BX Series 50hr service

[DIXIEDOG]

I'm confused the 50 hr service calls for cleaning the transmission strainer but it doesn't call for changing the fluid When you pull the strainer the fluid has to be drained unless I am confused. I talked to the local Kubota dealer about it and they told me they don't bother cleaning the strainer until the 200 hr service with the fluid change. What do you guys generally do?

 

[TripleR]

Look for old threads on this, I believe the Manual is a misprint and fluid should be changed. Of course then there is the debate on UDT v SUDT.

 

[BotaBX24er]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Mine came out at about 175 hours and very little shavings on it.

 

[TripleR]

Here is one

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/149407-did-kuboto-raise-1sr-udt.html

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I have first 50 hour change provided by my dealer. Yesterday I asked if SUDT would be provided or just oil and filters on my BX2660. Gary looked in owners manual and BX23 says all change at 50hrs and BX2660 says only filters and oil at 50hrs. He didn't have the manual on the BX25 handy to check it but it will be with tractor when I get it. In the post referred to above someone named Eric got a factory response of only Filters and oil at the first 50hrs. What tractor does Eric own since it kept bouncing back and forth between B's, L's and BX's. I no longer care about L's and B's, only BX's and F's. Not older BX's but newer BX's. OK Eric, what do you have?

 

[bp fick]

The printed material is often wrong/out dated. Kubota updates its recommendations.

The latest Kubota recommendation is NOT found in many printed manuals. Kubota's service schedule is available on the web.
http://www.kubota.com/F/support/quickrefsched.cfm
50 hours service for BX includes screen cleaning, complete flush and fill of HST fluid and filter change on HST.

Oil and oil filter as well. Both fuel filter change. Check, grease and clean everything else.

My mind drew a blank on the front axle, but for a quart or two of 75w-90 gear lube, it's a no brainer as well.

 

[radioman]

wait till 200 hour fluid change. In BX, there seems to be no metal shavings on most BX's. DO change the tranny filter, you will only lose a little fluid, not enough to worry about. When I took mine off for first time, it was put on by a gorilla . It was a bit heavy for a used filter at 50 hours but neverthenless, it was changed.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The printed material is often wrong/out dated. Kubota updates its recommendations.

The latest Kubota recommendation is NOT found in many printed manuals. Kubota's service schedule is available on the web.
Kubota Tractor USA - Quick Reference Schedule
50 hours service for BX includes screen cleaning, complete flush and fill of HST fluid and filter change on HST.

Oil and oil filter as well. Both fuel filter change. Check, grease and clean everything else.

My mind drew a blank on the front axle, but for a quart or two of 75w-90 gear lube, it's a no brainer as well.

I looked at this and it says that it is a generic schedule and to check with the owners manual. It also doesn't even show changing the HST filter, doesn't even mention the HST filter.
Guess I still want to know what tractor Eric has that got the response from Kubota. The response seemed pretty clear.
** Went back and looked up Erics profile and looks like he has a B3200 and not a newer BX**

 

[radair]

... In BX, there seems to be no metal shavings on most BX's...

Radioman, I think this is bad info. See TripleR's link above; numerous posters reported metal shavings in the strainer screen at 50 hours.

I changed my SUDT at 50 hours per the BX23 manual and also cleaned a significant number of shavings off the strainer. At that time (about 5 years ago) I remember many TBNers posting that they found plenty of metal on their BX strainers. While the hydro fluid may be clean at only 50 hours of use (mine was), I think getting the metal off the strainer is a good idea and worth the cost of the fluid/filter change.

 

[bp fick]

JohnThomas

You are correct. The information on the web does seem generic? From my reading here, most, but not all, the users report doing the fluid drop as part of the 50 hour service on the BX.

Remember everyone, you can clean the screen of metal filings anytime, if you wish, without dropping all the fluid. A simple cork method, or soft wood dowel or reverse vacuum all work to hold the fluid while cleaning the screen.

BTW, on another thread, didn't someone post an email response from Kubota stating the 50 hour was hst fluid/filter?

 

[LBrown59]

Look for old threads on this, I believe the Manual is a misprint and fluid should be changed. Of course then there is the debate on UDT v SUDT.

Correct
Change the filter and fluid at 50 hours.

