Lifespan of kubota tractor

[Mikefromcny]

BX is same as my GR2120. Actually all tractor engines fall into one of the 3 life classifications and it’s not related completely to power or displacement. I downloaded all of the certified engines as an excel spreadsheet. I did not know which engine is used by different manufacturers. For example Mahindra is not on the list but aren’t their tractors sold in the USA built in Korea using a Korean engine like Doosan who is on the list? Also the lifetime in hours is certified hours so I expect those numbers to be minimum. Also hour meters reading hours at xxxx rpm went out ages ago but electronic hour meters are cheap and unreliable. At Cat we sell hour meters with an adhesive tag on which to write the hours at meter replacement and stick that to the console by the meter. When I retired the hour meter was on the top of my hit list for failures hurting our reliability numbers. A failure is a failure whether $2 hour meter or broken crank (only saw one of those). Our line assemblers received incentive pay partially based on reliability so they, rightly, were on my *** to get other corporate groups to work on their faulty designs so they would get more quality incentive pay.

I work on a lot of cat machines. Not sure how long you've been gone..I think switching to Kubota's in skid steers and smaller excavators was a good move. I've never been super impressed with the cat/Perkins/Mitsubishi engines.

Did you ever see any of the oil starved engine failures in the early - mid 2000's cat skid steers?

I worked on a 420f2? Backhoe the other day. Engine emissions tag said it was exempt from China emissions standards if it was exported... We can only guess where that engine was manufactured.

 

[BX23S-1]

Interesting point diesel85. I believe the hour meters on equipment usually record the hours at rated rpm, so low rpm operation will result in less hours than actual operating hours. Hour meters are intended to record level of use on internal wear components like pistons on cylinders, shafts on bearings, etc. Other components on a vehicle may get a different use history.

Hour meters....hmmmmmmmmmm.... let me take this a little further.... (if your buying a used tractor)
Hour Meters only record how long the tractor was running.... hour meters tell you nothing about how the tractor was used or what it has done.
And if you have no records of any services done, the hour meter is only a sign of how long the engine has been running. Now we have to rely on what our eyes tell us about a tractor.

 

[diesel85]

Hour meters....hmmmmmmmmmm.... let me take this a little further.... (if your buying a used tractor)
Hour Meters only record how long the tractor was running.... hour meters tell you nothing about how the tractor was used or what it has done.
And if you have no records of any services done, the hour meter is only a sign of how long the engine has been running. Now we have to rely on what our eyes tell us about a tractor.

True... very true!

Before we bought our 2002 BX2200, we were looking at a "lightly" used 2002 Cub Cadet 7205 with ~50 hours on it for wicked cheap. Mind you, this was back in 2002. They were still brand new tractors.

In any event, go to find out, the reason why the dealer was selling that Cub Cadet 7205 for so cheap, was because someone filled it up with the wrong hydraulic fluid and the transmission needed to be overhauled. The dealer could've lied to me, but they didn't. So yes, those hours don't mean a hilt sometimes.

We didn't want to be buying something that was a dealer's backyard repair project... even though it still came with a full factory warranty.

 

[MHarryE]

I work on a lot of cat machines. Not sure how long you've been gone..I think switching to Kubota's in skid steers and smaller excavators was a good move. I've never been super impressed with the cat/Perkins/Mitsubishi engines.

Did you ever see any of the oil starved engine failures in the early - mid 2000's cat skid steers?

I worked on a 420f2? Backhoe the other day. Engine emissions tag said it was exempt from China emissions standards if it was exported... We can only guess where that engine was manufactured.

My line from 2002 to 2007 was vibratory compactors with the C4.4 at 135 HP being the smallest, larger than the largest skid steer. Engine Division was never likely to tell one product group what problems another was having but at the time I did have access to all of their computer data. My engines never had a lube problem except for the idler gear in the front gear train. We pulled more power from the front hydraulic pump to use for steering, charge the 3 hydros, and operate the blade, than anybody else used from the auxiliary drive. It’s been so long - I cant remember if the small engines were built on license from Shubaru or Iseki. In any case the one in my mini-excavator has blow by that keeps all the mosquitoes away and those engines frequently failed in the first few hundred hours due to lube problems. If they got past that they usually are good but I think Cat had to stockpile lots for replacement. Due to emissions requirements, they can’t just put through an order for engines to use for servicing older machines. Nightmare scenario.

 

[BX23S-1]

True... very true!

Before we bought our 2002 BX2200, we were looking at a "lightly" used 2002 Cub Cadet 7205 with ~50 hours on it for wicked cheap. Mind you, this was back in 2002. They were still brand new tractors.

In any event, go to find out, the reason why the dealer was selling that Cub Cadet 7205 for so cheap, was because someone filled it up with the wrong hydraulic fluid and the transmission needed to be overhauled. The dealer could've lied to me, but they didn't. So yes, those hours don't mean a hilt sometimes.

We didn't want to be buying something that was a dealer's backyard repair project... even though it still came with a full factory warranty.

