I'm new to ALL of this . . .

[Rookie Tractor Driver]

Last fall I bought a rural property. So, I'm still kind of new to everything that goes with that. There were quite a few "Extras" that were included with the property. One of these extras was a Kubota L2500 tractor. I looked at it very briefly during the initial property inspection, but honestly, didn't really know anything about it. Well now I've had time to get settled, and now it's time I could really use that tractor.
On first inspection I thought the thing had been torn down for a major rebuild and wasn't sure it wasn't just a pile of scrap.
It turns out that the someone had been changing out implements. with some help from a neighbor the front loader is back on the tractor.
This is an old tractor and the previous owner was a bit of a "jury rigger" when it came maintenance and repairs. I've started replacing missing/broken parts as I come to them. Recently I decided to replace the missing headlight switch.
The neighbor tells me that the original switch broke at least 15 years ago. The previous owner just removed it and wired in a bunch of random toggle switches. They were all tapped together and just hanging from a hole in the panel. So I've got a new switch, and if looks like it will snap right into the hole in the panel. The problem is that there is a plug on the new switch but there is no matching plug behind the panel. It looks like a bird's nest exploded. I'm trying to get a replacement for missing plug. My main problem is that I do not know what all the symbols on the new multi-switch mean.
I do not have any books/manuals for this machine. I'm hoping someone here can help me out with deciphering the symbols. I'm going to try to attach an image of the switch. Hopefully someone can "fill in the bla

 

[Lencho]

Best to get the workshop manual with electrical diagram.
Folks will chime in soon.
Welcome To OTT!

 

[Rookie Tractor Driver]

Thanks for the welcome. I will be getting the shop manual. I've already Ordered and received the manual for the front loader. When I first started working on this thing, I went out to the shed to get the number off the tractor. The first number I found was the number on the front loader, so that's what I ordered. I now know that each implement has it's own manual.
I did find a page that has the "Universal" symbols on a chart with their meanings. However, the chart didn't have any of the symbols that match Those on the new switch. I just want to make sure that when I wire up this switch, I have all the functions matched up to their correct switch positions. I have to admit that I was amused when I learned that a horn was standard equipment on this tractor. I was even more amused when I heard the horn.

 

[GeoHorn]

NOT definitive….merely a guess (top to bottom): Parking, Off, Headlights, Headlights plus rear-work light.

Standing by to see if I “win” the guessing-game.

You need to download an Owners’’ Manual.

 

[cthomas]

Here is a link to find your owner's manual and a workshop manual(WSM). Hopefully they have yours or at least view something close as you are new to tractors.

Index of Kubotabooks/

 

[Russell King]

I am pretty sure that you will not be able to get the wiring connector from Kubota. I don’t think they will sell just that part. I imagine that you can get a part of the wiring harness from Kubota, most of the time they tend to split it up into a few separate sections. Unfortunately I think the one you need will be the most expensive but I could be wrong about that.

Usually there are headlights high beam and low beam. Generally the high beams are an additional filament plus the low beam but those are oddly confusing symbols on the headlights.

First is probably flashers and second is off. Third and fourth have to do with headlights but I won’t guess about the meaning of those symbols.

You may get the connector from an auto parts store or just use individual connectors on each wire.

You might look around for a container full of tractor parts and see if he threw it in there

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I looked at it very briefly during My main problem is that I do not know what all the symbols on the new multi-switch mean.

I don't have the same tractor but switch looks identical to what Kubota uses on their combines. I don't own one but have operated them in the past.
Horn, left and right turn signals as marketed in your attached picture

If I still remember rightly..... (ymmv)

At 1 o"clock moving downward:

- interior light for models with cab's
- all lights off
- driving lights on
- driving lights and header flood light on

 

[Rookie Tractor Driver]

Best to get the workshop manual with electrical diagram.
Folks will chime in soon.
Welcome To OTT!

I've Found some that I can download. I'll try to get that done at the office tomorrow.
Thanks.

 

[Rookie Tractor Driver]

NOT definitive….merely a guess (top to bottom): Parking, Off, Headlights, Headlights plus rear-work light.

Standing by to see if I “win” the guessing-game.

You need to download an Owners’’ Manual.

I've found some downloadable manuals today. I'm going to try to get a few downloaded while I'm in the office tomorrow.
Thanks

 

[Rookie Tractor Driver]

Here is a link to find your owner's manual and a workshop manual(WSM). Hopefully they have yours or at least view something close as you are new to tractors.

Index of Kubotabooks/

I found this sight earlier today. I'm planning on downloading Some of the manuals tomorrow while I'm at work. Thanks for the info.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Don't bother with the parts manuals as the numbers have changed since they were printed.

Kubota Tractor Corporation - Illustrated Parts List

- K-PAD - Parts Lists - Illustrated Parts Lists - diagrams

apps.kubotausa.com

Is an up to date parts manual.

They do have a wiring diagram that will be helpful.

 

[Rookie Tractor Driver]

I am pretty sure that you will not be able to get the wiring connector from Kubota. I don’t think they will sell just that part. I imagine that you can get a part of the wiring harness from Kubota, most of the time they tend to split it up into a few separate sections. Unfortunately I think the one you need will be the most expensive but I could be wrong about that.