 

[Stargazer]

Will second cleaning hst screen at 50 hrs. My BX-23 had significant shavings on it at 55hrs when doing filters/oils change. Fluid did look fine but replaced anyway with sudt.

 

[radioman]

Radioman, I think this is bad info. See TripleR's link above; numerous posters reported metal shavings in the strainer screen at 50 hours.

I changed my SUDT at 50 hours per the BX23 manual and also cleaned a significant number of shavings off the strainer. At that time (about 5 years ago) I remember many TBNers posting that they found plenty of metal on their BX strainers. While the hydro fluid may be clean at only 50 hours of use (mine was), I think getting the metal off the strainer is a good idea and worth the cost of the fluid/filter change.

ok - just saying from my end. I saw no metal shavings in the strainer at 200 plus hours.

 

[Paul Wise]

I have a 2008 BX2660 and at 50 hours I changed everything that came in the 50 hour service kit. The kit included two fuel filters, engine oil filter, a Quart of engine oil, HST oil filter, a gallon of SUDT. Of course I had to get the rest of the oil seperate. I then followed my manual and drained both the engine & HST oil, changed the filters, (including fuel), and pulled and cleaned the HST screen. There were some shavings on the screen, but I am not qualified to say it was a lot or a little, (new to this whole tracter thing), just that there were some shaving in the screen. I also pulled and cleand the air filter and radiator screen. With that said, I would change out both the oils and filters and clean the screen. With the cost of these machines, I believe an agressive PM, (preventive maintenance), practice is important.

Just my two and a half cents worth.

Thanks for letting me ramble on...

 

[radair]

ok - just saying from my end. I saw no metal shavings in the strainer at 200 plus hours.

uh-oh. Where do you think they went?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I'm due for a 50 hour service on my BX2660 in about 8 more operating hours so I'm real interested in this information. I've always changed my SUDT on previous Tractors at 50 hours because the Owners Manual said to. The Owners Manual on the BX2660 does not indicate a change of SUDT at 50 hours. Being a somewhat "concerned tractor owner" I want a company decision. I'm not convinced that "I do it at 50 hours" or the "just do it" or you paid thousands and you don't want to pay hundreds or the don't do it and "save the earth" cuts it for me. So, I emailed Kubota today and asked them to send me a clear company statement/recommendation/command to do the SUDT change at 50 hours on my BX2660 or don't do the SUDT change at 50 hours on my BX2660. I also asked them to send information on my F2680E and BX25 while they are at it. They promised a reply within 7 working days. I will share what I recieve from them. I know the earth savers still won't do it at 50 and the My daddy always did it at 50 crowd will not change but I for one will follow their recommendation because I want to save the earth and save the life of my tractor but I will defer to their engineers above the opinionators.

 

[bp fick]

Thanks JohnThomas, I will look forward to your report.
Yet? This issue won't go away. I figure a half dozen more threads will pop up on this very 50 hour issue over the next 6 months, if history teaches us anything. Again, not to nit pick, but how hard would it be to post this information, accurately and specifically on the K website? There are always the "I follow my manual" types, but so many others have received emails from Kobota saying this or that manual is misprinted. You'd think they'd rather post this information once on the website instead of answering dozens of emails. Oh well.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Thanks JohnThomas, I will look forward to your report.
Yet? This issue won't go away. I figure a half dozen more threads will pop up on this very 50 hour issue over the next 6 months, if history teaches us anything. Again, not to nit pick, but how hard would it be to post this information, accurately and specifically on the K website? There are always the "I follow my manual" types, but so many others have received emails from Kobota saying this or that manual is misprinted. You'd think they'd rather post this information once on the website instead of answering dozens of emails. Oh well.

