Cost of 50 hour service

[avorancher]

Local dealer charges $70/hour for the 50 hour tuneup if he travels to my site to do it. He estimates about 1.5 hours plus filters and fluids, plus travel time.

What is a normal 50 hour materials charge? I need to add the two together before I take it to my "big boss" for approval.

Also, if I can't get it scheduled due to the holiday and work it hard this weekend, any chance of getting into warranty troubles if it has around 70 hours on it when they do the 50?

 

[GregJ]

Have you thought of doing it yourself? There's really not much to it and as long as you save your receipts, your warranty will be still be intact. It's also a lot cheaper. Probably the most important part of the 50 hour is the oil change and that's really easy to do. I have done all my own service so far. These Kubotas are a lot easier to work on than the cars we drive today.

Greg

 

[avorancher]

I'm sure I could do it, but until I move (new construction) to where the tractor is, it is difficult. No tools, power, etc. I can see me laying under the tractor thinking that I'll have to drive 30 miles to get the right sized socket.

Right now seat time on it is important to me as we finish up our new home and get ready for the final inspection next month. I've been frantically digging trenches and drainage, trying to stay ahead of our contractor as I can only work there on weekends and days are getting short.

However, your comment does make me think it is just a matter of getting everything together that I should need and taking a chance.

 

[GregJ]

A metric socket set and an adjustable filter wrench will get your oil change done. I feel the same "time" crunch that you're talking about. I have just gotten to where it is faster for me to do some of these things myself. This last weekend I changed 2 sets (of 4) snow tires on our cars. The local tire shop will do it for free, but by the time I load the tires in, drive down there, get in line, drive home and do it all over again it takes all day vs. doing it myself in an hour and a half. My wife thinks I'm nuts when they'll do it for free, and I don't have to lift a finger, but time is more important to me. An oil change on my tractor is about 30 minutes and that is a lot quicker for me than trying to schedule it with my dealer. Just another perspective......

Greg

 

[sandyc]

The 50 hour service isn't all that bad. make sure you have enough empty catch cans if you change out the HST UDT fluid.

I have found that the Kubota conversions from metric into ASE are way off. My 2200 says 2.8 quarts for the crankcase. However, when I changed it this past weekend it was 4 quarts (almost) with the filter.

Change the fluids warm!

 

[BXMMCC]

If you are only changing the oil and filter, an adjustable wrench - if you don't have a socketset or end wrenches - and a strap wrench should do it, and in less than a half hour (which includes 15 minutes of running the engine to warm the oil!)

 

[GregJ]

Avorancher,
I'm sorry if I started this thread in a different direction from your original question, which was "How much does a 50 hour service cost?". Sometimes when somebody offers a different perspective the thread strays in that direction. Hopefully somebody will answer your original question.

Greg

 

[fishman]

Your 7800 I believe has the same capacities as my 2910. You will need a 5 gallon bucket of hydraulic fluid and 4.5 quarts of oil. Also an oil filter and two hydraulic filters (I think two). Cost of all those parts ran me about $80 at my Kubota dealer. I used UDT as opposed to the Super UDT some have recommended.

It wasn't hard to do it myself, but it did take some time, about 3 hours as I recall. I could be done much quicker, I'm sure. Also the problem of disposing of all of the fluids.

If you have the dealer do it, the total cost should be around $225, I'd expect.

 

[DaveInColorado]

I 2nd that "strap wrench" suggestion! The original engine oil and transmission filters were really on tight when I did mine. It took me 45 minutes to find my strap wrench but all was trouble-free with the right tools! I also went out and purchased a tiny little oil filter wrench ($3). The oil filter is embedded inside a few wires and what-not which makes it difficult to wrap your fist around and get a good leverage to twist. I just put my socket wrench on the end of the filter and it is no problem at all to remove.

 

[avorancher]

No problem changing directions... that is the beauty in a discussion group. In fact, I think I'm convinced to give it a try thanks to everyone. It will probably save me time in the long run.

I've also been putting off taking the backhoe off and the boxblade on, but I need to do that soon too for the first time.

By the time I do the service again, I'll have a new garage, lights, tools onhand, along with the experience gained from the first try. Then it will be a no-brainer.