50 Hour Service

[Snapper Head]

Just reached 50 (okay, 54.6 ) hour mark on my L3940 HST-3, so its fluid/filter change time.

I plan/like to do this myself. Any 'gotcha's' or 'watchits' that I should be on the lookout for? I am mechanically inclined, but I'm not rebuilding any hydraulic actuators or transmissions.........


Big Al

 

[teg]

You have the manual? Just follow that and you should be good to go...

 

[Baby Grand]

You're going to need to change the hyd filter. Some on here use a shop vac to keep all the oil from dumping out. You need to decide are you going to toss all that fluid (around 15 gallons?) or keep it in/put it back in. I think the manual says fluid change at 300 hrs? Replace filter at 50.

If you decide to replace that fluid you'll need a big container to drain it. I had good luck using a Rubbermaid storage bin - about 32x18x12". My fluid looked brand new, so I put it back in and saved about $250. Some believe this is the definition of foolishness. Throwing out 11.5 gallons of oil that only has 50 hours on it isn't how I ride.

If you do decide to reuse the fluid, do yourself a favor and give the undersides a good cleaning to knock off any dirt/dust.

Oh - don't forget to remove both the drain plugs if you drain the tranny!

-Jim

 

[TripleR]

Like Teg says, follow the Operator manual and this link and it is not hard; not going to go into changing or not changing fluid, but we only lose about a quart when replacing the filters.

Kubota L-40 Series Service

 

[5030]

oil is cheap (fluid). It may look 'new' to your eye, but it may, in fact, have suspended particles and contamination that you can't see, that may cause failure of internal parts (expensive) down the road.

Lubricants are the cheapest thing in your tractor, why be foolish.....renew, don't reuse.

 

[PHILIP8N]

For my L3940-HST 50 hour service I dropped ALL fluids and replaced ALL filters. Just the way I am with all my equipment after break in, get out any metal particles, sand, gasket material, etc. To each their own in this case. What to look out for: 1) 5 gallon bucket to drain HST fluid is not a good idea, use at least a 10 gallon pan or you will have quite a mess. 2) One of the filters on the transmission case was very difficult to get off. Fortunetly, the filter base has 4 notches in the steel base where you can put a screw driver to whack it loose. 3) After filling the front axle, drive it around and re-check, I had to add more than a quart of oil after initial filling. 4) Other than that, everything else was as the manual stated. I bought 13.5 gallons of SUDT and had 2 gallons left over. Philip.

 

[teg]

...get out any metal particles, sand, gasket material...

Lets just say a tractor pumps 8 gallons per minute and you have 16 gallon holding tank (extreme). Every two minutes your fluid runs through a filter that *removes* metal, sand, gasket material and anything else. I replaced my fluid... only to watch perfectly good oil being thrown away. There are reason why the manual only says to change your filter. But you do what you want to do...

 

[kco]

A consistent tip I see on these forums--Don't over-tighten the drain plugs.:thumbsup:

 

[PHILIP8N]

Lets just say a tractor pumps 8 gallons per minute and you have 16 gallon holding tank (extreme). Every two minutes your fluid runs through a filter that *removes* metal, sand, gasket material and anything else. I replaced my fluid... only to watch perfectly good oil being thrown away. There are reason why the manual only says to change your filter. But you do what you want to do...

As I stated in my original post, 'Just the way I am with all my equipment after break in, to each their own in this case'. So I will do what I want to do, just as I expect you will, but you will never change my mind, nor am I trying to influence others. I perform UOA's on all my new engines until I get to a comfortable OCI. I have read all of my reports, as well as many other UOA reports, and that is what I base most of my decision off of. If I drop my oil at 50 hours, who cares? It's my penny. Makes me sleep better at night. Philip.

