Kubota Paint

[puttering]

Anyone have a good method for restoring the paint where the sun has faded it over time (besides painting it)? It used to sit under a shed where the sun hit it and now it is in the barn. Mainly the wheels.

 

[Roadworthy]

Are you SURE the sun faded it? I have an old blue Mitsubishi that was very faded and whitish in places. My neighbor (a body man) told me it wasn't oxidized and he could fix it. He did just that. It turned out to have a layer of alkili dust or something from the local hard water. He buffed it out and it's shiny again. There really was very little oxidation. I was very pleasantly surprised as I "knew" the paint had oxidized over time. Of course if a good clean and polish doesn't do it for you there's always good old rubbing compound.

 

[Atchuuu]

I happen to be repainting my Kubota now. As Rodworthy said you should try buffing it out with a compound and see if you can restore the shine. I found that while wet sanding my hood and loader I was able to bring a lot of the color back. Since I was planning to paint I continued sanding past that point.

If you really want to shine it up try auto detailing clay with soap, some compound, polish and a then wax. Can do everything with an orbital sander with the exception of the clay.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[fried1765]

I happen to be repainting my Kubota now. As Rodworthy said you should try buffing it out with a compound and see if you can restore the shine. I found that while wet sanding my hood and loader I was able to bring a lot of the color back. Since I was planning to paint I continued sanding past that point.

If you really want to shine it up try auto detailing clay with soap, some compound, polish and a then wax. Can do everything with an orbital sander with the exception of the clay.

Let us know how it goes.

If you have already reached the Kubota Mary Kay Pink color hue, a repaint will likely be your only option.

 

[Atchuuu]

If you have already reached the Kubota Mary Kay Pink color hue, a repaint will likely be your only option.

Give the compound a try. I was able to really bring back the shine on my tractor following the suggestions above and my tractor is a 2006 IIRC. The repaint job was to get rid rust and the bucket was really scratched up.

 

[Atchuuu]

Here is a before and after photo of my loader when I purchased it. You can see what the paint looked like after compound, polish and wax. Made a huge difference and your tractor is a year newer. Of course, it isn't forever and you may need to do this a couple times a year but at least it may put off a paint job.

 

[fried1765]

Here is a before and after photo of my loader when I purchased it. You can see what the paint looked like after compound, polish and wax. Made a huge difference and your tractor is a year newer. Of course, it isn't forever and you may need to do this a couple times a year but at least it may put off a paint job.

View attachment 623905
View attachment 623906

I will certainly give that a try on my L48 Kubota, but compounding the backhoe actually seems like it would be more difficult than repainting.

 

[Atchuuu]

I will certainly give that a try on my L48 Kubota, but compounding the backhoe actually seems like it would be more difficult than repainting.

Repainting is a lot like compounding just with a much coarser sandpaper. I can't imagine it being nearly the work that degreasing, sanding, priming and painting will be. Worth a try.
Wor

 

[fried1765]

Repainting is a lot like compounding just with a much coarser sandpaper. I can't imagine it being nearly the work that degreasing, sanding, priming and painting will be. Worth a try.
Wor

I can certainly understand that compounding just the bare Kubota tractor would be a reasonable idea.
My loader cylinders, however, are obviously from a Kubota supplier, and have become a completely different shade of orange.
The absolute worst part for me would be my 11' (now pink) backhoe!
I most definitely think that wiping the hoe down with lacquer thinner, masking, and spray painting (not rattle cans), would be much easier (and better), than trying to compound and wax every weld fabricated and cast hoe part.

 

[MHarryE]

Kubota has a problem with their made in America stuff. I’ve owned mostly Japanese built tractors but they get the USA built loaders and in a few years I have 2 tone orange. Dealers lot should be embarrassing to Kubota; I know it is to my dealer because I keep pointing it out. Not sure if it is emissions or toxicity of the paints - I’ve gone through this before. At Cat our marketing department surveyed dealers & customers North America, Europe and Japan. USA results were low on finish while Europe and Jaoan expected automotive finish. Consequently our European and a Japanese plants spent a lot more time insuring fit and finish. North American customers getting European built machines would find Bondo smoothing surfaces and ask what we were trying to hide but had no problem with major rust pitting. Not sure if finish reflects the rest of the machine but I spend a lot of time and money keeping my 197 hour GR2120 going while my French built M7 with 589 hours has had only 2 software flashes.

 

[Atchuuu]

Kubota has a problem with their made in America stuff. I’ve owned mostly Japanese built tractors but they get the USA built loaders and in a few years I have 2 tone orange. Dealers lot should be embarrassing to Kubota; I know it is to my dealer because I keep pointing it out. Not sure if it is emissions or toxicity of the paints - I’ve gone through this before. At Cat our marketing department surveyed dealers & customers North America, Europe and Japan. USA results were low on finish while Europe and Jaoan expected automotive finish. Consequently our European and a Japanese plants spent a lot more time insuring fit and finish. North American customers getting European built machines would find Bondo smoothing surfaces and ask what we were trying to hide but had no problem with major rust pitting. Not sure if finish reflects the rest of the machine but I spend a lot of time and money keeping my 197 hour GR2120 going while my French built M7 with 589 hours has had only 2 software flashes.

I tend to agree that it is likely due to regulations imposed on manufacturers in the states. Seems to me that whatever California allows or doesn't allow seems to be the way it goes for the rest of us. Perhaps Japan and the EU don't have as stringent requirements.

Fried- I read backhoe but was thinking loader in my head. You are right. Might not be worth compounding a backhoe. Of course a good paint job wont be a walk in the park either.

I will post an update of my tractor paint job when I finish. It has come out exceptionally well with spray cans. Hope it holds up to the sun for a couple of years.

 

[Alien]

Look at some of the vehicle ceramic coatings. Just wipe them on and they are cheap. The best part is they are UV proof and makes your tractor easier to clean.
Plenty of vids on youtube.
Here is a starter link. ceramic paint protection - Google Search