Front Axle Oil Level

[River19]

A friend of mine with a BX mentioned someone told him to check the front axle oil level from the dealer and sure enough it was really low. So he passed on the advice to me on the B2601 and I checked today......low and behold mine is showing ~1/3 up the fill notch on the dipstick.

Is this a common known "thing" that the factory or dealers only fill it 1/3 full?

Thoughts? Comments? Insults?

 

[foobert]

Come to think of it, it was the one fluid I didn’t validate after delivery.

<runs to garage and back>

My 2.0 hour BX2380 front axle level is just above the full mark.

Thanks for the nudge to look at that

 

[Nicfin36]

Mine (L2501) had very little in it after checking at 30 hours....like none in the upper axle case. Mine just has a fill hole and no dipstick. So, you were doing much better than me. It seems to be more common than it ever should be.

 

[old and tired]

...Is this a common known "thing" that the factory or dealers only fill it 1/3 full?

Many people on these forums know about it but very few "new" owners know about it... There is some oil from the factory and many dealers don't top it off... I was 1.5 quarts low...

 

[xrocketengineer]

Come to think of it, it was the one fluid I didn’t validate after delivery.

<runs to garage and back>

My 2.0 hour BX2380 front axle level is just above the full mark.

Thanks for the nudge to look at that

Open the "vents" on the top of the wheel gear box on each front wheel, make sure there is oil. Then recheck the oil level at the dipstick. You might be surprised.

 

[lugbolt]

Is this a common known "thing" that the factory or dealers only fill it 1/3 full?

The dealer doesn't fill them at all. They are prefilled. That said the dealer is SUPPOSED to check them as part of pre-delivery inspection. Every single one that went through my work bay got checked and 99% were low. Dealer hated it because it costs them some fluids. Another dealer I was at, they just hurried up the setup process and sent it out the door without pdi. That bothers me when dealers do that. You should have gotten a PDI checklist upon taking delivery of the tractor.

 

[River19]

Good news is I have most of a gallon of the UDT2 fluid. Early on, being the good newbie owner I am I did the daily fluid check and found my rear case dipstick was low......like barely registering on the dipstick so I called the dealer and they sent a guy over with a gallon for me.

So I will add some fluid this morning........

 

[leveraddict]

I think once you start using the machine and things start circulating and getting up to temp that the levels change!

 

[PaulR]

Got my BX 23 S in the fall, found out about this over winter, 30 hours on the tractor, checked the front diff, it wasn't low, it was BONE DRY. I documented, took pics, called dealer, he said just fill it, it will be fine. <rolleyes>

 

[79 powerking]

I bought my bx1880 February 13 and since then I have add just over a quart of fluid. The last time I removed the vents and topped it off. It has stayed full since then.

 

[Henro]

Mine (L2501) had very little in it after checking at 30 hours....like none in the upper axle case. Mine just has a fill hole and no dipstick. So, you were doing much better than me. It seems to be more common than it ever should be.

What? No way to check the front axle oil level other than just looking in and finding some? No dip stick?

Am I reading this right? Seems highly unusual...

 

[Nicfin36]

What? No way to check the front axle oil level other than just looking in and finding some? No dip stick?

Am I reading this right? Seems highly unusual...

Yeah, old school of sorts. I would have checked the oil level shortly after receiving the tractor if it had a dipstick. It has a 27mm fill hole and a smaller (14mm I think) hole on the opposite site that you can take out and oil will dribble out the hole when filled.

 

[old and tired]

Am I reading this right? Seems highly unusual...

That's how "economical", aka, Standard tractors are... same as mine.

 

[River19]

Threw some Kubota Super Magical Spendy fluid in the axle this morning before use, I'll check it again tomorrow after it settles out etc.

I'm sure I landed in the same place everyone else does "Would be nice if the dealer topped it off, but either way after some use it all settles and needs to be checked".

Not sure why they just don't add a line to the Maintenance table for Front Axle Oil "Check" at that first 50hr maintenance level (if not sooner). The first mention of the axle oil is at 400hrs.

 

[Bmyers]

Mine (L2501) had very little in it after checking at 30 hours....like none in the upper axle case. Mine just has a fill hole and no dipstick. So, you were doing much better than me. It seems to be more common than it ever should be.

Yep, no dipstick on my front axle either. Just open the side hole and make sure a little comes out, otherwise fill it.

After my last service, the dealer told me to run it 10 hours and then most likely it would need a little more to top it off. He was right.

From the manual:

5. Run the vehicle a few minutes in order for the oil to flow through the front axle case.
6. Remove the oil level check plug and check to see if the oil flows out of its port. If not, add the oil through the filling port until it flows out of the oil level check port.
7. Reinstall and tighten the oil level check plug and filling plug.

 

[RCW]

River - - it's kind of a common thing. We've mentioned it here on OTT for a while.

I changed mine early-on, but it sat on a sales lot for quite a while. It was very low, and that was 8 years ago....

The new tractors now haven't sat around, but they commonly are low or dry, as others mention.

 

[vanhanz]

Mine was low on delivery. I sent it back to have them add something to my tractor and told them to fill it up then.

 

[nbryan]

1/3 up between the fill level marks on the dipstick is fine. A change of tractor levelness or fluid temperature can make a sometimes big difference. And always pull, wipe, and reinsert the dipstick to take an accurate reading. Air trapped below the dipstick seal o-ring can keep the oil from rising to its natural level.

 

[ken erickson]

This might be a silly question, but here goes.
Tomorrow I am going to check the front axle lube as many have suggested.

My question is this, my owners manual says either Kubota Super UDT-2 OR SAE 80-SAE-90 gear oil.
Which lube should I expect to have in mine from the factory/dealer (L2501 purchased new Nov of 2019. ) and does it matter when topping off if the two products are mixed? I do have both products on hand in the shop but curious more than anything. Less than 50 hours on the meter now, so not planning on doing a change, which is recommended at 800 hours.

 

[thebicman]

If it was never replaced then the factory uses the super udt-2. Don't mix them. If you want to have 80w90 then drain and fill with it only.