 

[kuboman]

As I stated in my original post, 'Just the way I am with all my equipment after break in, to each their own in this case'. So I will do what I want to do, just as I expect you will, but you will never change my mind, nor am I trying to influence others. I perform UOA's on all my new engines until I get to a comfortable OCI. I have read all of my reports, as well as many other UOA reports, and that is what I base most of my decision off of. If I drop my oil at 50 hours, who cares? It's my penny. Makes me sleep better at night. Philip.

Ah...someone who understands the benefits of changing the oil. Most do not understand the manufacturing process and the contamination that is left behind. The filter was never intended to replace poor maintenance. :confused2:

 

[MoKelly]

One suggestion. Make sure all drain bolts that come off with a washer go back on with a washer.

Don't think you are finished only to find a washer in the oil drain pan when transferring the oil back into containers.:ashamed:

MoKelly

 

[Danner]

One suggestion. Make sure all drain bolts that come off with a washer go back on with a washer.

Don't think you are finished only to find a washer in the oil drain pan when transferring the oil back into containers.:ashamed:

MoKelly

Ah yes, found memories of the Jiffy Lube floor safety screen, littered with nylon and bronze washers :laughing:

 

[BXinNH]

MoKelly,

Excellent reminder. In the bottom of the drain pan was where I found my trans plug washer..... after I had replaced the plug and fluid. oops!

Matt.

 

[fredhargis]

I'm relaticely nw around here, but have still seen this question show up 3-4 times. Every one of them turned into the drain everything/don't drain everything debate. Me? I did what the manual said to do..........

 

[teg]

Me? I did what the manual said to do..........

:thumbsup:

 

[TripleR]

I'm relaticely nw around here, but have still seen this question show up 3-4 times. Every one of them turned into the drain everything/don't drain everything debate. Me? I did what the manual said to do..........

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[kuboman]

I'm relaticely nw around here, but have still seen this question show up 3-4 times. Every one of them turned into the drain everything/don't drain everything debate. Me? I did what the manual said to do..........

Which manual, the new one where it says to run the oil to 400 hrs or the older one where it says to change it at 50 hrs.:confused2::confused2::drool:

 

[joeyd]

Snapper,
I just finished my 50 hr. service and doing it for the first time it took longer than I expected. I was in no hurry but I didn't want to make a career of it either. As it has already been mentioned make sure if you have a washer on the drain plug when you take it off that you put it back on. My TYM has two drain plugs for the engine oil. I noticed that there was a copper washer on the second plug I removed but I did not have one on the first. After feeling around on the bottom of the drain pan I found the missing washer. Also when replacing the front axle oil be careful, although I was well shy of the 2+ gallons it takes to fill it I overflowed onto the floor. I always put lots of newspaper down to collect spills but the overflow was due to the thick oil not flowing to all the nooks and cranies as quickly as a thinner oil will do. Enjoy the chance to get to know your tractor a little better.

P.S. don't for get to grease it while your under there!!

 

[brocas]

Why do so many claim that hyd fluid is cheap? Have you priced 12gals of SUDT?

I agree that if its just a couple of gals, its cheap insurance not even worth discussing. But 12 gals is another matter.

On my my 50, I replaced only the filter as recomended by kubota. Used the shop vac trick and lost very small amount of fluid. Actually I'm not sure the shop vac was necessary, I think just the plug, and being well prepared with the new filter would still result in minimal fluid loss.

 

[johnrex62]

Why do so many claim that hyd fluid is cheap? Have you priced 12gals of SUDT?

I agree that if its just a couple of gals, its cheap insurance not even worth discussing. But 12 gals is another matter.

On my my 50, I replaced only the filter as recomended by kubota. Used the shop vac trick and lost very small amount of fluid. Actually I'm not sure the shop vac was necessary, I think just the plug, and being well prepared with the new filter would still result in minimal fluid loss.

Since there does not seem to be any conclusive evidence either way that the fluid is safe or unsafe due to possible contamination after the initial 50 hours, it is perhaps 50/50 on the question of advisability of retaining fluid.

If you accept the general principle of the unknown danger, then is $200-$300 a cheap cost to ensure the safety of a $20,000 piece of equipment every few years?