Do your own Fluids and Filters on a BX

[Nightforce]

Appreciate a report back after you change from the Kubota SUDT/SUDT2 hyd fluid as to noticeable change in performance. Also what is the cost of a qt of the engine oil that you are changing to?

It works out to about $6.00 per quart....

 

[sixdogs]

Nightforce--I do not have a BX so am not specifically aware of that series but many Kubota owners use gear oil in the front axle. You can use either gear oil or trans fluid and I use gear oil because I think I get better protection during hard use. Just my two cents here.

 

[Nightforce]

Nightforce--I do not have a BX so am not specifically aware of that series but many Kubota owners use gear oil in the front axle. You can use either gear oil or trans fluid and I use gear oil because I think I get better protection during hard use. Just my two cents here.

Great information, thank you!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Going around today on Facebook.

Also going around today on facebook.

 

[bp fick]

Nightforce--I do not have a BX so am not specifically aware of that series but many Kubota owners use gear oil in the front axle. You can use either gear oil or trans fluid and I use gear oil because I think I get better protection during hard use. Just my two cents here.

I always run gear oil in my front axle on my Kubotas. My dealer strongly recommended it 5 or 6 years ago, when I bought my first unit. I do prefer the synthetic or semi-synthetic 75w-90 as it flows a bit nicer in the dead of winter. While not proven by any science I know of, it is generally thought that the gear lube stays inside the seals a bit better as well.

SUTD-2 pours just about like water. LOVE it in the trans. Not so sure in the front axle. Just me.

 

[sixdogs]

While we're on synthetic and non synthetic, let me mention something non related but it's what shifted me to synthetic about 15 years ago. I had a Brillion seeder with needle bearings in the axles and they were growling so I took things apart for a look. What a mess with bearings needing immediate replacement. Trouble was, I had 30 acres to seed and needed the seeder before the parts would come in.

I cleaned the bearings up and decided to regrease with Mobil One grease just because I had it and I was desperate. Anyway, I was shocked that the growling disappeared and the bearings began to roll again. That should not had happened and I'm convinced the synthetic grease had everything to do with it.

So now I use synthetic oil in everything I can and while I don't use Mobil One grease on a regular basis I do use it for special projects where I need the grease to do Herculean work.

Just my two cents here on what worked for me.

 

[dragoneggs]

While we're on synthetic and non synthetic, let me mention something non related but it's what shifted me to synthetic about 15 years ago. I had a Brillion seeder with needle bearings in the axles and they were growling so I took things apart for a look. What a mess with bearings needing immediate replacement. Trouble was, I had 30 acres to seed and needed the seeder before the parts would come in.

I cleaned the bearings up and decided to regrease with Mobil One grease just because I had it and I was desperate. Anyway, I was shocked that the growling disappeared and the bearings began to roll again. That should not had happened and I'm convinced the synthetic grease had everything to do with it.

So now I use synthetic oil in everything I can and while I don't use Mobil One grease on a regular basis I do use it for special projects where I need the grease to do Herculean work.

Just my two cents here on what worked for me.

okay my two cents... yes synthetic is better and you get what you pay for. More frequent oil changes with 'real' oil will, for the most part, accomplish the same thing but it breaks down faster and can't protect as well. The fact that you cleaned the bearings was probably the biggest reason you were whistling. I too am a big fan of synthetic but it is pretty much a break even if you change as prescribed. But when you don't... the synthetic wins. IMO. That said, I think higher performance engines benefit more from synthetics.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

okay my two cents... yes synthetic is better and you get what you pay for. More frequent oil changes with 'real' oil will, for the most part, accomplish the same thing but it breaks down faster and can't protect as well. The fact that you cleaned the bearings was probably the biggest reason you were whistling. I too am a big fan of synthetic but it is pretty much a break even if you change as prescribed. But when you don't... the synthetic wins. IMO. That said, I think higher performance engines benefit more from synthetics.

