Replace fuel lines every 2 years?

[troverman]

OK, so reading the service schedule for my B2920, it says the rubber fuel lines must be replaced every 2 years, due to "slow degradation from aging." Mine is a 2013, so it would be on schedule.

Really? Do others do this? 2 years seems like an incredibly short life for a rubber automotive fuel hose. Rubber hoses transporting gasoline on cars last 20 or more years...maybe I'm wrong, but diesel seems more friendly to rubber than gasoline?

Also, what is the nonsense I read about filling up the coolant and it should last "a full day's work" before it needs to be filled again. Huh? Is this not a closed cooling system like a car?

I bought my machine used about a week ago - it had 24 hours on it, so like new. However, the initial service is at 50 hours. It claims the engine oil, engine oil filter, and transmission filter should be done.

Next week, I will be using it every day for a mowing job (I bought the 60" deck) and plan to put about 60 additional hours on the machine. Do I need to do the transmission filter? I would like to do just engine oil / filter. Should I buy Kubota brand oil? Or any good quality (e.g. Mobil 1) 10-w30 oil?

Any thoughts on the height adjustment of the deck? I set the knob, and upon lowering the deck it drops all the way to its lowest setting.

Thanks!

 

[Dr Honda]

Every 2 years is nutz. Even if you are running a high % of bio-diesel... regular automotive hoses can take it. (although they do get soft) But if you are running pump diesel... I would say they can go a long time. (+10 years?)


Coolant, is another strange one. I've checked mine... and I've never needed to add to it.

I use a Kubota filters, just because my dealer is convenient, and has good prices... but as far as oil... I just use known good oils. Rotella in the engine, and Walmart tractor oil in the trans.

And finally... everyone has their own idea of where to set the mower deck... but right now... I have mine set to about 2-3/4". You can get a blade height tool from your local John Deere dealer for about $7 that works VERY GOOD. I found my deck to be WAY out when it was delivered, but now it's nice and flat, and is close to where the adjuster knob says.



http://www.greenpartstore.com/John-Deere-Mower-Deck-Leveling-Gauge-AM130907.html

 

[TripleR]

I asked my dealer about all the lines and hoses recommended for change and he said essentially do it like any other machine, monitor and replace as needed.

I would do the 50 hour though I have missed them by ten hours or more if I was in the middle of something, the maintenance is fairly easy and quick.

I use a good quality diesel oil in mine as we have different brands and I'm not going to keep cases of Case, JD, Kubota, MF etc. in my shop.

 

[rentthis]

In replace fuel lines when they leak and they never do. If you do change them every 2 years, you should totally eliminate and possibility of a leak but It would never occur to me to change them. The only time I add coolant is in an over heating event or when a hydrometer tells me to. These are diesel engines not steam. Under normal circumstances, they should seldom need water. A daily level check is a good idea but the thought of it needing water daily is nuts.A hydraulic filter, fluid and engine oi/filter change is a good idea at 50 hours to remove and debris from the manufacturing/wear in process. It's probably best to use Kubota brand during any warranty period. After that, I use a name brand that's cheaper and more readily available. I don't have a suggestion as to the level adjustment other than something came loose.

 

[troverman]

OK, thanks for the responses. I'm going to run Mobil Delvac 15w40 diesel oil from Wal-Mart ($12.50 / gal). The coolant level in the tank is just above the minimum line when cold. I guess I could add a small amount of distilled water to bring it up slightly. The filter I'll probably have to get from Kubota.

The deck mows fine, its just too low. Regardless of what I set the cut height knob too, when I lower the deck, the knob turns by itself right down to the lowest setting.

 

[troverman]

What is the warranty period for this tractor?

Is there a separate hydraulic oil filter and transmission oil filter? On mine, I see just one larger filter mounted behind the rear wheel on the same side as the engine filter. Maybe there is another on the opposite side? Never really looked. I'm assuming no service has ever been done to mine considering all the filters are matching gray color to the engine and tractor underside.

How much hydraulic fluid is lost when that filter(s) is changed?

