Just bought a new L2501 tractor. Are most of the nuts/bolts metric our SAE? I need to get a new, larger 3/4 inch drive socket set to do routine maintenance, and want to have the needed sizes.
Question on Tools......
- Thread starter Weasel1
- Start date
Rare to find an SAE fastener on a Kubota. Sometimes on an implement made in the USA there might be SAE.
Rare to need a 3/4" drive on a smaller tractor. Stick with 1/2 and 3/8 drive stuff.
Dave
Rather than investing in 3/4" sockets you might go shopping for a heavier torque wrench. The common ones seem to limit at 150 foot pounds. Rear wheel nuts torque to 160 foot pounds, the loader mount bolts are 166. I got a Craftsman at Lowes for about $80.
As others have said, a 3/4" drive socket set is WAY overkill for the L2501. You'll seldom use a 1/2", but at least you could use it on lug nuts!
The Harbor Freight Icon is a hundred bucks and goes to 175. It's a dead nuts copy of a Snap On, right down to the engraved graduations and it torques in left and right hand. Most cheap wrenches only tighten torque (RH) the Icon does LH too. I need that for spindle nuts.
Tractor ownership will require some larger tools but typically not for your tractor, attachments often need larger tools. I have a 3/4 drive socket set from harbor freight $70 and use many of the large sockets on things like lower pins on attachments, bush hog blade bolts, very useful on many occasions. Also Harbor freight sell large metric wrench set $50 that’s very useful. I agree that good 1/2 drive and 3/8 drive are used most of the time it’s good to have longer handle ratchets and breaker bars. I did buy a 250ft lb torque wrench that I use for heavy applications but normally use a smaller torque wrench.
Good luck with your new tractor
Good luck with your new tractor
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One of my old supervisors used to tell me "Tight's tight, too tight's broke". I have 6 torque wrenches in my garage because of having to fix stuff he broke. Too tight was right with that guy.
I bought a medium price range of metric sockets (12 point) but some sizes missing. I think 11 and 18 but any way I have been slowly adding onto the arsenal with quality 6 point which I prefer when torqueing. I have a couple of manual torque wrench's and an electronic one I use on a 36" /3/4 breaker bar adapted down to 1/2. It works well with high torque nuts. loosing umph in my arms...age thing. 
and then there is my battery power Milwaukee impact wrench. (definitely not for torqueing)
and then there is my battery power Milwaukee impact wrench. (definitely not for torqueing)
One of my favorite HF tool sets is their 1/2" drive impact sockets in SAE and Metric. You cannot break them and I've tried with my IR 1/2" drive Thundergun and even my 1" drive impact with a high torque reducer.
I had to replace the dome head plow bolts when I renewed the cutting edge on my 10 foot snowplow last year. The bolts were frozen solid and even judicious application of acetone and ATF didn't do the trick.
I went at them with a Snap-On 3/4" 1/2 drive socket and the Thundergun and promptly slit the socket so I went off to HF and bought a set in SAE and Metric. Lifetime guarantee. Brought them home and went at it again. I wound up twisting the shanks off the bolts but the sockets never failed. Good stuff. Couple of the real tough ones, I changed up to a 1" drive air impact (2500 foot pounds) and twisted them off but no socket failure.
The IR makes 1500 foot pounds and you need earplugs too.
I had to replace the dome head plow bolts when I renewed the cutting edge on my 10 foot snowplow last year. The bolts were frozen solid and even judicious application of acetone and ATF didn't do the trick.
I went at them with a Snap-On 3/4" 1/2 drive socket and the Thundergun and promptly slit the socket so I went off to HF and bought a set in SAE and Metric. Lifetime guarantee. Brought them home and went at it again. I wound up twisting the shanks off the bolts but the sockets never failed. Good stuff. Couple of the real tough ones, I changed up to a 1" drive air impact (2500 foot pounds) and twisted them off but no socket failure.
The IR makes 1500 foot pounds and you need earplugs too.