Comparison of Deere trans fluid and SUDT2 in B7800 HST

[sixdogs]

When I wanted to use Deere trans fluid in my B7800 HST a couple years ago, I couldn't find anyone that had done it and could tell me what to expect and if it was a good idea. So I went ahead and did it and changed my trans fluid and replaced it with Deere trans fluid. After those couple years and maybe 200 hours of operation, I decided to swap to SUDT2 and can now offer a meaningful comparison.

The Deere fluid made more gear whine from the get-go and it worsened as time went on. Nothing really bad or even all that noticeable but there was a higher pitched whine plus the HST seemed to be less "tight" in that it didn't have the strong and positive acceleration I recalled before I swapped to the Deere oil. These things worsened over time and as I said, it was not real noticeable unless you operated the tractor and were familiar with it.

Yesterday I drained the Deere hyd fluid, changed the filters and put in the SUDT2. The difference was immediately noticeable. On starting, the tractor didn't have the "idle-whine" as it did with the Deere oil but instead had a deeper sound. In using the tractor, I no longer had that high pitched whine I did before but instead had a deeper sound and what appears to be a tighter "lockup". The trans feels tighter and accelerates better. The difference is not enough to be a severe issue but is enough for a Kubota guy to notice changes in gear whine and performance during initial acceleration..

So, given the choice in a Kubota HST trans, I went with SUDT2 and I'm glad I did. Since SUDT2 is all or partly synthetic, maybe another maker's synthetic fluid would match performance but I didn't have any to try. The SUDT2 really made the tractor feel and perform better and the difference in gear whine is enough of a benefit for me.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Good job posting actual performance/personal experience. To me, I said to me, actual on hands experience is more valuable than the group of researchers that give all the theoretical pages of data and maybe even their neighbors friends coworkers possible story of what they did in the 60s that worked and been doing it every since. Especially converting every thing to 6 volts since that's what their grand dad/uncle that was a mechanic said to do and how they hate every thing comes now in 12 volts and this new low voltage LED stuff is a bunch of crap and will never last, good ole 6 volts and regular ply tires and Motor Honey.:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Any way I'm sure there will be the lab tech that will tell how this isn't valid since there were not additional units and different brand fluids done at the same time and it wasn't done under lab conditions with instrumentation. Of course since it was a Kubota the "other" brand owners of all colors will have an opinion. :shocked:

 

[sixdogs]

Actually, I did the test with things cold, then heated them up and compared. Then I mowed with it cold and mowed with it warm and compared. Then I made my judgment, which was obvious. A lab tech would not win that debate with me. Odd thing was that I really wanted the Deere oil to win since it's cheaper. Oh well.

John, by the way, I'm sure you have your eye on another Kubota just for the heck of it and have no intention of buying. But, if you were to consider buying another, what model would you be looking at?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Actually, I did the test with things cold, then heated them up and compared. Then I mowed with it cold and mowed with it warm and compared. Then I made my judgment, which was obvious. A lab tech would not win that debate with me. Odd thing was that I really wanted the Deere oil to win since it's cheaper. Oh well.

John, by the way, I'm sure you have your eye on another Kubota just for the heck of it and have no intention of buying. But, if you were to consider buying another, what model would you be looking at?

BX25 if I were considering it, really miss the one I traded in. Getting more adjusted to the B2620 but would have traded back to the BX25 the first week or two after trading. Now have about 28 hours on the B2620 FEL BH. Oh by the way, had a B7800 FEL RFM for my second Kubota after the first BX2200 FEL MMM and kept the B7800 and BX1500 MMM (bought both at the same time) for 3 years until paid off and did more work with the B7800 than any of the other ones. It was a workhorse and the only problem with it was making sure the go pedal was centered or it wouldn't start and trying to fill the fuel tank UNDER the FEL cross arm.

 

[big bubba]

why go w/deere fluid in 1st place? isn't it apples & oranges? or just looking to find a comparison? using machinery for experiments can be a costly business! but glad you found something acceptable

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

why go w/deere fluid in 1st place? isn't it apples & oranges? or just looking to find a comparison? using machinery for experiments can be a costly business! but glad you found something acceptable

That's green & yellow apples and oranges.:laughing:

 

[sixdogs]

why go w/deere fluid in 1st place? isn't it apples & oranges? or just looking to find a comparison? using machinery for experiments can be a costly business! but glad you found something acceptable

Well, I went with Deere hyd fluid because I perceived it to be higher quality that the Kubota oil. Yes, duh, dumb now but I didn't think so a couple years back when I changed it. Also, I buy Deere oil in volume and pool orders with another guy so the price was right. Lastly, I had 55 gallons in the barn...