Kubota tractor hydraulic systems - what brand of chemical is safe to flush tractors to remove water?

[Gus1957]

Has anyone flushed their hydraulic system to remove water?

Thank you !

 

[GreensvilleJay]

as in a pure 'hydraulic system' aka 'JEEP snowplow system ? yes. used 'cheap' oil as a flushing agent, then drained overnight..
if an 'HST' unit, yes, used 30W oil,drained overnight, spun input shaft slowly a few times, more oil drained out, left for 3 more days, kinda amazed how much oil come out....

You show 3 different machines ,so you should post which machine you're asking about as not all all the same.

I have 1 tractor where there are 3 drain plugs, + 2 more for the bull drives. even then not ALL oil drains out after 7 days.

 

[Gus1957]

as in a pure 'hydraulic system' aka 'JEEP snowplow system ? yes. used 'cheap' oil as a flushing agent, then drained overnight..
if an 'HST' unit, yes, used 30W oil,drained overnight, spun input shaft slowly a few times, more oil drained out, left for 3 more days, kinda amazed how much oil come out....

You show 3 different machines ,so you should post which machine you're asking about as not all all the same.

I have 1 tractor where there are 3 drain plugs, + 2 more for the bull drives. even then not ALL oil drains out after 7 days.

M6800 Gear Shift with a F/R shuttle. There are 4 drain plugs on this tractor. I borrowed a set of transport disc this summer and had trouble getting the lift cylinder to work. Multiple cycling finally got it to work.

I now think I got contamination from it.

 

[TheOldHokie]

M6800 Gear Shift with a F/R shuttle. There are 4 drain plugs on this tractor. I borrowed a set of transport disc this summer and had trouble getting the lift cylinder to work. Multiple cycling finally got it to work.

I now think I got contamination from it.

SUDT2 is a very effective water sucker upper. Thats one of the things that sets it apart from commodity fluids. Not a cheap flush.....

Dan

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

M6800 Gear Shift with a F/R shuttle. There are 4 drain plugs on this tractor. I borrowed a set of transport disc this summer and had trouble getting the lift cylinder to work. Multiple cycling finally got it to work.

I now think I got contamination from it.

Do you think the cylinder was filled with water?
That in it's self would be very very odd.

 

[Gus1957]

Do you think the cylinder was filled with water?
That in it's self would be very very odd.

I doubt completely filled. It's a 70 year old set of Oliver transport disc. A hose was bad on it and I replaced it before hooking up to it. The owner uses it for food plots off a Ford 5000. Both pieces sit outside all year and only get used once late summer. I doubt the Ford tractor has been serviced in the last 10 - 15 years after being bought at auction.

My tractor I have completely drained the hydraulic oil and changed both filters in the last 3 years - 2x after 2 hydraulic hoses failed. The power hose form top side of transmission under the seat up to the loader valve and one to the back. And both times I had rear tire off for better access for hose replacement and at the filters straight on. Both times it was warmer outside changing oil.
My tractor is 20 years old/ 1345 hours and has sat outside unfortunately the whole time in upstate NY.
This tractor since new would start easily at 10-15F with just glow plugs and still does. Some years if we had prolonged cold below that I would plug in block heater to make it easier starting on battery and engine oil.
There were years when I traveled for work away during winter and my daughter or wife would use it plowing. Originally the tractor was used round baling when we had sheep & beef and I was home.

Now I used it for skidding saw / firewood logs, plowing and moving buckets of firewood to the house. Doesn't get started every day.

Reason for low hours is I was away traveling for work my last 10 years before retiring.

I did have some gunk come out of the drain plug that is within the bracket that supports the rear of the fuel tank. I don't think that's the lowest point drain either. I did capture it in a clean container to look at later.

After reading another M6800 hydraulic post here - I've never removed steel lines under hydraulic pump and blew them back.

Being 67 it's not easy sliding under the tractor to get to the hydraulic filters and there location near tire just traps dirt on top of them.

This weekend it will get cold again down near zero so it will be a test if system is cleaned out enough.

 

[D2Cat]

Gus, I guess the lesson for others to learn is beware of using other peoples equipment with hydraulic connections.

A couple of years ago I bought this blade. First thing I did was pick the blade up, remove hyd. lines and manually rotate to expel all fluid.

 

[Gus1957]

Gus, I guess the lesson for others to learn is beware of using other peoples equipment with hydraulic connections.

A couple of years ago I bought this blade. First thing I did was pick the blade up, remove hyd. lines and manually rotate to expel all fluid.

Thinking back I was so glad to borrow that set of discs within a mile from my house after not being able to buy a set at a reasonable price I didn't think of anything else. Ironically they didn't even make to my house because of a bad tire. Fortunately another neighbor in-between had a portable compressor and it had to take air 2x before getting it in the driveway. Wound up replacing the tire for him with a new tire.
Still appreciated the chance to use them when needed,

Today it's 35F and moved a couple heavy loads of firewood with no issues. Waiting for 5F this weekend to see if it holds up.