Front axle oil... Where'd it go?

[Wormwood]

If someone could offer up some advice I'd appreciate it.

Last week I purchased a 2011 Kubota BX25 & since then I've put ~8 hrs. on it. Today, I unloaded the BH & FEL so I could go thru everything & make sure all is right. Pretty much everything is good, except the front axle oil. Specs. call for 5qts. but I couldn't even see any oil on the dipstick & all I could get out of the 2 drain plugs was ~2qts. total.

Tomorrow I'll, at the very least, go get the oil that I was shorted when I purchased the tractor, but should I be more concerned, than pissed off? I know it's not leaking. The oil that I did drain was clear, no metal that I could find. Lastly, I would say I've had the front drive engaged about half the time.

Thanks in advance, for anything you guys think of..?

Wormwood

 

[eserv]

Should have been picked up during PDI. Did you sign the PDI? every now and then one comes through low on oil, the BX23's were almost all low from the factory! Glad you caught it!
ED

 

[kuboman]

If someone could offer up some advice I'd appreciate it.

Last week I purchased a 2011 Kubota BX25 & since then I've put ~8 hrs. on it. Today, I unloaded the BH & FEL so I could go thru everything & make sure all is right. Pretty much everything is good, except the front axle oil. Specs. call for 5qts. but I couldn't even see any oil on the dipstick & all I could get out of the 2 drain plugs was ~2qts. total.

Tomorrow I'll, at the very least, go get the oil that I was shorted when I purchased the tractor, but should I be more concerned, than pissed off? I know it's not leaking. The oil that I did drain was clear, no metal that I could find. Lastly, I would say I've had the front drive engaged about half the time.

Thanks in advance, for anything you guys think of..?

Wormwood

It is a long drawn out process to get the right amount of oil in these front axles. I would not be concerned or pissed off because it is the nature of the axles to take 2-3 liters and appear full until they have been run around.Sometimes it takes 10 hrs or more to work the air out.
You will not have done any harm.

 

[Wormwood]

Thanks guys, that was the info I was after. Well, I suppose I'll ask for the 3 missing quarts & buy the 2 that I poured out into dirty oil pans, duh.

 

[kuboman]

Thanks guys, that was the info I was after. Well, I suppose I'll ask for the 3 missing quarts & buy the 2 that I poured out into dirty oil pans, duh.

Just to make you feel better I changed the oil in my L5740 and put in less than half the stated quantity before it filled to the top. I then had to run it around to get anymore in. I have added 4 times now and think it is maybe where it is suppose to be.

 

[GWD]

The low front axle oil on a new tractor is so common that it is silly.

However, don't be too fussed by the low oil. There is a large "fudge factor" and as long as the gears/differential get even a little bit of oil things will be fine - especially with the low hours and it was likely not run in 4WD the whole time. Two quarts out of three is plenty of lubrication.

BTW, in your area it might be wise to use 80w-90 gear oil in the front rather than UDT or SUDT. Kubota usually gives that option.

There is also a synthetic 70w-90 (I think) but I haven't tried it. Maybe next change,

 

[eserv]

It is a long drawn out process to get the right amount of oil in these front axles. I would not be concerned or pissed off because it is the nature of the axles to take 2-3 liters and appear full until they have been run around.Sometimes it takes 10 hrs or more to work the air out.
You will not have done any harm.

This is very true on the "L" tractors, not so much on the BX because Kubota provided a vent plug on the top of the gear housing just inside the wheels. remove those two plugs and the reservoir will fill right up. I really want them to provide something similar on the L's but they haven't yet!
Ed

 

[kuboman]

This is very true on the "L" tractors, not so much on the BX because Kubota provided a vent plug on the top of the gear housing just inside the wheels. remove those two plugs and the reservoir will fill right up. I really want them to provide something similar on the L's but they haven't yet!
Ed

Interesting why they would not provide a vent. I didn't even have this much trouble on my B3200. Come to think of it they provided a main vent on the B and nothing on the L I think I only added once after changing the oil in it. Although I suppose gear oil will be a little slower to work the air out because of the viscosity.