Hydro Noise....is it normal?

[kupitz]

Now that I have had my BX2660 a few weeks I have one big complaint and that is the amount of whine coming from the hydro unit. Now I do have an enclosed cab, but even with the doors off it's enough to warrant hearing protection. My old B7100 didn't have near the whine, so I'm wondering if it is normal? I bought the unit with 56 hours and the PO didn't do the 50 hour service so I did it right away and the old fluid looked fine, strainer was clean, and I replaced with Kubota SUDT. What's the school of thought here? Is this normal or something I need to look deeper into. Tractor operates just fine, with loader, no noticeable problems at all.
Kurt

 

[85Hokie]

Now that I have had my BX2660 a few weeks I have one big complaint and that is the amount of whine coming from the hydro unit. Now I do have an enclosed cab, but even with the doors off it's enough to warrant hearing protection. My old B7100 didn't have near the whine, so I'm wondering if it is normal? I bought the unit with 56 hours and the PO didn't do the 50 hour service so I did it right away and the old fluid looked fine, strainer was clean, and I replaced with Kubota SUDT. What's the school of thought here? Is this normal or something I need to look deeper into. Tractor operates just fine, with loader, no noticeable problems at all.
Kurt

Kurt,

yesssss, that noise ....is ....well, normal!! yeah - I know it sucks too!!!

I found it to be less of a PITA when the engine was spun up to 3000 rpms....

I replaced my fluid just recently ....and the whine was cut by about 85-90%!!!!

But I bit the bullet and placed S-UDT 2 .....that 2 makes all the difference in your ears and your pocketbook! Synthetic vs normal......2 = synthetic

Absolutely NOTHING wrong with your machine however.
To say you get use to it ....well - you will or wear hearing protection!

 

[OrangeLivin]

I'm far from an expert, having only bought my BX2360 last August (from an individual, not a dealer), but I have the same amount of noise coming from my tractor. It only had 100 hours when I bought it, I've put on about 35 since last year, and it's still making the same amount of noise as when I bought it.

Fluid is clean, everything operates normally. It didn't seem abnormally loud to me, but it's definitely noticeable.

So I can't say whether or not you should get it checked out by the dealer, but my personal experience is that my BX makes a good amount of hydro noise as well.

 

[kupitz]

Thanks guys, I had figured as much but never having beeon on one or know anyone with one I wanted to hear it from thee owners here. I guess I will just paint my red earmuffs orange and deal with it. Maybe on the next go around in 300 hours try the synthetic stuff and see if it makes a difference, course I may be deaf by then.

 

[jrepp44]

I have a B2650 with cab. The hydro noise is almost unbearable, especially when using the cruise control. I changed the hydro fluid to Super UDT2, it did not help the noise. Noise cancelling headphones help a lot.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

When I test drove my used L3800, it was WHINING in high range...

My buddy who went with me and has a little JD said, "Something is wrong with this machine!"

The issue was the L3800 is loud for sure but its also twice the HP of his JD. It has a bigger and stronger tranny.

I always wear headphones except when poking along near idle, unloaded for a short distance. I'll be switching to full synthetic soon... I am going to do a db measure before and after the fluid change using two different measuring units. I'll report what the results are.

Ray

 

[85Hokie]

CCR - I thought about the noise level too - I am not sure how to differentiate between the hydro whine and the engine noise....

all I know is that the whine was much, much better with the synthetic

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Hokie,

The tranny noise sounds like fluid under high pressure... like a water faucet only more. At speed in high range, you pick up the straight cut gears. They make a racket. My motor is fairly consistent. The tranny noise comes and goes but I am looking forward to the fluid swap, probably in early Fall.

Ray

 

[85Hokie]

Hokie,

The tranny noise sounds like fluid under high pressure... like a water faucet only more. At speed in high range, you pick up the straight cut gears. They make a racket. My motor is fairly consistent. The tranny noise comes and goes but I am looking forward to the fluid swap, probably in early Fall.