I mostly agree with this. My added words are that: Most high grade regular oil will perform just as well for the 98% of us AVERAGE TO BELOW AVERAGE users that don't do EXTREME USAGE with our machines whether they be cars, trucks or tractors and change the lubricants on the recommended schedule. I think the average high quality lubricants will ensure, in regards to lubrication, that my machine will out live me, again with regular scheduled changes.
Growing up some people inserted Motor Honey in their auto engines and then told the incredible stories of how their new car lasted as long without extra service as those of us that didn't use Motor Honey (well, yes, I did use some a couple of times with no measureable difference in performance or length of time till I had to add more oil to my oil burning 1935 Dodge). The non users laughed at the users and the users swore by their usage and continued the stories on until it became family tradition to use addatives in their oil.
I used to change my auto oil at 3000 miles. After years and years of sticking to this schedule I have finally creeped up to 4500 to 5000 miles but start sweating after 3000 miles. Owners manual now says 7500 but i'll probably die before I can creep up to that many miles between changes. So, synthetic or regular high quality oil, I'm changing at 5000 miles so synthetic or high quality, I believe will make no difference in my auto lubrication for my life or the life of the auto in my hands. I trade autos/trucks more often than tractors.

 

[Nightforce]

I always run gear oil in my front axle on my Kubotas. My dealer strongly recommended it 5 or 6 years ago, when I bought my first unit. I do prefer the synthetic or semi-synthetic 75w-90 as it flows a bit nicer in the dead of winter. While not proven by any science I know of, it is generally thought that the gear lube stays inside the seals a bit better as well.

SUTD-2 pours just about like water. LOVE it in the trans. Not so sure in the front axle. Just me.

That's interesting and great to hear!

I have 6 quarts of Red Line 75w 90 synthetic gear oil in my garage and now I have a use for it! :thumbsup:

 

[sixdogs]

I was in a Deere dealer today and happened to see a quart of JD synthetic gear oil. Just for chuckles I asked how much a 5 gallon pail would cost. He took a while and we each guessed while he looked it up. He said $200 and I said no way...maybe $170 max. Guess what? A five gallon pail of synthetic gear oil was $300. Ouch.

 

[bp fick]

I was in a Deere dealer today and happened to see a quart of JD synthetic gear oil. Just for chuckles I asked how much a 5 gallon pail would cost. He took a while and we each guessed while he looked it up. He said $200 and I said no way...maybe $170 max. Guess what? A five gallon pail of synthetic gear oil was $300. Ouch.

Well, the Green label and paint often fetches a pretty penny, eh?

Here's the deal, at least it was for me. At my local WalMart and at my local generic, rural life, farm store, one can find quarts (not buckets) of gear lube. The price of the regular and synthetic was/is just about the same, in house brand. $6 versus $7. During sales promotions, even a buck less per quart. This showed me two things.



1. House brands (typically packed by Warren Oil or other reputable supplier) are minus the branding factor and are very reasonable and meet great specs, just like the big, bad brand name products.
2. Given how little either them costs? Gear lube was going in my front axle. I'm sure Olive Oil would provide a lot of lubrication, but for me, based on my dealers proven results, gear lube in my Kubota front axle. It's an axle. For sure.

 

[bp fick]

Let me also remind myself of another thing.

i change the front axle, what? Once every three years, perhaps? So, this is a $30 fluid change, with the synthetic gear lube. This isn't complicated for me and not as important as the cure for cancer or world peace.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The car dealer I purchased my Ford Flex from in London, Ky changes my oil and filter for $19.99 as part of their sales pitch. They use Mastercraft? or something like that. I asked if it was synthetic or just regular oil. Service manager said it is a synthetic blend. What does a synthetic blend mean? Is that twice as good as regular blend and half as good as full synthetic? I guess 3 drops of synthetic in a quart of regular could be a synthetic blend, right? He could tell me it's all, no drops of synthetic, and I'd be happy and satisfied but just curious as to the experts opinion on synthetic blend. Sure there are many experts here.