Exactly! That was my primary point... it surprises me with how many people actually rely on those hour meters.
I look at the general condition of a piece of equipment... your eye`s will tell you alot more than an hr meter ever will.

 

[rScotty]

We've got about 1000 hours on the Kubota M59 and it looks good for several times that. Doesn't run any different than new although it is beginning to look weathered. Only a few minor maintenance items. I think it is important to cover the operator's area with a tarp if it sits outside. It does have lots of electrics that should last longer if kept dry.

Our big JD 310 backhoe has around 6000 hours and has only needed a few driveline repairs and a new front wheel after hitting a stump at speed. But controls and some big bushings are getting loose and I expect that by 8000 hours it will need hydraulic controls plus new pins and bushings in the loader and hoe. Oh...and the switches and electrics on the dash all work good, but the writing on the faces where you push them has all worn off. The engine and transmission seem good as new. Starts easy even on the coldest days.

The old JD 530 farm tractor is on its second hour meter with somewhere between 12 and 20K total hours since 1958. I Still have the old hour meter because I thought I could fix it. Only thing wrong was the drooping needle was stopping the works.... When I took it apart the bushings that hold the needle were worn clear oval down into their mountings, and the whole innards looked more like the inside of an old pocket watch than I expected with tiny gears and things....so I realized I was in over my head mechanically and bought a new one ($120). Later I took the engine apart and measured all the clearances - that was about 20 years ago - and everything was still within tolerances so I did a valve job, new gaskets and rings, and bolted it back together again. Now both the brakes and clutch need attention for at least the third time. All in all, it's been worth the effort to fix it. Easy to work on and parts are cheap. Still pulls like a mule and starts easy.

My experience is that tractors just don't wear much. It's usually something else other than hours that finally gets them. There are a lot of good old ones that just sit unused because the owners wanted something newer or didn't want to hassle with replacing rubber parts and maintenance items. You see them all the time parked by the fence line or behind the barn throughout rural America. The next scrap drive will get them.....
rScotty

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

I have a Kubota mx5100 which is close to four years old now. I bought it new and have followed the maintenance schedule faithfully. It has 650 hours on it. I use it for plowing snow, winching and hauling firewood, bushoging and assorted light work.Wondering what the ballpark lifespan in hours is for this machine.
I have had a Ford 9n for many years and also a Ford 641 Workmaster which I still have. Never had any issues with these and worked them hard. This is the first new tractor I ever owned and the first diesel. And the first one with an hour meter that worked.
So can someone tell me what lifespan to expect. I am 68 and expect it to do me out as they say but would still like to know.
Thanks,
Hoodie

I heard about 10000 hours but kubota has a rust problem which they won't fix. If your tractor is subjected to salted roads, sitting in wet field etc I would say it will be pretty rotten in 15 years. I I bought my kubota new in 2010 and have 3000 hours on it. Machanicly it has been great with only one servo value and a front axle seal going bad. But my fenders has holes, the floor is rusted and all the paint is faded or pealed off. Undercoating is a must if you want to save your machine.

 

[Diggin It]

Before we bought our 2002 BX2200, we were looking at a "lightly" used 2002 Cub Cadet 7205 with ~50 hours on it for wicked cheap. Mind you, this was back in 2002. They were still brand new tractors.

In any event, go to find out, the reason why the dealer was selling that Cub Cadet 7205 for so cheap, was because someone filled it up with the wrong hydraulic fluid and the transmission needed to be overhauled. The dealer could've lied to me, but they didn't. So yes, those hours don't mean a hilt sometimes.

We didn't want to be buying something that was a dealer's backyard repair project... even though it still came with a full factory warranty.

The dealer should have replaced, repaired or overhauled the transmission before putting it up for sale so they could sell a functional machine at a responsible price.

 

[jeff9366]

I heard about 10000 hours but kubota has a rust problem which they won't fix. If your tractor is subjected to salted roads, sitting in wet field etc I would say it will be pretty rotten in 15 years. I I bought my kubota new in 2010 and have 3000 hours on it. Machanicly it has been great with only one servo value and a front axle seal going bad. But my fenders has holes, the floor is rusted and all the paint is faded or pealed off. Undercoating is a must if you want to save your machine.

Tractor owners operating in severe conditions pay for inside storage whether they have inside storage or not.

Kindly tell us the tractor brands subjected to salted roads compounded by wet field storage for eight years you believe would not rust.

Undercoating applied and renewed according to your conditions is your responsibility, not the factory's.

 

[aczlan]

I heard about 10000 hours but kubota has a rust problem which they won't fix. If your tractor is subjected to salted roads, sitting in wet field etc I would say it will be pretty rotten in 15 years. I I bought my kubota new in 2010 and have 3000 hours on it. Machanicly it has been great with only one servo value and a front axle seal going bad. But my fenders has holes, the floor is rusted and all the paint is faded or pealed off. Undercoating is a must if you want to save your machine.

That is weird, our Kubotas (a 2006/2007ish L3830, a 2000ish B7500 and a 2009ish BX2660 have had no such issues. They are used to plow the driveways and they live outside most of the year.

Aaron Z