All the YouTube videos and forum threads I’ve seen make a full hydraulic fluid and filter change look like an absolute mess. On top of that, my oil pans don’t hold 11 gallons — so I wanted a cleaner, simpler approach. This is what worked for me, and it was easy and mess-free. Watching people, try and put the drain plug back in to empty out bins, the mess all over the floors, I didnt want that in my garage.
Draining
I used a fluid extractor that hooks up to my air compressor. It took about 10 minutes total, to pull the fluid out, removing roughly 2 gallons at a time and dumping it into a 5-gallon bucket.
After that, I crawled under the tractor and removed the drain plugs. Only about 1–2 gallons were left in the system. I let it drain overnight and ended up with around 10 gallons total, which is close to the tractor’s 11-gallon capacity.
Filling
Most people use a funnel and try to lift a 5-gallon pail — which usually turns into a spill. Instead, I used a transfer tube. I elevated the bucket, primed the line, and let it flow on its own. I went and had dinner, swapped buckets, had dessert, and within about 45 minutes, I had refilled the 10 gallons with zero mess.
Hope this helps someone looking for a cleaner, easier way to do a hydraulic fluid change.
Draining
I used a fluid extractor that hooks up to my air compressor. It took about 10 minutes total, to pull the fluid out, removing roughly 2 gallons at a time and dumping it into a 5-gallon bucket.
After that, I crawled under the tractor and removed the drain plugs. Only about 1–2 gallons were left in the system. I let it drain overnight and ended up with around 10 gallons total, which is close to the tractor’s 11-gallon capacity.
Filling
Most people use a funnel and try to lift a 5-gallon pail — which usually turns into a spill. Instead, I used a transfer tube. I elevated the bucket, primed the line, and let it flow on its own. I went and had dinner, swapped buckets, had dessert, and within about 45 minutes, I had refilled the 10 gallons with zero mess.
Hope this helps someone looking for a cleaner, easier way to do a hydraulic fluid change.