 

[Nightforce]

Let me also remind myself of another thing.

i change the front axle, what? Once every three years, perhaps? So, this is a $30 fluid change, with the synthetic gear lube. This isn't complicated for me and not as important as the cure for cancer or world peace.

The front axle fluid change is easy and straight forward.

Each side has a drain plug and must be drained separately.

1. Remove the dipstick
2. Remove both drain plugs allowing fluid to drain into an appropriate pan
3. Replace drain plugs
4. Fill using synthetic gear lubrication (3 quarts)



Note: The dipstick is plastic and uses an o-ring to seal. The problem with this design is it allows moisture to seep in above the o-ring which rusts the cast iron making the dipstick difficult to remove. I used a 400 grit sand paper to remove this corrosion then applied some grease to the filler hole and above the o-rind in the dipstick to prevent or minimize further corrosion.

 

[sixdogs]

The front axle fluid change is easy and straight forward.

Each side has a drain plug and must be drained separately.

1. Remove the dipstick
2. Remove both drain plugs allowing fluid to drain into an appropriate pan
3. Replace drain plugs
4. Fill using synthetic gear lubrication (3 quarts)

Note: The dipstick is plastic and uses an o-ring to seal. The problem with this design is it allows moisture to seep in above the o-ring which rusts the cast iron making the dipstick difficult to remove. I used a 400 grit sand paper to remove this corrosion then applied some grease to the filler hole and above the o-rind in the dipstick to prevent or minimize further corrosion.

Great advice. Also add step 5 that is to check and top off the oil after an hour or so because it tends to settle down and more is usually needed.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Great advice. Also add step 5 that is to check and top off the oil after an hour or so because it tends to settle down and more is usually needed.

I'd also add to do it again after one to two weeks of use (10 to 20 hours) because there seems to be some pockets that try to resist filling and give Kubota dealers a bad name for not filling the front drive system.

 

[sixdogs]

I'd also add to do it again after one to two weeks of use (10 to 20 hours) because there seems to be some pockets that try to resist filling and give Kubota dealers a bad name for not filling the front drive system.

I don't understand how this can happen but they all need to be topped off whether new tractors or after an front axle oil change. There out to be a sticker on the owner's manual.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The car dealer I purchased my Ford Flex from in London, Ky changes my oil and filter for $19.99 as part of their sales pitch. They use Mastercraft? or something like that. I asked if it was synthetic or just regular oil. Service manager said it is a synthetic blend. What does a synthetic blend mean? Is that twice as good as regular blend and half as good as full synthetic? I guess 3 drops of synthetic in a quart of regular could be a synthetic blend, right? He could tell me it's all, no drops of synthetic, and I'd be happy and satisfied but just curious as to the experts opinion on synthetic blend. Sure there are many experts here.
View attachment 388343

Where are you oil experts?:confused3: Why no input on the synthetic "BLEND" question?

 

[number two]

JT-while not an oil expert,I'll take a stab at your inquiry.
These days,the lowest price/quality motor oil in many product lines is labeled as a synthetic blend instead of conventional oil.
The last oil class I was at mentioned that the base stock didn't matter much anymore because the chemists were constantly messing around with the contents.Oil composition could vary in as little as a month or two.
There is a lot of difference between in parafin content between crude oils from different regions.Higher in northern PA,less in KY or TX.
The sludge once found in neglected "Penzoil" engines was a result of the higher parafin content.
Anymore,this is all blended out with chemistry:hence the label "synthetic blend".
Hopefully the true oil experts will set the record perfect.
Good Luck!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

JT-while not an oil expert,I'll take a stab at your inquiry.
These days,the lowest price/quality motor oil in many product lines is labeled as a synthetic blend instead of conventional oil.

So, your saying the "Synthetic Blended" is not as good/ worse/ cheaper than the plain ole 5w/15w 30 can of oil of most brands? :shocked: Conventional oil is better than synthetic blend!!!!