50 hour service--oil slick

[M. Sullivan]

Well, still washing the fluids out of my hair after the 50 hr service on my B2710. A little disappointed with the location of the drain plugs. Overall I feel the machine is dessigned extremely well, but they need to spend more time thinking about service-ability. The engine oil plugs drop oil on a cross plate that then leaks over a broad area from both sides. The 2 rear side trans plugs shoot oil onto the wheel intially, then as the flow slows falls on linkages. Fluid then runs down the linkages and drips everywhere along the path. The oil filter is right above a cooling bypass hose assembly and a wiring harness that get drenched, and drip, drip, drip. Overall a pretty nasty experience, even for one who does all his own auto service/oil changes.

On the positive side, I was able to find Super UDT for $60 per 5 gallon, locally (vs. over $90 that most places want). Trans strainers were clean, with the exception of some grey plastic gasket type material-total less than a enough to fit on half a dime. Maybe a 1/2 dozen visible tiny metal shaving. Huge difference from my last one--about a dimes worth of steel and brass shavings from each side--puked the trans shortly thereafter.

Ironic, rode down to get the mail as a test drive--there was a one-year-anniversary survey from Kubota.

A note for those embarking on their own 50 hr service. All you need is a small filter wrench, a 17mm wrench, and 14mm and 27mm sockets. Plus 2 rolls of paper towel and 5 pounds of oil dry!

 

[richfromPA]

hey,
i hope the bx 50 hr service job isnt that nasty. im just about ready to do mine. maybe ya need to add some threaded tubing and cap plugs. i have seen some setups like that and it makes it much more pleasant. the only worry might be snagging them on something and having an exxon valdez on the back yard. maybe even some rubber tubing like custom hydralic hoses with the correct fittings on the ends and ya could tie them up out of the way. maybe ill do that if i have problems. have ya seen the comercial with the guy who has the car lift in his garage? thats what we need, then ya could keep the fluid out of yer hair.
rich

 

[r0GuE]

The hydro is pretty easy on the BX. I had to let a bit out, not too difficult. I don't recall the oil location and I'm not at home to look.
Anyone??

Rogue

 

[teherzog]

I'm about to do my 50hr service on my 2710, as I see above it looks messy but I can live with that. Thanks to M.Sullivan I know the tools that will be needed but is there any other advice that may help me save a little time. Speaking of that, how long will it take?
thanks, Tom H.

 

[DaleW]

I just completed the 100 hr service on my 2710 and have found a few tricks that helped me. First and foremost, jack up the back of the tractor, put some jack stands underneath and remove the rear wheels. It makes a world of difference for the drain plugs, filter and screen cleaning. I have a loader on mine but do not have a crossmember underneath to deal with...straight shot down to the drain pan.
As for the engine filter, take a shop rag and stick it underneath the filter between it and the wire harness to catch the small but messy amount of oil that drains out of the filter.
I had a fair amount of metal shavings on my screens this time compared to the 50 hr service but then I only cleaned one screen (Not knowing that there was a second one).
When changing the front axle oil, if you have a loader lift the wheels off the ground or jack up and jack stand the front end and again remove the wheels....it makes the job sooooooo much easier and no schlazam on the tires or floor.
A word of caution when filling the tranny. The cheap cheekwa dipstick that Kubota supplies is yellow and the trans fluid is a light yellow color which makes it real hard to check the level.
I kept putting more and more fluid in until I found that I was quite overfilled. Have to drain a bit out but haven't figured out how to go about it without making a mess of the garage floor.
Good luck on your 50's

 

[teherzog]

Printed and in the toolbox, thanks DaleW.
Tom H.

 

[Will]

You can remove the entire rear wheel assembly from the axle very simply. All you have to do is remove one nut and bolt and one clevis pin and the whole thing just slides off. This is easier than the first method I tried where I had to remove the 6 nuts holding the tire on.

Will

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Here's a link with pricing info on Kubota B series tractors.

 

[Alan L.]

