Just bought a BX? Check your front axle fluid!

[HaltCatchFire]

Hey folks, I'm new here so I thought I'd introduce myself and share a little tip from a concern I had with my new BX23S.

I put the first 2 hours on the tractor pulling a stump and out of abundance of caution I checked the front axle dipstick afterward. Oil wasn't even readable, so I dipped a steel scale and the level was a full inch below the dipstick bottom. Took a full quart to get it to the middle of the dipstick. Looks to me like the factory/dealer never popped the vent plugs when they filled it (paint around them was intact) and the first few hundred feet of movement was enough to "burp" all the air from the uprights. Basically this exact issue here:

So even if it's brand spanking new, never hurts to check!

~Josh (HaltCatchFire)

 

[PaulR]

Duuuuude. What a long strange trip this video is.

 

[85Hokie]

Josh

Glad to have you here - lots of great people who know more about these tractors than maybe Kubota themselves!

And while on the subject of low "oil" levels - I hate to say it, a lot of times they all seem to come a bit low from the "dealer".... engine oil, front axle and hydraulic oils. Not to say that every new machine is low - but many a new owner has said the same as you are saying.

Had one owner that could NOT even get oil from the plug hole with a thin wire after checking.......

As you said - new? CHECK everything - bolts, nuts, oils levels ..... hell check the nut under the seat on a BX too (old story)

 

[HaltCatchFire]

As you said - new? CHECK everything - bolts, nuts, oils levels ..... hell check the nut under the seat on a BX too (old story)

Righto, I think that'll be a nice winter activity, a front to back inspection. No real yard work to do for a another month so gives me a reason to be out in the shop with the new family member

 

[BX'r]

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to re check mine.

 

[Henro]

Duuuuude. What a long strange trip this video is.

ROFL...It was pretty long to say my my fluid was low and a I added some...

By the way, I have seen that symbol before...my age must be showing...
[/QUOTE]

 

[PaulR]

Funny time over:

HOLY CRAP!! STICKY THIS POST!!!
I ordered mine in June, rec'd sept, 40 hours on it. Checked my front axle on account of this post. it was BONE DRY, like, I could see the cast iron dimples on the bottom of the axle through the fill hole.

very sad I'll have to bother my dealer with this issue.

 

[Nicfin36]

Welcome to the club. Many of us have had the same issue.

 

[jimh406]

Just wondering if this is a BX specific issue or not. Scary.

 

[Nicfin36]

Just wondering if this is a BX specific issue or not. Scary.

No. Several L series have had the same issue and other models perhaps. The dealer did not fill the axle on my L2501.

 

[79 powerking]

My bx1880 took 1/2 quart to completely fill it. The salesman said sorry about that when he handed me a quart of the hyd. fluid

 

[79 powerking]

My bx1880 took 1/2 quart to completely fill it. The salesman said sorry about that when he handed me a quart of the hyd. fluid

I didn't specify the front axle was low everything else was good.

 

[owitiw]

Funny time over:

HOLY CRAP!! STICKY THIS POST!!!
I ordered mine in June, rec'd sept, 40 hours on it. Checked my front axle on account of this post. it was BONE DRY, like, I could see the cast iron dimples on the bottom of the axle through the fill hole.

very sad I'll have to bother my dealer with this issue.

I was watching a YouTube video about this issue this morning and I decided to check my BX2380 front axle and just like you I saw hardly any gear oil in the axle! I was shocked I used my iPhone flashlight and I had to look hard to see gear oil. I was pissed and the dealer a poor one at that is getting a call tomorrow! I was originally trying to seal the block heater that was leaking coolant with JB Weld till I can order a new one when I checked the front axle! It’s sad really that you can’t trust dealers to do their job!

 

[DustyRusty]

Josh

Glad to have you here - lots of great people who know more about these tractors than maybe Kubota themselves!

And while on the subject of low "oil" levels - I hate to say it, a lot of times they all seem to come a bit low from the "dealer".... engine oil, front axle and hydraulic oils. Not to say that every new machine is low - but many a new owner has said the same as you are saying.

Had one owner that could NOT even get oil from the plug hole with a thin wire after checking.......

As you said - new? CHECK everything - bolts, nuts, oils levels ..... hell check the nut under the seat on a BX too (old story)

Also, check the loose nut on top of the seat. That is the one that causes the tractor to do what it does.

 

[leveraddict]

It makes you feel good about your dealer when you had zero set up issues!

 

[The Evil Twin]

It makes you feel good about your dealer when you had zero set up issues!

Yup. Only thing with mine was the turn signal quit working (bad ground through the paint. Wiggling it got it straight.
My axle oil was a tad "low" but if the unit wasn't perfectly level when they checked it that would explain it.

 

[mcmxi]

It makes you feel good about your dealer when you had zero set up issues!

Yep, three tractors and a generator locally without any issues and one from Sheridan, WY without issues. I think it helps when the owners/managers of the dealership actually own and use Kubota products too.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Be sure to scrape off the orange paint on ALL the Zerks THEN grease and cycle the joinery !!!!

 

[PaulR]

Be sure to scrape off the orange paint on ALL the Zerks THEN grease and cycle the joinery !!!!

Yea what's up with the painted zerks? sloppy? Lazy? I asked the dealer and he was like "oh they meant to do that" I was like yea right.

 

[DustyRusty]

They are installed before the final painting of the unit. You can tell if the pain hasn't been scratched off of the fitting that the selling dealer didn't do their job preparing the tractor for delivery. I found many on the snowblower that I purchased that had paint on the check ball and one fitting that wouldn't take grease even after I scraped the paint off. Upon removal, I found that it has a blockage that prevents the grease from getting by it.