What did you do to or on your Kubota today?

[woodman55]

Is there a floor pan under the seat you can remove if needed ?

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

It's best to have the male and female connections. When the attachment is not in use, the male/female connections can be mated together to keep them clean and no pressure on the cylinders.

From my experience, in regards to tractor(s) FEL hydraulics, best to hook up the lines when the fluid is cold(haha I'm in S. TX.) and the attachment is not in full sun. Once that fluid is hot and expanded it can be difficult hooking up the connectors.
I have zero issues with the skidsteer on hydraulic temperatures, the hyd manifold has built in pressure relief type system. Just have to push in the hydraulic connections inward prior to hooking up the connectors/hoses.

This is maybe a bit different from what you and @Old_Paint are saying, so I'll ask before getting myself in an unforeseen situation on my part:

As I'm adding a third-function on the FEL it would be wise to switch the Male-Male fittings that came in the kit to Male-Female?

Similarly with the Top&Tilt on the three-point hitch having 4 Female connectors switch two to Male?

 

[woodman55]

This is maybe a bit different from what you and @Old_Paint are saying, so I'll ask before getting myself in an unforeseen situation on my part:

As I'm adding a third-function on the FEL it would be wise to switch the Male-Male fittings that came in the kit to Male-Female?

Similarly with the Top&Tilt on the three-point hitch having 4 Female connectors switch two to Male?

Or you can identify the hoses with wire ties, colored tape, paint, etc, so you know which hose goes where.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Or you can identify the hoses with wire ties, colored tape, paint, etc, so you know which hose goes where.

I was planning on using colored plastic zip-ties on each pair (after reading comments here on not spending a lot of coin on custom solutions), but since I'm new to hydraulics (and there's a lot to understanding them) it seems best to ask first.

 

[Old_Paint]

This is maybe a bit different from what you and @Old_Paint are saying, so I'll ask before getting myself in an unforeseen situation on my part:

As I'm adding a third-function on the FEL it would be wise to switch the Male-Male fittings that came in the kit to Male-Female?

Similarly with the Top&Tilt on the three-point hitch having 4 Female connectors switch two to Male?

You do you.

I did it to keep me from connecting the hoses on my grapple backward and making sure that everything always operated the same way without having to think about it. I simply cannot hook it up backward now. Female on the pump side, male on the pump side, I'm not sure there's really any plumbing answer to simple tractor hygiene, but there are those that claim there is. The best practice is to keep the couplers plugged and capped when not in use. I'm a bit anal about that part of having hydraulic options. I'd do the same on any rear remotes I installed on my LX, too. It simply guarantees the attachments/implements cannot be connected backward. There will be no effect on flow rate or pressure other than what is already caused by the hose/coupling size as well as port size on the valves.

If you want to use color coded zip ties or whatever, like I said, you do you. Or if you simply enjoy the challenge of getting the hoses connected right, don't mark them at all. Think about a USB plug. There's a 50/50 chance of getting it right every time you plug it in, but most folks miss 80% of the time. I'm certainly one of those that is pushing that number up. So, I tend to do things that make mundane tasks a no-brainer (because I sometimes have none). I just posted what I did to make my tractor operating easier (for me) if anyone was interested. I've already had it pointed out that my way is wrong. I guess we'll see.

I never claimed that mine was the 'right' way or the 'only' way. It is however MY way. In fact, if you want 5 different opinions about how to plumb the 3FV or rear remotes, just ask 5 different tractor owners.

Oh, and what @Siesta Sundance was talking about (storing the grapple outside) is very real. I took mine off in January last year, and thought connecting the hoses together was the best option. I wound up loosening one of the hardline fittings to bleed down the pressure just to get them disconnected. Turns out, it was NOT the best option with my grapple. Might be for yours. The best option I've found is to open my grapple about half-way and put it on a pallet sitting on the teeth. That seems to mitigate any fluid expansion issues. Not to say it eliminates them. I just keep some basic tools on the tractor including a large screwdriver that is better than my fingers for aligning things that don't want to align. I use that to push in the poppets on the grapple hose connectors when I can't get them connected. If the pressure's on the tractor side, I shut off the engine, but turn the key switch back on and toggle the 3FV buttons a few times to bleed off any residual pressure, which is normally what I do just before I uncouple the grapple anyway.

 

[mikester]

Is there a floor pan under the seat you can remove if needed ?

There's a small access panel for abnormally small child labourers to fit into, the rigid pipe runs under the floor to the pump at the motor. At least I can see most of the pipe run after pulling off the shields on the outside of the machine. Can't get my hands in the space available between the loader backhoe frame and cab...can look but not touch!

 

[woodman55]

Another problem will be getting it out, after you get it disconnected.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

There's a small access panel for abnormally small child labourers to fit into, the rigid pip runs under the floor to the pump at the motor. At least I can see most of the pip run after pulling off the shields on the outside of the machine. Can't get my hands in the space available between the loader backhoe frame and cab...can look but not touch!
View attachment 134045

Do you have access to grind and weld the crack?

