k0ua
Epic Contributor
I pick up my tractor on Wednesday and I guess I will get to know it. It is a 2005 model, with 103.6 hours and never been serviced. It looks brand new. So my first thing is a complete service including draining everything and changing out the original battery that requires jumping every time you start it. Do you change out the hydrostatic oil like engine oil or just change the filter? Guess I could look this all up in the operator manual when I get it and just rely on you guys for the hard stuff!
Check you manual, but hydro oil is often on a 400 hour schedule. But a few call for a 100 hour first service,. Of course it would not hurt anything except your pocketbook. The thinking is getting out the cuttings from the factory out of the oil and filters, then most go to a 400 hour schedule. keep in mind even a small CUT will have at least 8 or 9 gallons, I believe mine is 11 gallons. So we are talking some serious money here. While the suction filter Which is common to both gear and hydro tractors is usually not all that expensive, the high pressure hydro secondary filter is often close to $100. So all of this together is quite a hit. let alone if you let someone else do it to add to the labor cost. full service on a tractor is NOT cheap. Think about that. when someone wants you to come do something on your tractor for them, and offers you 5 bucks for "gas". Tractors like all heavy machinery are very expensive to operate. If you don't believe it, take yours to a dealer and ask for a full service, all fluids and all filters including labor... Not pretty.