50 hour break in fluids

[luckycanine]

Kubota's maintenance schedule requires Super UDT Hydraulic Transmission Fluid at 50hrs on a new tractor. The dealer does not carry Super UDT. I can get it online for around $106 per 5 gallon pail, and around $40 shipping per pail. It will require about 5 pails or around or around $750 total. Don't the hydraulic filters capture and trap most all of the contaminats. Thought they even had magnets to help. I heard Kubota and other mfgs. merely required a filter change at 50 hours, and then a fluid and filter at the next regular maintenance change. Any thoughts on this? Thanks, luckycanine

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

what type of Kubota do you have that requires 25 gal. fluid change at 50 hours?

I thought they all required only a filter change and a small top up of fluids lost during the filter change?

Are you sure you are reading your service intervals correctly?

Cheers

 

[luckycanine]

Have a Kubota M-108 that I bought late 2011. It holds 17.2 gallons of hydraulic fluid. I would need 4 pails (not 5) of 5 gallons; I stand corrected. Sorry, math is not my forte. Still, a lot of very expensive fluid.

I read the maintenance schedule again and I am supposed to replace both filters and fluids for the engine and transmission, as well as change the fluids for the front differential case, and the front axle gear case at 50 hours. I was hoping your were correct; se la vie.

 

[General Lee]

Most of the Kubota's only require a filter change at 50 hours as Boakley stated. However, I'm not sure about the larger Agriculture tractors. Kubota USED to require a full fluid change at 50 but they went away from that, at least on the SCUT's and CUT's. Hopefully some AG owners will chime in. My neighbor recently bought a M7040 and I was present during the delivery heard the dealer rep tell him a fluid change was not necessary until 400 hours. Filters only at 50 hours.

 

[luckycanine]

Hi General, will try and post the schedule for the m108...bought latter part of last yr.

 

[General Lee]

Well I'll be...........I wonder if your dealer gave you an old manual leftover? But maybe the larger AG tractors are different from the smaller ones, sure seems that way according to your manual. Maybe send Kubota manufacturing an email asking their input. Hopefully you'll have some more replies tomorrow from some others, but for now I'd follow the manual you got.

You'll get mixed feelings on the whole full fluid change thing. Some do a complete fluid change at 50 and some just follow the manual and do the engine oil and filters. The magnets catch some metal debris but probably not all of it. I do feel your pain on spending all that $$$$ for 17 gallons of hydro fluid.

 

[High Compression]

what type of Kubota do you have that requires 25 gal. fluid change at 50 hours?

I thought they all required only a filter change and a small top up of fluids lost during the filter change?

Are you sure you are reading your service intervals correctly?

Cheers

Every Kubota I have owned (5 now) have all required a 50hr break in service. And I was quite amazed at how much metal, and silicone bits caught in the screens and drained out into the pail. So... I believe that it is a very important service for the longevity of the machine.

 

[TripleR]

Oil/maintenance threads are kind of scary at times; just read and do what you can live with.

Our M8540 required all fluids replaced at 50 hours, our service rep says it's a waste of money; lots of opinions.

 

[ray66v]

You know the fluid is good for much more than 50 hours.

Those who feel it is imperative the fluid be changed at 50 hours due to contaminates, should consider they are running those contaminates through there for 50 hours. Is going another 200 hours, now going to do serious harm? Why didn't you change yours at 5 hours, or less, if it is a detriment to the longevity of the unit? Seems like a small price to pay.

Automotive transmissions do not have a break in oil change. They always have metal and clutch material in the oil when it is changed, (so will your tractor), and have much less filtration than a tractor does, (many only have a screen). Yet, except for one particular manufacturer, they seem to last a long time.

Perhaps you could satisfy everyone, and save a lot of money, if you found a way to filter your oil 50 hour oil, and then put it back in.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

Have a Kubota M-108 that I bought late 2011. It holds 17.2 gallons of hydraulic fluid. I would need 4 pails (not 5) of 5 gallons; I stand corrected. Sorry, math is not my forte. Still, a lot of very expensive fluid.

I read the maintenance schedule again and I am supposed to replace both filters and fluids for the engine and transmission, as well as change the fluids for the front differential case, and the front axle gear case at 50 hours. I was hoping your were correct; se la vie.

thats still a alot of oil.
My little B2620 with 45 hours of use had an engine oil change at 25 hrs. just cause it was so darn easy and cheap to do and it was raining and I need a chore to get out of the house. Will do it at 50 as well. Mostly BH work at 1300 rpm in almost 100% sandy.

Next is the filters on the hydro system and I think I will change the fluids too just cause its not that expensive in the whole scope of life and I like to take care of my stuff as I tend to keep it forever (or give to another family memeber). Just do not know how much oil will be needed. Will go an aftermarket S-UDT brand such as TSC carries.