You know the earlier manuals on earlier BX's and B's had change at 50 up thru the BX2x50 series. Apparently Kubota changed the 50 hours on L's then on the BX2660. B3200 also does not have change fluids at 50 hours which was bought a couple of months before the BX2660 last spring. Did they change something in the Fluid, did they change something in the tractors or did they just finally decide it wasn't needed as happens alot with companies that do extensive research of their products? I don't know. They provide SUDT in the machine at their expense, I know we pay for it but you know what I mean. Then they are now saying don't give us the money for the 50 hour change. OK, you that believe all corporations are conspiring to make their equipment die quickly so you'll buy another just settle down. Same is said about car manuf even though cars are going further miles before death than ever before even with recommended oil changes at 7500 miles on some cars instead of 3000 and here you say ah ha they would go a million miles if the oil was changed every 3000 miles and 2 million if changed every 2000 miles. Anyway, back to Kubotas different messages. I find often, very often, that people quote/equate a dealer, dealers employee, customer on the lot, delivery driver, parts person as Kubota. If they ask someone on the lot and he/she says it's a misprint then it's broadcasted, sometimes, that "Kubota says". There are also different machines and there does seem to be different answers for different machines and I don't have the foggiest idea why that would be but it seems like it is. Both of mine, BX and B, changed to not required at 50 hours on machines purchased last spring. So, I asked the Company to give me an answer on the BX2660, BX25 and F2680E specifically, since that's what I own now. I will copy what they send and post it.

 

[Volfandt]

Interesting. wonder what the odd's are that Kubota backs the new manuals?

On the one hand, theres probably been thousands of the newer BX series tractors that don't require the hydro oil change that are now well past their 50 hr service interval that have followed the instructions to a "T"
Thats alot of "possible" HST failures that they would then have to deal with "should" it end up as being a mistake in the manual and damaging to the HST.
Then you have the many dealers that have also followed those instructions to a "T", could they also be liable to their customers?

I'm no lawyer and haven't stayed in a Holiday Inn in quite awhile so I'm just speculating, just like every else in this thread so I'm very interested in their response to JohnThomas.
It would seem that if that was a mistake in the owners manual that they would have caught it MANY moons ago and contacted all their dealers and owners to provide an addendum.
I doubt they would want their reputation practically destroyed overnight, (see Toyota) should BX HST's started failing enmass. They weathered their experiment in plastic bodies and their 1st attempt at reengineering their HST motion pedal assembly's but I doubt they'd weather having to repair/replace THOUSANDS of damaged HST's under warranty....
But then again, who knows if they have some sort of fine print somewhere that'll cover their, ahemmm, rearends in such a case? Course their reputation would suffer.....

My guess is, and since it's a free guess it's worth about what I'm charging for it
Changing the HST hydraulic oil in a new BX at 50hrs is unnecessary.
While it's cheap insurance and really not a bad idea, it's not really necessary.
Kubota doesn't require it in some of it's larger more robust tractors and there hasn't been a rash of them failing, and they've been working VERY hard for years......

My BX23 required the change at the 50 hr service and I did it because it was required. The oil looked fine to the naked eye and the strainer didn't have any visable shavings, but I dipped and cleaned it anyways because it was specified to do so.
I don't change the hydraulic oil when not required so this mean this same oil is spec'ed to go at least 300 hrs inbetween changes. With this in mind, the only reason I can see that Kubota required the change at the 50hr mark was to ensure that any break-in materials within the HST were fully removed and they must have felt that a simple filter change and strainer cleaning wasn't sufficient enough, back then.

So, has their manufacturing procedure on the HST's changed enough now to where there's less of a chance of break-in material occuring? Perhaps.
Course the argument can be made that they had the technology to reduce break-in material contamination many yrs ago since some of their larger tractors didn't require a fluid change at the 50hr mark and they're still going strong.

I'll stop my rambling now and await the answer.

But I'll close with this, when in doubt, follow the manual and BP Ficks cork plug invention
Carry on
Dave

 

[SPYDERLK]

The printed material is often wrong/out dated. Kubota updates its recommendations.

The latest Kubota recommendation is NOT found in many printed manuals. Kubota's service schedule is available on the web.
Kubota Tractor USA - Quick Reference Schedule
50 hours service for BX includes screen cleaning, complete flush and fill of HST fluid and filter change on HST.

Oil and oil filter as well. Both fuel filter change. Check, grease and clean everything else.

My mind drew a blank on the front axle, but for a quart or two of 75w-90 gear lube, it's a no brainer as well.

I am have very recent serious trouble with the HST on my BX1500.
www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/162734-help-mighty-mouse-nibbled-kryptonite.html
I see the term "flush" coming up. Is this special equipment that pressure flushes the whole transmission operating system? ... or something that just gets out the debris already collected in the sump.?

Thanks, larry