Usually there are headlights high beam and low beam. Generally the high beams are an additional filament plus the low beam but those are oddly confusing symbols on the headlights.

First is probably flashers and second is off. Third and fourth have to do with headlights but I won’t guess about the meaning of those symbols.

You may get the connector from an auto parts store or just use individual connectors on each wire.

You might look around for a container full of tractor parts and see if he threw it in there

Thanks for the reply.
I've already accepted that I will need to make a new plug set. The plug on the new switch has 9 positions filled and a few unused. Looking behind the panel, I can only find about half of the wire color codes that match the switch. Fortunately this is an old tractor so the electric system is old school. I haven't found any "solid state" or digital components so far, just a bunch of relays. Many of the relays appear to be part of the various safety systems. Things like keeping the starter from working if the clutch isn't depressed and the shifter isn't in neutral. There are wires behind the panel that have been cut and tapped up, and I have no idea what they do

Don't bother with the parts manuals as the numbers have changed since they were printed.

Kubota Tractor Corporation - Illustrated Parts List

- K-PAD - Parts Lists - Illustrated Parts Lists - diagrams

apps.kubotausa.com

Is an up to date parts manual.

They do have a wiring diagram that will be helpful.

 

[Bmyers]

The bottom switch is for when you roll the tractor over, you flip the switch to there so you can see how to get out from underneath it.

 

[Rookie Tractor Driver]

Don't bother with the parts manuals as the numbers have changed since they were printed.

Kubota Tractor Corporation - Illustrated Parts List

- K-PAD - Parts Lists - Illustrated Parts Lists - diagrams

apps.kubotausa.com

Is an up to date parts manual.

They do have a wiring diagram that will be helpful.

Thanks. I've noticed the new part numbers. My tractor is a 1999 model. None of the parts I've ordered so far are the original part numbers. I'm beginning to suspect that this new light switch I have doesn't even look like the original. However, It does fit into the panel. It does look a bit out of place though. If I can get the wiring figured out so that it works, I guess I don't really care too much about what it looks like.
Good wiring diagrams are always helpful. So far I've downloaded three different ones. I'm not sure that any of them are actually the one I need. I had no idea that Kubota had made so many different models of tractors, over such a stretch of time. I'm learning far more about tractors than I ever intended to.
Honestly, with as much wire butchery that has happened behind the panel and under the hood, I'm surprised that this thing still starts and runs at all. It appears that whenever the previous owner had a wiring issue, he would trace the problem, then just cut the original wire and run a new wire from that point to the termination. As a result, I've got at least 25-30 loose wire ends that are just "hanging out". If I can find the correct wiring diagram, I will go ahead and build a new wiring harness for this thing. It also seems that, for whatever reason, previous owner also cut out all of the original connectors/plugs. That begs the question: Are the Kubota connectors/plugs especially problematic?
There are a bunch of obviously non-stock crimp connections throughout the wiring system of this tractor. Most of them are "Butt" connections. Many of them are 1 wire into 2 or 3 wires.

 

[Rookie Tractor Driver]

View attachment 104809
The bottom switch is for when you roll the tractor over, you flip the switch to there so you can see how to get out from underneath it.

Yeah, I don't think I'd want to be in that position. This sucker is heavy! Fortunately, most of my property is flat. There are about 100 feet of bank along a road, even though it is only about 15 degrees, I don't operate the tractor there. I've got a ZTR mower that handles the bank quite nicely.

 

[fried1765]

Don't bother with the parts manuals as the numbers have changed since they were printed.

Kubota Tractor Corporation - Illustrated Parts List

- K-PAD - Parts Lists - Illustrated Parts Lists - diagrams

apps.kubotausa.com

Is an up to date parts manual.

They do have a wiring diagram that will be helpful.

I find that the easiest way to see parts, and how they are orientated, is to just look at individual/specific parts pages on the Messick's website.

 

[Jim L.]

Nothing problematic with Kubota connectors. They are Japanese motorcycle connectors which is the clue for finding replacements. In twenty years, the move has been to sealed connectors for automotive. But one can still get the old style if wanted.

If you decide to build a new harness you can replace the connectors and conductors one by one. The other approach is to lay all the existing electrical on a plywood sheet and mark the board, provide holds for the connectors in order to build new harness.

If you can't get small lengths of striped wire, you can use combinations of colored heat shrink to identify the conductors.

My guess is that the previous owner did not want to wait or buy whatever was needed to keep original configuration. It worked; but now there is no documentation for troubleshooting.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

low beam, high beam for the Q? in post #13...

In the electrical section of the WSM , they may have a page with 'cryptic' alphanumerics for the various connectors. If so, you can locate them on the web.....

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I find that the easiest way to see parts, and how they are orientated, is to just look at individual/specific parts pages on the Messick's website.

You do know Messick's part diagrams are actually Kubota's parts diagrams?

 

[fried1765]

I ass

You do know Messick's part diagrams are actually Kubota's parts diagrams?

I assumed that.