 

[D2Cat]

It started raining hydraulic oil from under my cab yesterday. Main hydraulic feed line from the pump failed with a hairline crack in the hardline at the bend located under the seat. Wish me luck trying to replace the line without removing the cab...

So much work for such a small item! Good luck with it

 

[Oleracer]

Made some brackets for ROP lights for snow removal today.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Making new trails. Clearing dead junk.

 

[NCL4701]

Haven’t done much on either Kubota lately. Been going back and forth to Mayo Clinic trying to get wife fixed. She isn’t dying but isn’t right either. A pair of 1,000 mile round trips with the Airstream and more days out of town than home the past two weeks has kept both the L and T garaged.

Most times our son/neighbor would do at least basic maintenance on the place while we were gone but he was traveling on business and was gone a couple days more than we were those two weeks. Not a big deal since nothing was growing anyway after 6 weeks of scorching temps and no rain. Except… according to the rain gauge we got near 6” of rain out of a series of thunder storms while we were gone.

So, over the past couple days: I got out the T to mow the yards along son running the older Cub ZTR. Weeded the flower beds. Hit the “volunteer” grass in the gravel areas with glyphosate. Found a yellow jacket nest while spraying around the old pet graveyard, got stung about a dozen times, came back after they calmed down a bit and killed every last one of the little yellow demons. (Apparently insects don’t know you shouldn’t start something you can’t finish.) While the “dead men walking” yellow jackets calmed down, the L hauled sticks from the road, yards, and cleared areas around the pond; dead stuff from self-pruning mature hardwoods shaken loose by the recent storms. 4 grapple loads of them.

It’s still far from being ready for a Better Homes and Gardens photo shoot, but at least now it looks like people live here. Amazing how fast things get shaggy and shabby if you just do nothing.

Edit: Just remembered, a few days before we left, had gone around with a pole saw and cleaned up all the dead stuff I could reach so the 4 grapple loads of limbs was just the stuff above about 25’ I couldn’t reach.

 

[Moose7060]

Haven’t done much on either Kubota lately. Been going back and forth to Mayo Clinic trying to get wife fixed. She isn’t dying but isn’t right either. A pair of 1,000 mile round trips with the Airstream and more days out of town than home the past two weeks has kept both the L and T garaged.

Most times our son/neighbor would do at least basic maintenance on the place while we were gone but he was traveling on business and was gone a couple days more than we were those two weeks. Not a big deal since nothing was growing anyway after 6 weeks of scorching temps and no rain. Except… according to the rain gauge we got near 6” of rain out of a series of thunder storms while we were gone.

So, over the past couple days: I got out the T to mow the yards along son running the older Cub ZTR. Weeded the flower beds. Hit the “volunteer” grass in the gravel areas with glyphosate. Found a yellow jacket nest while spraying around the old pet graveyard, got stung about a dozen times, came back after they calmed down a bit and killed every last one of the little yellow demons. (Apparently insects don’t know you shouldn’t start something you can’t finish.) While the “dead men walking” yellow jackets calmed down, the L hauled sticks from the road, yards, and cleared areas around the pond; dead stuff from self-pruning mature hardwoods shaken loose by the recent storms. 4 grapple loads of them.

It’s still far from being ready for a Better Homes and Gardens photo shoot, but at least now it looks like people live here. Amazing how fast things get shaggy and shabby if you just do nothing.

View attachment 134060 View attachment 134061

Nice pics of your work. Hoping for a speedy and full recovery for your wife.

 

[g_man]

We have had a ton of rain in July. According to the Fairbanks Museum Weather Station in St Johnsbury, 6 miles from here, they received 17.14" of rain in July. The wettest 1 month total by far in their 130 years of record keeping. The old record was 11.1" in May 2008. Last Monday night was the highlight of the month rain-wise with an 8.1" thunder storm that lasted about 5 hours. Biggest 1 day rain on record and we got it in 5 hours. The old record was 5" in 24 hours. The storm was very compact and localized so I'm not sure we got all 8" but our rain gauge over flowed at 5" so we got a least that much.

I had some road damage. Very minor compared with the damage some folks faced and the town roads are a mess - again !!

We share the road with 2 other families and I maintain it. The shared portion is about 1/4 mile long and slopes down hill to the town road. It is cut into a side hill with a small ditch on the high side (right) that is limited because of ledge close to the surface. I don't crown it because of the small ditch. I grade a flat pitch across the road so the water flows to the down hill side. I also have a couple wide based dips to ensure the water doesn't flow the whole length of the road. The neighbors hay field is at the top of the bank and slopes to the road. The drainage off of it over whelmed the little ditch and carved out a pretty good trench. Bigger than it looks.

I needed to pull the gravel up the road and move it from left to right in order to fill the trench. A good job for a rear blade.