Ray

Ray,

my question is - how is the meter going to know which is which? Engine will be a constant - loud? not really but a sound that can be measured - but the whine can and will change - -- will the Decibel Meter pick up the difference, and is the whine loud? OR just a pitch that makes you wanna go and have a cat scratch a blackboard?

I think the engine noise is something that is lower in the pitch column - where as the whine is in that high range that is annoying - I would like to see the difference however!

 

[NEPA Guy]

I had a 3350 with the cab and I had the same complaint. It was insanely loud. I had even swapped out the trans with the super udt2 at about 20 hours cuz it was a gallon low fresh from the dealer. It made no difference whatsoever.

Strangely enough my old man had a L3900, I never heard the squealing that came out of mine. It's disappointing, I know. Something is different.

For me as well, when I put on the cruise control it was even louder. Maybe after a few hundred hours it will cause you to go deaf not noticing it as much, or those thick cut gears will soften up a bit. Either way, WEAR HEARING PROTECTION.

Hearing loss is cumulative. I have already lost my high frequency hearing for not wearing protection when I used to work around large printing presses for years. I'm only starting to notice it now. Its terrible.

I've been using the 3M brand of headsets. Leave a set in your tractor so you never forget.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

NEPA is absolutely right.

I hang my headset on my FEL lever. Its ALWAYS there.

Hokie - I can do readings closer to the tranny to get a good idea. My machine is loudest in HIGH and traveling at 2500 RPM. Sounds like I am in a water pumping station. It also makes a boatload of "squeal" when I just feather the FWD pedal in idle. That is another regime I could test for changes with the synthetic fluid. These two testers are cheapies but if I measure the fluids in the same way, we should get some objective information.

One way would be to use the "stethoscope" method where you mount a meter to a monopod leg and then hold the monopod against the transmission housing, like using a screwdriver against your skull (or using a stethoscope) to find noises in your engine.

We'll see. I'll play around with it. I am doing the same thing with my Ranger UTV before and after sound deadening treatment.

By the way, when I rebuilt my hood, I lined the inside of the hood with stone chip before painting to catch diesel noise. It made zero difference.

Ray

 

[85Hokie]

this sounds like a great idea :

"One way would be to use the "stethoscope" method where you mount a meter to a monopod leg "

On my BX - in high gear and starting off, even if not pushing hard on the pedal - I still get whine, I dont get that chance much!

Look forward to your experiment and numbers !

 

[kckndrgn]

I guess this is one of my complaints about my BX, the loud WHINE when moving around. I do use earmuffs whenever working with loud equipment. I've already lost all my hearing in one ear, i don't need to lose it in the other.

even with the muffs, I can hear the whine, hopefully it will go away when I get to my 50 hr maint (only 44 hours to go!!! LOL)

 

[kupitz]

I guess this is one of my complaints about my BX, the loud WHINE when moving around. I do use earmuffs whenever working with loud equipment. I've already lost all my hearing in one ear, i don't need to lose it in the other.

even with the muffs, I can hear the whine, hopefully it will go away when I get to my 50 hr maint (only 44 hours to go!!! LOL)

Not likely from the sound (no pun intended) of things as well as I have 57 hours and still whiney after the fluids changed.

 

[Jon3]

I have a B2650. When I went to the dealer Saturday to get oil and filters for my 50 hr service, they told me they all come with synthetic hydraulic fluid from factory now.

 

[stutrac]

My 1870 has 10 hs on it and it too makes the hydro noise, i just put ear protection on and i am good to go

 

[Ramos]

I have two thoughts on the subject of hydro whine:

1. It's the nature of the beast.
2. It's all relative.

Mid '70s IH Hydro 86, whines.
1995 JD 425, whines.
2016 BX1870-1, whines.

These are the ones I have spent the most time on but, there have been many others of different types and sizes. They ALL whine. The BX seems to whine the least and at a less annoying pitch than many. All you can do is use adequate RPM's, use the appropriate range and run the best fluids/filters that you can buy. In return, you are free from clutching and shifting all day long. I have a 60hp JD 2440 loader tractor, as well. Great utility tractor but, the clutch sure gets old when using the loader. The only whining you hear when it is running comes from the operator!