dig in as well as they did so got a lot of snow moved in just a couple of hours. However elation of the speed of progress of this go round soon turned to dismay ... Let me just say .. If your a Noob like me ... new to diesel engines ... tractors or otherwise .. Read your owners manual before thinking you can learn as you go .. Yes, you will indeed learn .. from your mistakes. Was on a roll moving snow, big smile on my face .. then tractor just died .. like out of fuel died. Been there, I know when an engine's run out of "gas" .. snowblower does it to me always. No prob .. filled with diesel .. went to start , then my dismay. Not starting. Read all the online stuff about ...quality diesel ... quality fuel filter .. and quality injectors and glow plugs. Then I read the manual. If all goes well tomorrow I'll be moving a lot more snow ... after bleeding my fuel system ... lol. I hope after bleeding everything goes well and problem free, however I'm sure those plugs and injectors have been in there for awhile. We will see. A few pics of a great running Beast Of Burden. View attachment 124443 View attachment 124444

Good move pulling out the manual. Fuel system bleeding procedures are NOT universal, so be wary of anyone telling you how to do it unless they’re familiar with your specific model. But if you follow the procedure in the manual, you should be back in business quickly.

Nice machine you have there!