I've lost my 2710 manual but I don't recall changing the hydraulic fluids again at 100 hours. Seems like 50 hours and then very 200 or so. I know I didn't. However at 50 hours I had fluids all over me and the garage, but its easier to clean up the mess than take the rear wheels off. For me at least since I don't have an air wrench.

I think I only changed the engine oil at 100 hours.

Alan L., TX

 

[Bird]

The manual calls for changing the engine & hydraulic oil and both filters at 50 hours, then engine oil only at 100 hours, engine oil & filter at 200 hours, hydraulic oil & filter and engine oil (but not filter) at 300 hours. Thereafter, it's engine oil every 100 hours, engine oil filter every 200 hours (every other oil change) and hydraulic oil & filter every 300 hours. Although I think a lot of people (including me) change the engine oil filter every time the oil is changed.

Bird

 

[gordon]

Bird I've got a question for you, since you changed to the AMSoil what hours can you run inbetween changes?

Thanks
Gordon

 

[Bird]

Gordon, I still haven't made up my mind completely. I just decided to try the Amsoil hydraulic oil (I think it might be a little quieter, but am not really sure), but I still have the Delo 400 in the engine. Basically what Amsoil says is to double the time interval between changes. What I have in mind (assuming everything is working properly, the oil looks and smells normal, etc.) is to change the filter on Kubota's schedule, but run the fluid twice as long.

Bird

 

[Boondox]

Sully -- I can relate! On my first tractor, a B1750HSD, the oil drained over several "diverters" that required four drain pans to catch it all. What a pleasure it is to change Clementine's fluids now that I've upgraded to the L3010! Nothing in the way at all.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[truejourney]

I did the 50 hour service on my B2710 a while back but don't recall having any problems or big mess to clean up. The main thing I do remember is that I had to jack the tractor up about an inch or so because my 5 gallon bucket was just a little too tall to slide underneath (easily solved by cutting just a little off the can next time).

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

What is everybody doing with their used oil and hydraulic fluid? I've got a bunch of it in old antifreeze jugs, far more than I need to burn the trash or start the stove in the shop.

SHF

 

[Bird]

SHF, like most folks, I guess, what I don't use to burn for one reason or another, I take to one of various places that will take it for no charge; Wal-mart, Auto Zone, to name a couple. I don't know what they might say about the antifreeze jugs though because they don't want any antifreeze in the oil.

Bird

 

[Boondox]

In my little town are a couple of businesses that collect used oil to burn in their shop heaters. Heating those big cavernous buildings is grossly energy inefficient, but they don't care since the oil is free. As for hydraulic fluid, every quarter the state has a hazardous materials collection site come to the county. I turn it in for free.

Pete in Lamoille County, Vermont

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[Snell]

Check and see if your dealer will take it back. I know in our area, many businesses (including ours) use the waste oil furnaces to heat... We end up begging for used oil come Feb. if we have not built up enough of a supply.

 

[teherzog]

Well I got my hands dirty and embarked on my 50hr service, not bad at all, it took 2 1/2 hrs and most of that was done scratching my head, I could do it in better than half the time today. Thanks to M.Sullivan for the tool list. I did run into the same problem as DaleW and put in to much hydro fluid ( about 1/2 inch on dipstick), that was with all the cylinders closed on the FEL, should I let some out? Also DaleW you said something about two hydro screens, The manual only tells of one that I can see, please enlighten me so I can get it next time. To add to the list of things you will need; a lot of shop rags, and three 5 gallon buckets ( if you cut them off right under the handle they will fit just right).
Thanks for the help, Tom H

 

[Bird]

Tom, the manual mentions "cleaning transmission strainer" (singular), but the illustrations show one on each side, for a total of 2 which is what my B2710 has. However, do you have one of the newer models with two spin-on hydraulic filters? If so, you may only have one strainer; I'm not really sure.

Bird

 

[rlk]

Can the used hydraulic fluid be used to as lubricant on a chain saw blade, or is it too thick?