BX24 50hr Service

[BXinNH]

Well, I finished the 50hr service on my BX the other day. It was much easier than I had expected. One of my friends also has a BX and he was going on and on about removing the BH and on and on. The only thing I took off was the grill guard and engine cowl. I think the hardest part was wrestling the fuel lines apart and back together. The only Oh C%^p moment I had was after the HST filter and fluid were changed, I was dumping the old fluid from the drain pan and found in the bottom of the drain pan.....the trans plug gasket I managed to get it back where it belongs and only lost a half pint of fluid. Thanks for reading my relatively long and boring story. If anyone is hesitant to do their own 50hr service, do it. It is very easy and MUCH cheaper.

Matt.

 

[johnny_law]

Thanks, for the info. Encouragement is always helpful. I'm at 40hrs on my BX24 and already have the filters and the oil already to go. I have already taken off the cowling to dust my engine and found it very easy. It's a new toy, I just couldn't help myself. Probably just an OCD thing. I even built a dolly out of some wood that I had lying around to store the BH on and I take it off to drag my cart around. Getting the BH on and off is now a very routine 3-5min job. First time it took me 20min just to get the left pin out. Don't be afraid of taking off the BH it really is an easy job on these BX's.


Glad the 50hr service was easy for you as I hope the same for me after my next 10hrs in the seat.

 

[Skyco]

I think the hardest part was wrestling the fuel lines apart and back together.

Puzzled here- there is no reason to remove fuel lines for 50 hour service..

 

[Bobcar]

did you replace both hydro. filters

 

[Skyco]

There is only one hydro filter on the BX24.

 

[johnny_law]

My 50hr plan is just to change the engine oil and filter and the HST oil and filter (only one).

 

[johnk]

Well, I finished the 50hr service on my BX the other day. It was much easier than I had expected. One of my friends also has a BX and he was going on and on about removing the BH and on and on. The only thing I took off was the grill guard and engine cowl. I think the hardest part was wrestling the fuel lines apart and back together. The only Oh C%^p moment I had was after the HST filter and fluid were changed, I was dumping the old fluid from the drain pan and found in the bottom of the drain pan.....the trans plug gasket I managed to get it back where it belongs and only lost a half pint of fluid. Thanks for reading my relatively long and boring story. If anyone is hesitant to do their own 50hr service, do it. It is very easy and MUCH cheaper.

Matt.

What are you taking the fuel lines apart for? I can see changing the fuel filter at 50 but nothing to do w/ fuel lines... Keep us informed..

 

[donn12]

I did not take off the hood or the bumper guard. Do you remember why you had to take it off? I wrestled the air filter into place but I don't remember if that was it. The fuel filters are supposed to be changed at 50 hours as well.

 

[BXinNH]

I took the cowl off to access the fuel filter on the left side of the engine and it looked easier to get at the engine oil filter with the cowl off also. As for why I touched the fuel lines, my dealer included both fuel filters in my 50hr kit so I changed them (cheap insurance). I was able to change the air filter with the cowl on, very tight fit though. Yes there is only one HST filter and one intake screen as well. I removed and cleaned the screen.

I'm glad to hear removing the BH is easy, I will probably take it off this summer to use the TPH.

Matt.

 

[rdsaustintx]

You can change the engine oil with cowl on, but you gotta work like a proctologist to get the filter off. It's nice to take the cowl off at major change intervals just to look around.

Here's the tip of the day for you guys doing first HST change. Go to Lowe's and find their black, shallow plastic bucket. It looks like a busboy tub, has plenty of capacity and fits *perfect* between the BX wheels. $5 or so.

 

[Skyco]

The fuel filters are supposed to be changed at 50 hours as well.

Not according to the Kubota WSM. They do say check them every 50 hours but the first scheduled change is at 500 hours.
Of course it doesn't hurt to change them but at Kubota's price I'll wait until I see contamination, but probably not 500 hours, maybe 200 or so

As for removing the cowling, you have to take off the bumper..they apparently have a gorilla on the assembly line installing that bumper, I had to use an impact wrench to bust loose those socket head screws holding it on, thought I was gonna break my 10mm allen socket. I could not bust em loose leaning on a 1/2" drive ratchet, and I weigh 250 lbs!

 

[radioman]

Not according to the Kubota WSM. They do say check them every 50 hours but the first scheduled change is at 500 hours.
Of course it doesn't hurt to change them but at Kubota's price I'll wait until I see contamination, but probably not 500 hours, maybe 200 or so

As for removing the cowling, you have to take off the bumper..they apparently have a gorilla on the assembly line installing that bumper, I had to use an impact wrench to bust loose those socket head screws holding it on, thought I was gonna break my 10mm allen socket. I could not bust em loose leaning on a 1/2" drive ratchet, and I weigh 250 lbs!

Yeah, I had the exact same issue!!! MY biggest gripe is the allen wrench though. I rather use the impact wrench to remove the grill so I installed the bolts in backwards so the nuts is facing front instead of behind. I really believe they should have done it this way or get specailized bolts so either allen wrench or 6 point socket can be used in the front.