 

[davesl708]

I would definitely do the 50 service as the book calls for. You may find metal shavings in the hyd screen and filter left over from manufacturing. Make sure the suction screen is not clogged by them. This gets the fine grit out after the parts have worn in during the break-in time.

OEM filters are your best choice. A little extra cost but worth it in the long run.

My fuel lines are 12 years old and doing fine. Watch for cracking and seepage. Replace as needed.

 

[Diydave]

I replace lines as needed. I keep a length of import car diesel injector line in the shop. Some lines are still original on 20 and 30 year old tractors. Sun and crappy algore biodiesel are the main destroyers of rubber lines...

 

[ShaunRH]

My rule of thumb is based on how the tractor is stored nightly:

Outdoor tractors should change lines about every 7 years. This is generally how long it takes to start cracking and breaking down the rubber from Ozone, Sun and Weather exposure.

Indoor kept tractors can go to about 10-12 years before the Ozone alone breaks down the rubber.

Fuel line is pretty cheap. Keep a good 10-20' on hand in a sealed plastic bag and you'll always be finding uses for the stuff. It's handy if you start seeing cracks or getting hard lines. Just grab the bag and swap it out.

If you really hate rubber fuel lines you can usually get a shop to bend you up some metal ones and then just use rubber coupling sections and hose clamps to deal with the alignment and vibration issues. This looks nice but you still need to monitor and change out the rubber sections.

 

[tcrote5516]

Couple points on mow decks. I've found a healthy height is in the 3.5 - 4" range. I like a shorter lawn but anything less than 3.5 kills the drout tolorance. Since a longer lawn is better looking than a brown lawn I've opted for the 3.5 to 4". The knob should stop the MMM drop by limiting range and if it's not you need to look into it. It's a simple mechanical system so it should be an easy fix.

Also make sure you have a slight foward tilt to the deck to save horsepower and to reduce clogging and matting inside the deck. It will also give a much better shear to the grass blades and reduces exploded tips on the grass.The deck should be set with the rear 1/2" higher than the front.

If a rotary mower deck is adjusted backwards or flat with the front slightly higher than the rear of the mower the grass is cut off at say 3 1/4 inch high at the front of the mower, then as the deck travels on across this grass and it finally gets under the rear edge of the deck , here comes the blades again , and the blade is cutting at the lower 3 inches on the backside of its swing. This means that the grass gets mowed again [just 1/4 inch] but it really kills your power to mow off say 60 inches of grass in front and then mow another sixty inches of the same grass again just as it exits the rear edge of your deck.

The second bad thing that happens is that the clippings are cut and thrown out the chute by the swing of the blades at the front end of the mower, but the grass that gets a second cutting at the rear of the blade arc is all tossed the WRONG WAY. This grass is all blown over into the closed in left rear corner of the deck, where it matts and sticks to plug up your deck, it then falls out as wads and clumps of finely chopped grass. The lawn then begins to look like a goat puked all over it.

The third bad thing that can happen from reversed pitch on a mower is that grass blades that are cut off at the very tip end of the blade [last 1/8 inch] will often explode the leaf tip of the grass. This is especially a problem with Kentucky Blue grass.

If you look closely at the grass tips, they will look like the end of a bull whip that has been cracked till it's shredding. The grass will then get a yellow unhealthy look all over the lawn, not the deep green vibrant appearance you want after you have mowed it. This damage can happen even from a mower that is set dead level. The blade RUBBING the grass tips can explode the grass leaf tip. This is why they recomend a 1/8 to 1/2 inch foreward tilt to all rotary mower decks - so that the blades on the back side of the swing never touch or cut the grass at all. If you set your deck correctly with just a touch of foreward tilt , then all these problems just go away !!!

 

[FTG-05]

If you have to replace fuel lines in your tractor, I'd replace them with SAE J30R9 fuel hose, AKA Fuel Injection Hose. It will stand up to the aromatics in today's fuels (ethanol and/or biodiesel) better than the standard J30R7 hose typically found on vehicles.

Good luck.

 

[troverman]

^Good explanation. Thanks.