Hydraulic Trans Strainer Cleaning

[Jim Donahue]

Is there any way to pull the Hydro Stainer with out draining the oil
in the tranny? At 50 hrs I don't think it is necessary to change the
tranny oil in my BX25 just to clean the strainer.

 

[radioman]

Not that I know of. When I did my tranny fluid exchange, I cleaned out the strainer at that time and there was nothing to clean but washed it anyway to be safe.

 

[Jim Donahue]

thanks, did you do the fluid change at 50 hrs or 200 hrs?

 

[LBrown59]

Is there any way to pull the Hydro Stainer with out draining the oil
in the tranny? At 50 hrs I don't think it is necessary to change the
tranny oil in my BX25 just to clean the strainer.

I'd just go ahead and change the fluid.
It's only one fluid change so whats what's the big deal anyhow.?

 

[tommu56]

I don't know if it will work but the oil guy changed the valve on my 275 gallon full tank by hooking up a vacuum cleaner to the vent he then unscrewed the valve and put a new one on only loosing 2 or 3 drops of oil.

tom

 

[rdsaustintx]

I don't know if it will work but the oil guy changed the valve on my 275 gallon full tank by hooking up a vacuum cleaner to the vent he then unscrewed the valve and put a new one on only loosing 2 or 3 drops of oil.

I would never have believed that until I saw it done. It really works.

OP: Just change your oil. Cheap insurance and not too expensive for a BX.

 

[jb62901]

Leave the dip stick in pull the strainer slip a rubber stopper in clean the strainer, pull the stopper reinstall strainer. You will loose perhaps a cup full at most. Worked for Me at 50hrs.....

 

[wawajake]

I agree JB62901
I also did my 50 hr last year and both me and my dealer agreed no need to change the hydraulic oil yet. (even maint. chart on my BX2660 shows does not require fluid change)

I just had all the tools and varsol handy to clean the strainer, and a good clean rag.

pulled the strainer , jambed the hole with the clean rag, cleaned the strainer, put it back in.
Took just a few minutes and I lost maybe a cup of hydraulic, so topped it up after.

 

[LBrown59]

I agree JB62901
I also did my 50 hr last year and both me and my dealer agreed no need to change the hydraulic oil yet. (even maint. chart on my BX2660 shows does not require fluid change)

I just had all the tools and varsol handy to clean the strainer, and a good clean rag.

pulled the strainer , jambed the hole with the clean rag, cleaned the strainer, put it back in.
Took just a few minutes and I lost maybe a cup of hydraulic, so topped it up after.

You cleaned the strainer but left all the shavins/cuttings in the fluid and tranny.

I still don't see why all the concern about one little old fluid change.

 

[easygo]

If you read other posts about 50 hrs service some people reported a rather large amount of stuff that was caught in the strainer. Most - like myself - found hardly anything. New fluid will not damage the tractor just puts a little dent in your wallet. On the other hand not changing the oil might be fine. See if any problems have been reported.

 

[wawajake]

If the dealer and Kubota do not ask that oil be changed, and I saw little if any dirt on the strainer , then why would one change it ........unless of course you have lots of money and lots of time.

I could also change my tires every two years on my various vehicles , because its safer (and they want to sell more tires) .............but if the tread and side walls are fine , then why would I.

frugal but safe jake

 

[Chris86314]

At 50 hrs I don't think it is necessary to change the tranny oil in my BX25 just to clean the strainer.

The B3200 owners manual says to just change the hyd and tranny filters at 50 hours not the fluid until 400 hours.

I emailed Kubota Tech support and asked how to change just the filters without getting 5 gallons of fluid in the face. I got an immediate phone call back and the tech told me the manual was wrong and to change the fluid at 50 hours to get any shavings, etc out. He affirmed my question that pulling the filters would dump all the fluid.

I ordered a Work Shop Manual for the B3200 and got it yesterday. While reading the manual it says the same thing.. filters at 50, fluid at 400 so the WSM is wrong too.

 

[LBrown59]

If the dealer and Kubota do not ask that oil be changed, and I saw little if any dirt on the strainer , then why would one change it ........unless of course you have lots of money and lots of time.

I could also change my tires every two years on my various vehicles , because its safer (and they want to sell more tires) .............but if the tread and side walls are fine , then why would I.

frugal but safe jake

Over the life time of owning the tractor you are only talking about 1 fluid change difference.
I still can not see why the difference between 49 and 50 fluid changes is so critical.

 

[BXinNH]

Hi Jim,

My dealer recommended changing the HST fluid along with the filters at 50hrs on my BX. I also pulled and cleaned the screen. I certainly didn't have $75 for SUDT burning a hole in my pocket but it seemed like cheap insurance on a $15,000 tractor. I did also find noticeable amounts of filings/shavings in the old fluid. It was very clean and clear but there were shavings in the drain pan. Good luck.

Matt.

PS: Watch out for the transmission plug gasket. I found mine in the bottom of the drain pan when I was cleaning up It would have been a lot easier to get it back in BEFORE the new oil was in the trans.

 

[psvines]

So the last item on my BX2660 50 hour is to clean the tran strainer. I wasn't expecting the fluid to keep coming out. I like the idea of a stopper, and replenishing the cup or two lost, rather than draining all 3.1 gallons. Plus, I only have 1 quart right now and plan on seat time this weekend.
....update...
My manual indicates not to change the fluid. The Kubota site has generic info on all tractors and it states to change the fluid at 50. I called a local dealer and they said the 50 hour tran fluid change is the most important one.
Messicks... an order has been placed for 3.5 gallons.

 

[psvines]

I feel better now, went ahead and spent the $90 on fluid and changed the 3.1 gallons. The strainer was very clean, as was the fluid. But now I'm good for many years, or 400 hours.

 

[EE_Bota]

A few of quick points:
a)If were allowed only one oil change, I would pick the 50 hour change because that would eliminate all metal particles
from the manufacturing process and the work-in period. That error in the manual is a rather serious one.
b)I love the vacuum cleaner trick, and I will remember it. However it seems to me that this is not a good time to use it because it seems
like the counter flow created might withdraw some of the metal from the strainer back into the system. I could be wrong, however. Also, the vacuum
runs counter to seal reinforcing pressures, so there is a remote possibility of drawing debris into seal lips.
c)A clean rubber stopper is a much better choice than a rag. It is considered bad technique to use rags on a hydraulic system because
a rag fiber is a huge contaminate relative to the clearances of hydraulic components. It is enough to securely lock up some passive hydraulic
components.
d)I know in advance that the rag comment is a hard pill to swallow. When I catch our maintenance guys doing it, I warn them, but I always get a lot
of eye rolling, and catch all kinds of grief. They do not work for me, so they can through my advice in the trash anytime they choose.

 

[EE_Bota]

Oops..throw my advice, not through my advice.

Sorry, I forgot something quite important about the vacuum cleaner trick: Many vacuum cleaners run the filtered exhaust air through their electric
motor to cool it down. Most of these motors are "universal" motors which means they have brushes which are likely to spark. Therefore, one should
be very careful about using the V.C. trick on anything that could be explosive. I know it sounds silly that I mention this, but it is such a handy
trick, someone could try to over-extend the usefulness of the trick into dangerous territory. I would rather people read my silly comments than any
of us having to read sad and tragic announcements.