DK35 Axle oil.(Dumb Question)

[sirrobinhood]

After I drain the oil on both sides of the axle, the manual calls for around 2 gallons of oil, is that 2 gallons each side? Do I fill just one side?

 

[murphy1244]

total, your doing the front? right? there is a site glass on the back of the left side. fill till dot floats in the middle run check again. That fill port on your right fills both sides.

 

[sirrobinhood]

total, your doing the front? right? there is a site glass on the back of the left side. fill till dot floats in the middle run check again. That fill port on your right fills both sides.

Yep front. The manual states drain oil, pull check plug/fill plug then refill and install check plug? How can u fill if the check plug is out?

 

[murphy1244]

I guess on yours you fill till it weeps from the check plug then your full where mine has a site glass.

 

[SSdoxie]

I think the term fill/check plug might be a transation thing, but fill plug could be used as a check plug if you stick a samll clean probe down to see if the oil is at half full. Look on the axle left side of pivot standing beside tractor and look for the sight glass.

 

[k0ua]

I guess on yours you fill till it weeps from the check plug then your full where mine has a site glass.

Murph I think he has one of the older DK35, not a DK35se.. Maybe they have a check plug like the Kubota standard L series.

To the Original Poster, Make sure you are on perfectly level ground when you fill/check. Then run the tractor a few hours and fill/check again. there often is air pockets that will need filling a second time.

James K0UA

 

[murphy1244]

Murph I think he has one of the older DK35, not a DK35se.. Seems they have a check plug like the Kubota standard L series.

To the Original Poster, Make sure you are on perfectly level ground when you fill/check. Then run the tractor a few hours and fill/check again. there often is air pockets that will need filling a second time.

James K0UA

Thanks for the back up James.

 

[k0ua]

Sirrobinhood, to be clear, we think you may have an older model of DK35, not a DK35se, because if you have the DK35se you would have a sight-glass on the tractors left side of the inboard side of the front axle. In other words if you stepped off of the tractor and looked forward towards the front axle you would see the sight-glass. It would be a little white ball that should be centered in the sight-glass when properly filled and the axle is perfectly level. If you don't have this, and you have a fill plug on the top of the right side of the axle, and perhaps a check plug on the side of the axle down lower about halfway down the sides. then you remove the check plug and start filling from the top plug until fluid starts running out of the check plug. This is the way the Standard L series Kubota's are equipped. Any questions call back.

James K0UA

 

[DK35vince]

The older model DK 35 has the site glass also. (at least I know my 2001 model does )
My front axle takes time to get it full.
It will show overfull till I drive it a little. Then the oil will settle out and show low. Add some more and run it again till the oil settles out.
You will need to do that several times till its done taking oil and stays settled on the full mark.

 

[k0ua]

The older model DK 35 has the site glass also. (at least I know my 2001 model does )
My front axle takes time to get it full.
It will show overfull till I drive it a little. Then the oil will settle out and show low. Add some more and run it again till the oil settles out.
You will need to do that several times till its done taking oil and stays settled on the full mark.

Well that makes me wonder where he got the verbiage about a fill plug and a check plug.? My last tractor the Kubota L3400 had the check plug, on the front of the axle about 1/2 way down, and I just assumed maybe the older models might have that same setup. Well in any case I guess he needs to report back what he saw now that he knows where to look for it

James K0UA

 

[sirrobinhood]

Thanks all for the help. I have a 2003-2004 DK35. I did get the manual, but it is not very good.
I took some pics,
This is the left side. Same as the other side.

This is under the axle (Center)


Lower unit (not sure what its called)


Not sure what this large bolt does


The sight glasses look very dirty. I cant tell the level of oil.

 

[kiotiken]

My dealer always includes the 50 hr service , so I didn't do it myself, but I was there and took notes when they did the service on my CK30. According to what he told me, you can't overfill as long as it's on flat ground because the oil will seep out an overflow port. I'm assuming that would be the check/fill plug.

 

[kco]

It's been 2 years since I changed the front axle oil, so my recollection is a little vague. However, I think I removed all the three large fill plugs: one on the top of the right axle, and two near the top of the bevel gear housings. I also removed the plug containing the site glass facing rearward on the left axle.

Then drained the oil by removing the small plugs at the bottom of the two bevel gear housings. After draining, I replaced the drain plugs and filled by the large plug on the top of the right axle. I may have also put some oil in the plugs at the top of the bevel gear housings, but I don't think so.

I left the sight glass plug out and filled slowly until I saw oil starting to come from the sight glass plug hole. Then replaced the sight glass plug, and topped it up so the ball was in the middle of the sight glass.

The last thing I did was replace the three large fill plugs.

I probably added more oil one or two times later(after operating the tractor) to bring the ball into the sight glass center.

SirRobinHood: the new DK SE's don't have the drain plug at centre of the axle.

I'm due for the 400 hr service(actually 4 hrs overdue). I'll likely do the hydraulic and engine oil and filters soon, but will wait until it is warmer to do the front axle--likely in a couple of weeks.

 

[Coyote machine]

Pulling the sight glass plug sounds like a good idea, otherwise one can spend a lot of time trying to get to almost full enough. By removing the sight glass plug it allows you to know when you're close and then top off after re-installing it. I like that idea a lot! It also lets one clean the sight glass to help keep an eye on the level in the axle.
Thanks, KCO - good one:thumbsup:

 

[sirrobinhood]

Ok so I pull the lower plugs left and right on the bevel housing and center plug under axle. Drain oil. Pull sight glass off, open fill plug on top of axle and fill until the oil comes out of sight glass holes. Put sight glass plugs in and continue to fill until ball is center. You fill on only one side of axle correct? This should fill the whole axle housing (Both sides)? This will be about 2 gallons of oil?

 

[murphy1244]

Yes that will fill both sides, my DK is 1.9.

 

[Coyote machine]

Ok so I pull the lower plugs left and right on the bevel housing and center plug under axle. Drain oil. Pull sight glass off, open fill plug on top of axle and fill until the oil comes out of sight glass holes. Put sight glass plugs in and continue to fill until ball is center. You fill on only one side of axle correct? This should fill the whole axle housing (Both sides)? This will be about 2 gallons of oil?

Yes, good summary. (Only one sight glass, clean it while it's out.) Fill till ball in center of red circle, then drive it and recheck in case of air bubbles, etc., make sure all plugs are snug and no leaks. Done.

 

[o2batsea]

I take the top caps off the axle pivot housing. This gives me a nice big hole to pour oil in. Takes very little time. Caps have a o ring seal, so don't get dirt in there, use a paper towel to clean before reassembly.

 

[kco]

It has warmed up so I did the 400 hour service yesterday.

It was 5 C (41 F) in the morning. I travelled to cut wood with a neighbour so the tractor was well warmed up by noon, when I changed all the fluids. The air temp was 10 C (50 F) then, and warmed to 15 C (59 F) shortly after.

I don't know what the front axle oil temp would be, but it flowed like corn syrup. It took almost 2 hours to completely drain.

Seeing this, I warmed the two 5 liter jugs of gear oil by placing them in hot water in the kitchen sink (fortunately my wife is away for a few days). I changed the hot water a few times while I did other servicing and waited for the front axles to drain. The heating worked great with the oil pouring like motor oil.