What did you do to or on your Kubota today?

[cthomas]

I was on the struggle bus most of yesterday. It started out ok welding two D-rings (repurposed) onto the front weight bracket that I bought last year. I used 7018 rod, beveled the loop to get good penetration, and made multiple passes. The D-rings are for trailering the tractor and so far that's the only part of this project that has gone well.

I thought that the Kubota weight bracket and Kubota "brush guard" would play nice together but that isn't going to happen. Initially I was supporting the brush guard with a floor jack and blocks and trying to lift up and bolt the weight bracket in place through the guard. That proved to be extremely difficult and finally I removed the guard only to realize that the suitcase weights won't fit on the bracket with the guard in place. I don't know if Kubota suitcase weights would fit but it's moot at this point.

Next up was to bolt the bracket to the tractor sans the brush guard. Not ideal but I can live with that and make up a custom guard or modify the current one over the summer in time for forestry work in the fall. So after getting the weight bracket installed I put one weight on and although there's minimal clearance between the weight and the hood it fits. Great, now to get the other seven weights on. Nope! The weights are a little oversized and they interfere with the steel lip that runs around the base of the hood. I bought the weights from Everything Attachments but they're made in India so it should come as no surprise that the "Kubota" weights aren't plug and play. Now I have to modify all ten weights by adding a groove or notch to provide clearance. I must have moved 3,000lb of steel by hand yesterday afternoon/evening getting the weights off the trailer, test fitting them and moving them back to the trailer. Who needs to pay for a gym membership!!

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Instead of grinding all the weights, can you install a couple washers to the bracket to allow clearance?

 

[Russell King]

Instead of grinding all the weights, can you install a couple washers to the bracket to allow clearance?

If it was me I would get a thick steel plate spacer and move the weigh bracket out and avoid interference with the hood when it gets opened.

 

[DaveFromMi]

It rained today. The day before yesterday, I mowed field grass outside of our yard. It was about a foot tall since I mowed it last month. I'm getting better at not leaving high spots or scalping it. Lots of dips and humps. I need to get a hydraulic top link that can float.

 

[mcmxi]

Instead of grinding all the weights, can you install a couple washers to the bracket to allow clearance?

That's a good idea but it turns out that only the two center weights needed clearance so I notched the backs of two weights. The bigger issue was that the fillet weld on the back side of the bracket was interfering with the weights and preventing them from sitting down on the bracket (see first image below). I fixed this by chamfering the appropriate edge on all eight weights. Fortunately the steel is fairly soft so it didn't take long.

 

[mcmxi]

If it was me I would get a thick steel plate spacer and move the weigh bracket out and avoid interference with the hood when it gets opened.

Yes, this is a good idea and something I'll most likely revisit in late summer, early fall. There's no interference with the hood. The interference was between the two center weights and the lip that the hood gasket compresses against when the hood is closed.

I might weld a spacer plate to the brush guard, and then weld the weight bracket to the plate and bolt the whole thing on as one unit (easier to handle with a floor jack as one piece) if this will give enough space for the weights to clear the brush guard. Another project for another day.

 

[Russell King]

Yes, this is a good idea and something I'll most likely revisit in late summer, early fall. There's no interference with the hood. The interference was between the two center weights and the lip that the hood gasket compresses against when the hood is closed.

I might weld a spacer plate to the brush guard, and then weld the weight bracket to the plate and bolt the whole thing on as one unit (easier to handle with a floor jack as one piece) if this will give enough space for the weights to clear the brush guard. Another project for another day.

With the front of the weights so close to the hood, what will happen when you raise the hood if the weight is on? I am assuming the hood opens from the rear and will hit the weights as it rotates up but I really

 

[mcmxi]

With the front of the weights so close to the hood, what will happen when you raise the hood if the weight is on? I am assuming the hood opens from the rear and will hit the weights as it rotates up but I really

The hood opens from the front and there's no issue with raising or lowering it. I took some more measurements this morning and I would definitely need to add a plate (spacer) between the weight bracket and the brush guard if I wanted to have them on the tractor at the same time. At least I have something to think about moving forward. The bottom photo shows the steel lip that the hood gasket sits on when the hood is closed and that's where the interference is/was.

By the way, the paint that was applied to these weights is an absolute joke. I would rather they were unpainted so that I could apply paint of my choosing.