 

[johnny_law]

Not according to the Kubota WSM. They do say check them every 50 hours but the first scheduled change is at 500 hours.
Of course it doesn't hurt to change them but at Kubota's price I'll wait until I see contamination, but probably not 500 hours, maybe 200 or so

As for removing the cowling, you have to take off the bumper..they apparently have a gorilla on the assembly line installing that bumper, I had to use an impact wrench to bust loose those socket head screws holding it on, thought I was gonna break my 10mm allen socket. I could not bust em loose leaning on a 1/2" drive ratchet, and I weigh 250 lbs!

Actually according to my copy of the WSM it states to check the fuel filter element every 100 hrs starting at 100hr service.

The section on checking the fuel lines and the fuel filter element reads like this:

The fuel line connections should be checked annually or every 100 service hours, whichever occurs first.

1. The fuel line is made of rubber and ages regardless of service period.

2. After inspection, if the fuel line and clamps are found damaged or deteriorated, replace them.

3. Check fuel filter. If it is clogged by debris or contaminated by water replace it.

There are some cautions and notes I left out for clarity.

So this begs the question if you are going to disconnect the filter from the fuel line to check it for debris or water, then I would just replace it. So that means to me, do an external check of the fuel lines and fuel filter and if the tractor is running fine then change the fuel filter every 500hrs.

About the 50hr service, the only things marked for service are the following:

Engine oil : Change
Engine oil Filter : Replace
Transmission oil Filter : Replace
Transmission fluid : Change

Engine Start System : Check
Greasing : -
Wheel bolt torque: Check (front wheels - 110-132 ft-lbs, back wheels - 80-96 ft-lbs)

That's it.

 

[Stargazer]

Besides the oils and filters changes when drained I would pull the tran screen and clean. At my 50 service there was a fair jag of metal in it on my bx23. I didn't mess with the 2 fuel filters and mine runs fine in 3.5 years. And I used one of those flute oil cap wrenches to take off Harbor freight also makes a oil filter plier that is about 1/4" thick at jaws if filter is round that would work so you didn't have to take anything (sheetmetal) off.

 

[Singlecoil]

I just did both the fuel filters at the 200 hour mark on the advice of my dealer. It was a pain, particularly because I am 41 and in denial that I am losing my near vision. Lying on my back under the tractor to work with the filter under the tractor and keeping it in focus was not easy
If you are going to do the fuel filters, make sure you get some extra hose clamps when you get the filters. I broke one and used a zip tie as a substitute. I have the rear Bro-Tek skid plate and the left me with very little room to clamp the fuel line under the tractor.

In any case, you don't have to remove the grill guard to get the cowling off, but it does make it easier. The exhaust pipe has a small extender on it with a 45 degree bend. That extender comes off with a phillips screwdriver via a hose clamp. Once that is removed, the cowl will come off. You still have to remove the hinge bracket for the hood of course, but you don't have to remove the grill guard. I just unplugged the head lights, removed the hood, then removed the exhaust pipe extender and the cowl came off fairly easily.

 

[LBrown59]

Besides the oils and filters changes when drained I would pull the tran screen and clean. At my 50 service there was a fair jag of metal in it on my bx23. *I didn't mess with the 2 fuel filters and mine runs fine in 3.5 years. And I used one of those flute oil cap wrenches to take off Harbor freight also makes a oil filter plier that is about 1/4" thick at jaws if filter is round that would work so you didn't have to take anything (sheetmetal) off.

You R almost as bad as me.
I haven't changed the fuel filters since I got my bx23 over 50 months ago.

 

[Skyco]

Actually according to my copy of the WSM it states to check the fuel filter element every 100 hrs starting at 100hr service.

You are right, I misread the columns

 

[Skyco]

In any case, you don't have to remove the grill guard to get the cowling off, but it does make it easier. The exhaust pipe has a small extender on it with a 45 degree bend. That extender comes off with a phillips screwdriver via a hose clamp. Once that is removed, the cowl will come off. You still have to remove the hinge bracket for the hood of course, but you don't have to remove the grill guard. I just unplugged the head lights, removed the hood, then removed the exhaust pipe extender and the cowl came off fairly easily.

My exhaust clamp on the elbow had no phillips drive in it, it was an 8mm hex head and was a little hard to get to. Next time I fool with it I am going to replace it with a phillips head/8mm clamp.

Well durn if you gotta take the hood and headlights off to get the cowling off vs the bumper/grill guard, I don't know which is worse. Now that I got those bolts loose and put back on with normal hand tight torque it will be a breeze next time

 

[donn12]

Now I don't feel too bad that I could not remove the bumper guard. My exhaust extender also would not budge but I removed the oil filter pretty easily from below.

 

[Bobcar]

No there are 2 filters .I found a second one while inspecting the under carriage along with 4 nuts that had backed off I think .But to the other filter its there ask the dealer for the second filter. Its up under about where the back of mmm.The mmm should be off.