50 hour service

[bp fick]

If JohnThomas can do it, anyone can!!:thumbsup:

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

If JohnThomas can do it, anyone can!!:thumbsup:

True, true, true. I even took pictures to prove it. Bumped thread for changers or fence straddlers to see plus will link it here.
I don't do my cars but I do my tractors. Started out afraid to, then after trying it 6 years and 11 Kubotas ago I moved to want to and I to am now at the it's OK to do. Set aside the time, first time a couple of hours because it's the first time. After the first time it probably takes 30 minutes if you have all your fluids and filters handy.
If your the type that believes if anyone else does it then they must know more than me so I'll do it to...then change the SUDT fluid. If your the type that believes people that design and manufacture the product with thousands of hours of education and experience know better then don't change the SUDT just to sort of be sure. The manual and an email to me from Kubota says it's not needed at the 50 hours.
I've cleaned the strainer at 50 and on some found some slight metal particles and on most did not find any.
When the manual said change SUDT at 50, I changed it at 50. Now that they (Kubota and their engineers) changed that a couple of years ago, I don't change it at 50. I'd feel silly believing I know more or better than them and that even other old farts like me know better than them or even young farts as far as that goes. This I've always done it that way or my granddaddy always said to do it doesn't carry much weight with me especially when it adds anothe $100 or so. OK even if not $100 I wouldn't do it for $50.
If you take it to a dealer they will do the same thing you will do. Don't think there is any going over the tractor to find any issue that you haven't told them about. That's like going to the Dr and asking what's wrong with me Doc? And having no symptoms. They will drain the fluids, change the filters and add fluids back in between their other work. I feel better doing it myself than letting them do it and it has helped me learn my machine better than riding it a thousand hours.
DO IT YOURSELF!! When on the ground, look at everything under the tractor while fluids are draining. It's an amazing world under there to see the stuff and figure out what it is and what it does. It also brings the knowledge that it's just a machine that performs several functions. It is a mass of metal, wiring, tubes and hoses transporting fluids and HP to a usable point.
Do your own Fluids and Filters on a BX - Page 5 - TractorByNet.com

 

[bp fick]

Absolutely agree with the entire gang here.

The notion that "the dealer will go over it" is somewhat naive. Go over what? He will do just what JT said. He'll do exactly what is required to do the service, just like you will. He isn't going to search for every loose bolt, or put the tractor on a dyno, or check all the electrical systems. No way. He doesn't have time for that, it isn't required (unless you have a specific complaint about something) and you'd never want to pay brain surgeon wages for his shop time to do it.
I am not thinking his top notch mechanic is going to pull that job ticket either!!
I don't know where this "I'll let the dealer do the first service so everything is OK" came from. It's been a long lived urban legend, me thinks.

Will the dealer do a good job? I'd like to think so.
Will he charge you handsomely? I know so.
Can I do an even better job? Yes, I can. It's my machine and I just care more and will work carefully and with a sense of pride of ownership.

 

[Chugbug]

Thanks everyone! Looks like I'll be doing the change myself. Guess I'll drain the hydro as well just to make sure everything is good. Thanks JT for posting the step by step, that will help those of us who are wrench challenged!