As I said, these are not Kubota branded weights and I have no idea if this would have been an easier install with factory weights. Here's a comparison of the EA Kubota weights for this tractor.

 

[forky]

We received an inch and half of rain yesterday (some spots seen more). It was badly needed and greatly appreciated.

Good for you and the million-dollar rain. We are praying for rain here, but it looks like another week of hot and dry here.....dang!

 

[Bmyers]

Good for you and the million-dollar rain. We are praying for rain here, but it looks like another week of hot and dry here.....dang!

It looked like most of the corn was going to struggle to be knee high by the 4th. Yet, after this rain, the corn has taken off and it is quickly approaching waist height. The plants are just sucking up that water. Looking at NWS, we are still between 5 to 6 inches short of our yearly average. Hopefully, more rain this weekend (smaller chance), but what we got has made a big difference.

 

[SteveBX23]

Brought home the LX today. Glorious day. Early test was picking up and moving a big stump the old BX could only dream about. It wont be hard falling in love with this machine

 

[rc51stierhoff]

I was trying to sneak in a quick mow, when Mother Nature decided to rain…all I could think about was why have I been so cheap to not have a canopy . Rest assured I did not melt.

 

[RCW]

I was trying to sneak in a quick mow, when Mother Nature decided to rain…all I could think about was why have I been so cheap to not have a canopy . Rest assured I did not melt.

Since I was a little farm kid, nobody ever thought I was sweet enough to melt in the rain.

Six decades in I've proved them right....

 

[Russell King]

The hood opens from the front and there's no issue with raising or lowering it. I took some more measurements this morning and I would definitely need to add a plate (spacer) between the weight bracket and the brush guard if I wanted to have them on the tractor at the same time. At least I have something to think about moving forward. The bottom photo shows the steel lip that the hood gasket sits on when the hood is closed and that's where the interference is/was.

By the way, the paint that was applied to these weights is an absolute joke. I would rather they were unpainted so that I could apply paint of my choosing.

As I said, these are not Kubota branded weights and I have no idea if this would have been an easier install with factory weights.

Well the hood opening from the front makes that work better. Thanks for the information

What is the 90 degree angle hole through the weight for?

The ones I bought from the dealer (but not Kubota brand) for my older L 185 have a bolt that attaches them to the weight bracket and a round hole in the weight similar to the angle hole in yours. I ran a piece of all thread through the weights and clamped them together with nuts to keep them together and red the movement of them slightly. But the paint on them was also poor quality

 

[mcmxi]

Well the hood opening from the front makes that work better. Thanks for the information

What is the 90 degree angle hole through the weight for?

The ones I bought from the dealer (but not Kubota brand) for my older L 185 have a bolt that attaches them to the weight bracket and a round hole in the weight similar to the angle hole in yours. I ran a piece of all thread through the weights and clamped them together with nuts to keep them together and red the movement of them slightly. But the paint on them was also poor quality

The 90 degree hole in the weight is for a piece of heavy duty angle to pass through, which bolts on either end to the weight bracket to keep everything nice and tight.

 

[Siesta Sundance]

When it's hotter in South Texas(Heat index here reached 120*) than Death Valley this week, the seat cushion decided it wanted to part ways with the backing.

And a little bit of hog relocation.

 

[flyidaho]

Last weekend I was the winning bidder on a lot of ten 20ft pieces of 4" Sch.40 pipe (galvanized) which looks like it might have been used for a pivot irrigator or something. I got the lot for $108 which works out to be $0.54/ft.

Drill stem is regularly for sale up here on Craigslist and similar. Here's a typical price range.

• 3/4” sucker rod 25’ lengths, 50 per bundle. 15.00 per rod
• 7/8” sucker rod 25’ lengths, 50 per bundle. 17.00 per rod
• 1” sucker rod 25’ lengths, 50 per bundle. 19.00 per rod
• 2-3/8” pipe 40’ lengths, 1/4” wall thickness. 80.00 per stick
• 2-7/8” pipe 32’ lengths, 1/4” wall thickness. 85.00 per stick

Here's another listing in my area.

• 2-3/8" X 31' STICKS OF DRILL STEM. $74.00 EACH
• 2-7/8" X 31' STICKS OF DRILL STEM. $90.00 EACH

I just paid 85 bucks for 2 7/8" 31' long stem pipe here in idaho. I was happy with that. I love the stuff...., have used it for years.

