Greetings and questions on an L185

[half track]

Hi Folks,

I just joined the site and will start with an introduction before my question. My name is Jason and I live near Omaha, Ne. I really like old tractors and have just finished restoring a Ford Jubilee. My father and I are working on a White Military Half Track right now, but this is a very ongoing project. With children, it really gets pushed to the back burner. About a year ago I ran across an old b5100d Kubota that I purchased with a 48 inch Kubota Finish Mower. It had 700 hours on it, bad front tires, seat cover, decals, etc, but ran well. I purchased it very very reasonable and gave it to my father. He loves it.
Just recently I ran across a Ford Dealership that had a Kubota L185 split and laying behind their shed. The story goes that the prior owner left the oil plug out and the engine bearings were damaged and the pistons scored. They took the engine apart to show the owner and when he saw it, he gave up on it and left it there with a 200$ service bill. I contacted him and was told that if I paid the bill I could have it. It is in pretty good shape except the engine. Hood has some issues, good seat and seat cover, 2wd, great turf tires, 1012 hours, manual tranny. I picked up all the parts and away I went. The dealership was great and I left them with a couple pizzas for helping me out. They seemed happy. Great crew. The head looks great, block supposed ok. Crank looks good but needs polished. Needs new pistons/sleeves.

Anyway, I am going to have to replace the bearings, sleeves, pistons, rings, and most gaskets on the engine. I will have to have a machine shop install the sleeves and pistons as I am told they are not exact fit stuff. I am sure I will have a ton of questions, so I am hoping to get some technical assistance throughout my rebuild. Any help is appreciated.

Two questions to start. Does anyplace sell a rebuild kit for it with the above parts? Where is the cheapest place to get parts? yes I am on a budget. kids.

ok, another. What am I capable of doing with an L185? I have a woods Rd7200 6 foot finish mower. Run that? I do not want a loader on it as no power steering. Otherwise I am presuming a 4 foot bush hog which wont do me much good as I have a 5 footer. Is this a capable machine or too small for much?

Thanks in advance and I look forward to any communication.
Jason

 

[Michael]

OK I will take on what this tractor is capable of doing. A 6 foot finish mower is pushing to its limits but generally if you frequently mow should be able to do the mowing with the best of them.

A five foot rotary mower (bush hog) is not possible as that engine is only going to be putting out right at 14-15 Horsepower at the PTO. You are going to need at a 23-25 HP minimum for the 5 footer. I had the gray market version and it was a very capable tractor and I had a front end loader on mine and as long as you kept max air pressure in the front tires it handled and carried anything I tossed, scooped up in to the bucket. It was a little hard to steer but I never had a problem with it steering with a full load.

 

[meanjean]

Good deal and a hell of a way to score a tractor.
Don't let lack of power steering keep you from adding a loader.
Check Ebay for parts.

 

[half track]

Thanks for the responses. Just in looking around, it appears that I need to check the head for cracks. If the head is cracked, then I am going to part the tractor. If the head is good, I will rebuild the engine and use it. I found a place that has good measured used pistons for 40 each. Would it work to put in used pistons, new sleeves, and new rings? I could not find a cheaper piston than 70.

Thanks again for the responses. I am sure you will here from me often. Thanks.

Jason

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Jason,
Assuming the head is good and you're going to do a re-build go ahead and spring for the new pistons. There's no point in going to the trouble of putting in new sleeves, rings, bearings, gaskets etc., and then trying to save 30 bucks per on pistons. There are a lot of things that can be wrong with a piston that can't be told by a diameter measurement alone. The risk-reward just isn't there for the difference you'll spend on the new slugs. I haven't personally done any KUBOTA engines, but have done re-build and machine work on bunches of other stuff. The problem with the used pistons??? Even if you know the diameter, is the taper still within spec? (they're not supposed to be staright all the way up and down), Is the out-of-round measurement within spec? (pistons aren't manufactured/intended to be "round" at the skirts either). Are the ring lands and grooves within spec? Are the pin boss bores within spec? NOW... Someone will say, "I re-used pistons and didn't have any trouble", and maybe they didn't have. But, do you want to risk having to tear the whole thing apart again for $60 (just a 2 cyl isn't it?). Maybe if you knew that they had only a few hours on them AND you knew why the motor they came from had to be torn down in the first place AND springing for the new pistons meant you wouldn't be able to feed the kids for a week... then maybe (but just maybe). RC

 

[half track]

RC,

You are probably right on the pistons. It will not be the difference between the kids eating or not, but trying to save money where I can. As I wrote, I bought this really cheap and I am trying to keep this an affordable venture. I just completed a resto of a Jubilee where everything was replaced with new and the sticker shock kinda soured the wife on me working in my shop.

It would help justifying putting money in it if I could figure out what to use it for. Would it run a 5 foot finish side discharge mower or be even underpowered for that? What is this tractor good at. It is like it is too small for most and too big for garden tractor stuff.

Yes, I could have thought this through before I went through the effort to get it, but who could pass up a tractor in distress covered in snow. It just looked too sad sitting there and looks like it is in really great shape. It was practically calling to me went I went by there. Someone had to do it.

I could get it running and sell it, but that doesn't really seem right. I hate selling tractors, however they must earn their keep.

You have shamed me into using the new parts. I will do it right, but it might be a while before I start in on it and I won't be happy about it. (pouting childishly)

Thanks for the comments.
Jason

 

[half track]

ps. The previous owner stated that he has a quickattach westendorf loader for this tractor that I could buy for 800. If someone was close and interested, let me know. I still have the mounts attached to my tractor that I have to get back to him. I would be interested, but I already have a loader on a different tractor.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Spousal sticker shock... I know the feeling! Bought my first Kubota this fall, an M4500. My wife was like "why would you want to buy a different tractor"! Of course I was intending it to replace a 1945 Farmall H that ran nice but needed new tires, and didn't have; 3 point hitch, live PTO, or power steering, didn't start particularly well in cold weather and was seriously underpowered for a couple of the implements I ran with it. Oh BTW, the little woman never had to run the old tractor.
I ended up with this Kubota which had all of those things, runs like a top and has a full cab and like new rubber. At the moment I have about $2,700 in it and I still have a 6 foot Bomford Evershed Ditch Mower that was on it when I bought it to liquidate. Still, she's not up for me spending much money on it (it needs paint). So I'm gathering up the painting supplies a little at a time and will have the body sandblasted a little closer to spring to spread things out a little.
Still, for you with a $200 tractor, and if you're capable of most of the rebuild yourself, you should be able to turn a buck or two if you want to sell it. I'm amazed what used small and mid-size utility tractors are selling for. More than I'd pay for sure. RC