2003 GC2300 broken radiator.

[Eagle1]

I really hope it holds and you solved your problem. These incidents are always at least somewhat educational for all of us ...similar to a bunch of old men sitting on a sagging bench in front of the Post Office porch in a country town solving world politics...
What puzzles me is that I bought a radiator off Amazon last year for a similar sized Kubota compact. Brand new, though aftermarket, & not Kubota branded. I paid $124.43 for it, delivered. What on earth causes such huge price differences?

No aftermarket radiator available?
For a BX the radiator is $446.79 at Messicks
Kubota #K2561-98510 KIT, RADIATOR
for a B2150 it is $655.80
Kubota #66418-58700 RADIATOR, ASSY

Aftermarket are available at a fraction of those prices.

 

[ray66v]

Just in case you need an oil filter Wix 51360 works good.

We are aware that the NAPA and the Wix filters are spec'd for the GC.

They generally cost too much like the OEM, but are at least more accessible.

There are several threads about filters, and what's avalaible.

 

[5030]

Much of the stuff made today is only made in China or Taiwan or India or etc. What finally made me go directly to the Chinese suppliers was when I was buying German tooling for my CNC machines. I was talking to a fellow machine shop owner and he showed me some Chinese ER collets he had just received. They were in the exact same packaging as the German collets I was buying for 6 times the price. It turned out that the German company had moved all their production to China. Moved all their machines. I checked the accuracy of my "German" collets and my friend's Chinese collets. No difference. WTF? Anyway, I just gave up and bought Chinese. Because the OEM stuff was made in China but priced like it was made in Germany. I am finally retired and no longer need to make these decisions. Good thing too. For my mental health.
Eric

The Chinese can make quality stuff. The issue with that is, they need constant oversight as in someone there all the time checking on the quality of the product or they revert to making it cheaply for the most profit earned for the least outlay in materials and expertise. Companies like Grizzly and Harbor Freight as well as DeWalt and Milwaukee use strict oversight all the time and their offerings show that.

It's my contention that DeWalt, Milwaukee as well as HF and Grizzly battery powered tools are all built on the same production line, in the same facility as well but with strict oversight. If you leave the Chinese to their own devices, the quality goes down the dumper pretty quick. In realty, it's all about producing hard goods with the best profit margin and the least amount of quality.

 

[5030]

One thing I neber do is buy aftermarket filters. I always buy OEM filters simply because OEM filters, while being not produced by the OEM (I don't know of any OEM that makes filters or lubricants for that matter but they are produced to the specifications put forth by the OEM and I'm good with that and in my case at least, the OEM Kubota filters are just a tad more than aftermarket so the price differential for me is inconsequential.

 

[5030]

Little history on modern radiators...

Modine pioneered the modern radiator with structural fiber reinforced upper and lower tanks (they are not blow molded plastic) but rather thermo formed structural fiber impregnated) as well as bonding the aluminum heat exchangers (radiator fins and tubes) to the upper and lower tanks. However, today, every manufacturer including the offshore ones use a similar method and the clamping tabs you see between the upper and lower tanks, just insure the bonding process remains secure during thermal expansion and contraction cycles.

The issue is, in reality you cannot re-core them. Once they fail, it's new radiator time and I never try to drain mine via the plastic cock installed in the lower tank either. I always remove the lower radiator hose to drain the system and flush it, something I do every second year as part of my ongoing maintenance procedures.

They are of course, less expensive to manufacture and last a good long time so long as they are cared for properly.

Far as replacement cost is concerned, replacement cost will always be predicated on supply and demand and cost is entirely market driven.

 

[ray66v]

It held water so I went ahead and put it back into the tractor. I ran it for a some time until warmed up and noticed no leaking so I buttoned everything up. I then went out and mowed some lawn for little more than 1/2 hour with the Temperature near 80F outdoors. Tractor got plenty warm but not overheated. After parking back on the concrete in front of my shop I looked all over for signs of leakage. Could not find any. So for the moment the repair is holding.

Yeah the tank has the blow molded plastic top and bottom. It really is not designed for repair. But if they wanted to sell replacements for something that has maybe $5 worth of material in it they should set the price more reasonable. Like $200-$300.

How long it will last is anyone's guess but for now it is working. Thanks everyone for your advice and help.

Please let us know, if things change. And, how long it lasted, if it fails.

 

[MattB4]

Please let us know, if things change. And, how long it lasted, if it fails.

Will update if it fails. Looking great even after running another hour. Btw getting the loader back on was a lot more difficult then taking it off. Had to use a come along to the ROPs to lift the thing into place.

 

[irvingj]

"...getting the loader back on was a lot more difficult then taking it off."

Yep, that's typical. You can make it a lot easier if you get some hydraulic extensions made up -- mine are a bit long at 24", but having them allows you to connect the hydraulics before mounting the BH -- just back up close and connect.

You can then lower the stabilizer arms to raise, then the boom to tilt, the whole unit.... then back up to it and lower it into the mounting sockets -- all with just one person and a minimum of futzing.

You just have to watch the extensions carefully so they don't get pinched, tucking them into the empty space beneath the "floor" of the BH as you back the tractor up closer. I just leave them tucked in there while using the BH -- they stay out of the way easily.

I can now dismount the BH and store it on a piece of plywood on the ground, with the stabilizer arms totally retracted ("UP"). Then I cover the control panel area with a used shower curtain....

 

[irvingj]

Oops... you were talking about the LOADER! Must have been a senior moment on my part -- haven't had my second coffee yet....Well, anyway, the BH can also be a pain!

Why was the loader hard to get back on? Had the hydraulic arms retracted by themselves? That often happens with mine.

 

[MattB4]

Oops... you were talking about the LOADER! Must have been a senior moment on my part -- haven't had my second coffee yet....Well, anyway, the BH can also be a pain!

Why was the loader hard to get back on? Had the hydraulic arms retracted by themselves? That often happens with mine.

The positioning of the cylinders and also the hydraulic hoses are a little short to the joy stick controller so there was no way to plug them back in until the loader was pinned in place to the tractor's mount.