After it packs there will be a small depression where the trench is. I will take care of that with the LandPlane. Unbelievable how often the retired neighbors think they need to go in and out. They can't even wait a couple hours while I fix the road.

gg

 

[mikester]

Do you have access to grind and weld the crack?

I could try and TIG weld in place. I think it would be better to bite the bullet and replace the primary high pressure line. It looks like it's failing on the weld seam. Like a bad zipper it's starting to unzip itself in the middle of the bend.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I could try and TIG weld in place. I think it would be better to bite the bullet and replace the primary high pressure line. It looks like it's failing on the weld seam. Like a bad zipper it's starting to unzip itself in the middle of the bend.

I'd replace the pipe. Welding thin stuff sucks, and if one area of the pipe is thin another area is likely thin. Sure, it could be just that one pin-hole, but you have to pull the line to weld it anyway because heating steel to 2,220°F with a layer of hydraulic oil inside it is (from personal experience) probably not the wisest thing to attempt.

P.S. If you do choose to weld it in place, get it on video.

 

[RMS]

Chipped what was in the pile and am ready to start another one. Sure was glad for the ac in the cab. When it's 90 and humid it makes for a nice place to take a break.

 

[fried1765]

Haven’t done much on either Kubota lately. Been going back and forth to Mayo Clinic trying to get wife fixed. She isn’t dying but isn’t right either. A pair of 1,000 mile round trips with the Airstream and more days out of town than home the past two weeks has kept both the L and T garaged.

Most times our son/neighbor would do at least basic maintenance on the place while we were gone but he was traveling on business and was gone a couple days more than we were those two weeks. Not a big deal since nothing was growing anyway after 6 weeks of scorching temps and no rain. Except… according to the rain gauge we got near 6” of rain out of a series of thunder storms while we were gone.

So, over the past couple days: I got out the T to mow the yards along son running the older Cub ZTR. Weeded the flower beds. Hit the “volunteer” grass in the gravel areas with glyphosate. Found a yellow jacket nest while spraying around the old pet graveyard, got stung about a dozen times, came back after they calmed down a bit and killed every last one of the little yellow demons. (Apparently insects don’t know you shouldn’t start something you can’t finish.) While the “dead men walking” yellow jackets calmed down, the L hauled sticks from the road, yards, and cleared areas around the pond; dead stuff from self-pruning mature hardwoods shaken loose by the recent storms. 4 grapple loads of them.

It’s still far from being ready for a Better Homes and Gardens photo shoot, but at least now it looks like people live here. Amazing how fast things get shaggy and shabby if you just do nothing.

Edit: Just remembered, a few days before we left, had gone around with a pole saw and cleaned up all the dead stuff I could reach so the 4 grapple loads of limbs was just the stuff above about 25’ I couldn’t reach.

View attachment 134060 View attachment 134061

I assume you went to the primary Mayo Clinic in RST, MN.
Was sent there for several executive physicals over the years.
This time, on my own, for a kidney tumor evaluation.

An absolutely fantastic medical facility!
Hope that your wife gets better soon!
You have chosen the very best place for evaluation/treatment!

 

[NCL4701]

I assume you went to the primary Mayo Clinic in RST, MN.
Was sent there for several executive physicals over the years.
This time, on my own, for a kidney tumor evaluation.
An absolutely fantastic medical facility!

Our outing was to the Jacksonville, FL facility. It was a quite unique facility and experience. Compared to other hospitals and medical facilities I’ve been involved with it seemed to be several notches above.

 

[NCL4701]

Back to clearing ATV/walking trails this morning. Today’s area wasn’t very challenging for the most part. Grapple didn’t fall off this time, maybe luck or maybe the SSQA handle tie downs added since the incident a while back when I was last able to work on this project. Glad I had the winch today. Used it to pull down a couple of decent sized, half fallen, dead trees I really wouldn’t have liked to be standing under while working on them with a saw.

Finished the initial tractor part. Still need to do some more pruning and hit a couple tiny sapling clusters with the weedeater with blade. Also plan to come back with some white marker flags and orange marker flags: white for old stump holes that need filling and orange for stumps that need grinding out. Hoping to come back with the bucket and stump grinder to put the finishing touches on it one day in the next couple weeks.

About halfway through today’s outing, noticed the lens had disappeared from the DPF inhibit button. Appears to work. Light still lights when it’s pressed. Just missing the lens. I have never used this button and don’t really care about the lens but if I leave it like that, it’s a little cup just waiting to be filled with water, dust, wood chips, etc.

Can get one for about $45. Haven’t looked at the WSM to map out a path to it yet. From a brief look at the tractor it appears to be easy to change out if you can dig down to it. Kind of like a throw out bearing on a clutch. If it’s bad enough to get to, it might end up with a custom piece of Lexan for a lid. I think I could draw the little broccoli thing and put a line through it for $45.