 

[flyidaho]

I did something new today, used the FEL and the Q/A frame to hoist the harrow, WHILE also mowing. Didn't want to make two trips (1/2 mile), so mowed backing up, while also dragging the harrow. This gave me the option of lifting it clear up while going across my driveway and other areas not needing harrowed. This will be my new way to harrow, mower or not. Then I positioned (2% grade, down) 60' of drill pipe that captured my spring water, which originates 300' lower and 2000' away, and is pumped into a 2100 gallon storage tank at the highest end of my 70 acres. The tank has an overflow, and thanks to the fall of the property in 60' it exits the pipe about 5' off the ground. A water wheel, (using some 5' 100 year farm implement iron wheels), or a Japanese deer chaser, (a giant sized one, not of bamboo but 6 or 8" pipe)may be in the works, just as a hoot and also an easy to eyeball indication that the tank is full. With my "spring re-location" project in it's first summer, I have 3 to 4 K gallons of water to play with, every sunny day, and also am wrapping up an extensive irrigation project.

 

[trial and error]

Moved this contraption out our wooded section this afternoon ,and staged it near some other junk headed for the scrap yard in a few weeks. still didn't put the counterweight back on so I was 3 wheelin it the whole way back up the hill. That old trailer axle doesn't weigh much, but it was enough to need 4wd in places I wouldn't normally if I had the weight on the back. Slow and steady is the name of the game when doing "dumb stuff"

 

[mcmxi]

Last night when I was cutting grass with the Del Morino flail I heard a sound that made me think that the belts needed tightening. This morning I adjusted belt tension and greased all the fittings. The flail has twelve zerks if you include both ends of the pto shaft, and I'm a little concerned at how much grease the flail drum bearings needed (bottom zerk in the photo below). I've greased all the fittings regularly, but with the belt guard off and the flail raised up I kept pumping grease in until I saw signs that the bearings were full. I'm talking a lot of pumps of the handle. It's as if the bearings came dry from the factory and my regular greasing schedule never put enough grease into them. After adjusting belt tension and running the flail I can hear that sound still, maybe not as loud but it's there. Oh well, worst case is that I need to replace the drum bearings if they're shot. Time will tell.

I bought a Radiator Genie from the local Kubota dealer yesterday and thought I'd blow out the MX's engine compartment to see how well it works. With the engine running I noticed that the A/C belt tensioner isn't rotating, which basically means that it isn't doing any tensioning. The belt feels reasonably tight though, and definitely tighter than the other belt that runs the water pump and alternator. Regardless, I'll need to adjust both. I remember that I had to tighten the belt on the MX6000 open station fairly early on in the 103 hours that I put on it becuase it was "chirping" on start up, but I don't think I've had to do it on this MX yet which has 130 hours on it.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Last night when I was cutting grass with the Del Morino flail I heard a sound that made me think that the belts needed tightening. This morning I adjusted belt tension and greased all the fittings. The flail has twelve zerks if you include both ends of the pto shaft, and I'm a little concerned at how much grease the flail drum bearings needed (bottom zerk in the photo below). I've greased all the fittings regularly, but with the belt guard off and the flail raised up I kept pumping grease in until I saw signs that the bearings were full. I'm talking a lot of pumps of the handle. It's as if the bearings came dry from the factory and my regular greasing schedule never put enough grease into them. After adjusting belt tension and running the flail I can hear that sound still, maybe not as loud but it's there. Oh well, worst case is that I need to replace the drum bearings if they're shot. Time will tell.

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I bought a Radiator Genie from the local Kubota dealer yesterday and thought I'd blow out the MX's engine compartment to see how well it works. With the engine running I noticed that the A/C belt tensioner isn't rotating, which basically means that it isn't doing any tensioning. The belt feels reasonably tight though, and definitely tighter than the other belt that runs the water pump and alternator. Regardless, I'll need to adjust both. I remember that I had to tighten the belt on the MX6000 open station fairly early on in the 103 hours that I put on it becuase it was "chirping" on start up, but I don't think I've had to do it on this MX yet which has 130 hours on it.

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What did the manual say? Did it say to grease or not to grease before first use? (My chipper specified not to grease before first use.)