Hydraulic change at 50 hrs. unnecessary?

[kubota_man]

Ahhh, just think how much sudt kubota sales changing at 50 hrs. I'm going to change at 100 hrs and use udt from someone else. Atwood's sells a udt equivalent. To each his own and I won't be squawking here if i have a failure.

 

[TractorLegend]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Only the quick oil change ripoff artists recommend changing it at 30K mile intervals. If they could get away with it, they would recommend it every 3K miles like the engine oil change. )</font>

Wow---what a blanket statement---maybe some people here work at lube shops trying to earn a living. It would be a kinder, gentler nation not to stereotype.

Im ok if you never change it personally.
As far as vehicles go:
I make more money on auto tranny rebuilds than on tranny services, so it's in my best interest you never change the fluid, ever.
But I do in my vehicles every 30K.

 

[cowboydoc]

Is the 50 hour for just the 1st time or is that a regular maint? If it's the first time I would definitely change it. If it's every 50 hours then that seems awful ridiculous. On my 4600 it's every 400 hours. I can't imagine why Kubota would have it every 50 hours??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[SkyPup]

It is fifty hours for the first time and 400 hrs for the second time.

 

[cowboydoc]

That makes sense Sky Pup. In my opinion a person would be foolish not to make that 50 hour change at break-in hours, especially if it's a hydro. One little piece of metal and that little bit of money for oil seems awful cheap compared to a rebuild.

 

[Soundguy]

Ditto!

Soundguy

 

[NewToy]

The manual for my Farmtrac say's to change the Hyd/Tranny FILTER @ 50 hours then at 400 hours change the filter AND fluid. I went ahead and changed both at the 50 hour mark and was glad I did. There was a good deal of particulate matter stuck on the magnetic drain plugs.
I would attribute a large part of the contaminants to normal break-in wear and not ineptitude at the factory. At least that is what makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

 

[Soundguy]

Any time I see a 'change the filter only' part.. i usually like to change the oil too..

Soundguy

 

[Paddy]

When I get to 50 hr I will drain the Gear oil and the Hydraulic fuild. I will set it clean buckets to setle the particals. I will flush with diesel. Then after two days waiting I'll use the "new" fluid I drained. (Remember it has only 50hr!) I won't use the stuff at the bottom.

Now if it looks bad, that's another story

 

[thcri]

My dealer told me the same thing. Just change the filter and that is all they did. I wished they would have changed it when I took it in for the first 50 hour check. However today I changed the hydraulic fluid and it looked pretty darn clean. So it is changed today with new and I don't think I could tell the difference between the old and the new. But if I had to do it all over again I would say change it just because the manufacture says to change it.

murph

 

[BobCorazza]

Before you rely on the stock filters to catch everything you may want to consider the filter specs... I was only able to confirm (1) filter at 60 microns and nominal (50%) at that!
The new lingo for that spec is B60=2.
I couldn't find the spec of the transmission filter on my Kubota L3410. I have gone through several add-on filter systems on my machine, but have settled on a Donaldson return line filter that is B3=1000, which means it catches 99.9% of all particles 3 microns and larger.

Definetly change the fluid and filters at 50h.

 

[rberg]

I'd change out the fluids and filters at 50 hours, especially if you've got an HST or any electrohyraulics. The guys that make the big machines estimate that +75% of hydraulic failures are due to contamination. These guys have put a lot of effort into getting clean machines off of the assembly line. Theyare using a lot of electrohydraulics and HST's to increase the productivity and efficiency of the machine, and these generally require a cleaner hydraulic system. It's been a real culture change for them and their suppliers. You need clean parts, clean assembly procedures, and clean oil for a clean machine. New systems are usually pretty dirty unless a manufacturer has really worked with his suppliers and assembly people.

Oil tanks are part of contamination control. Stuff that's too big to move readily through the pumps and filters will settle in the bottom. The best way to remove it is to drain the system.

Bob is correct about filter ratings. The Beta ratio is the ratio of particles of a certain size or larger at the inlet of a filter to the number that make it through the filter. The B60=2 means that for 60 micron and larger particles 1 out of every 2 at the inlet of the filter will make it through (50% efficiency). The B3=1000 means that 1 out of every 1000 3 micron and larger particles at the filter inlet will make it through. Anybody seen any filter suppliers for CUT filters provide this info?

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Is the 50 hour for just the 1st time or is that a regular maint? )</font>
<font color="red"> It's a one time thing. </font>

 

[Boomerang1]

Then, after all of this worrying about changing the fluid, we start up our tractors and all of the "contaminated" fluid left in the cylinders works its way through the system and we end up where we started. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Then, after all of this worrying about changing the fluid, we start up our tractors and all of the "contaminated" fluid left in the cylinders works its way through the system and we end up where we started. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif )</font>

============
Yeah but; don't changing the fluid dilute the contamination?

 

[Soundguy]

The soloution to pollution is dilution. 16oz of 'old' oil in 5 gal of 'new' oil is way better on the system than just 5 g of oil oil.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[wvhillbilly]

My dealer told me it wasn't necessary to change UDT in my L3400 gear at 50 hrs. He said 100 hr change would be sufficient. I asked him about warranty and he replied there would be absolutely no problem with warranty issues. Looking in my site level glass, the UDT looks as clear as the day i brought the tractor home. I currently have 92 hours on and plan on changing it at the 100 hour mark. Doubt if I use UDT. I will probably use Rotella tractor fluid.
Dave

 

[JeffRey30747]

From my own personal experience, the fluid will look a lot cleaner through that sight glass than it does after you drain it into a five gallon bucket. You know how something like tea will look clear when you spill it on the table and then you put it in a glass or a pitcher and can see the actual tint that the liquid has. And yes, it may be as clear as the day you brought it home, but I think that most of the moisture was already in my fluid by the time it left the dealer's lot.
Jeff