No forward or reverse BX25

YotaBota · May 13, 2020

Out tilling this evening and BX25 seemed a little sluggish backing up a few times, but forward seemed to have been fine. Thought it might have been an issue with tractor being in low range so shifted into high range with no difference backing up. checked to see if there was dirt impeding the travel for the pedal, and all is clean. I have had that problem before. Then no forward or reverse. No sudden signs/sounds. Just nothing. Everything else seems to work fine on the tractor. After shut down, checked tranny fluid. Dipstick is dry. It was fine yesterday! Looks like maybe fluid loss around rear PTO shaft that was driving tiller. Added about 1/2 quart of Kubota trans fluid, no change. Oil is graphite/black looking. Pedal doesn't return to position, and if I put pedal up manually to proper position, it drifts down halfway, and feels kinda loosie goosie. Thought maybe to remove strainer and clean. Any other suggestions? Thanks,

gator · May 13, 2020

See below image. Follow the speed change rod #11 from pedals to #2 trunnion arm. On most BX's where rod attaches to arm is a ball and socket. Some wear and rod falls off trunnion or ball breaks off and rod falls off. Some are nut and bolt and nut and rod falls off. Hopefully that is what happened to yours and is a cheap fix.

Henro · May 13, 2020

Cannot really help, but if you are saying the HST oil is black this would be very disturbing to me.

In 18 years I have never seen HST oil looking other than about new when I changed it. Two kubota tractors.

Tractor Seabee · May 14, 2020

As a BX owner I agree with Henro, you have a problem in there. Is your cooling fan still intact? They are a common failure. $12 fan and $400 labor to change by dealer shop. Overheating can cause the black color. Take a sample and see if there is particles settling out. Do your brakes still work? The only non metallic parts to cause the are the brake discs. I have 1500+ hours on mine and drained fluid is same as new in appearance. You diffidently have a leak as I never have added fluid between changes. Change fluid and filter at same time. The linkage should be an easy fix. Add fluid till it is at the full mark and see what you have. I would drain fluid and replace several times to get rid of the black stuff.

If you are going to work on this yourself be sure to get the Work Shop Manual (WSM) before you start not after you get in trouble. It has saved my butt many times. Well worth the $100.

moship · May 14, 2020

YotaBota said:
I have had that problem before. Then no forward or reverse. No sudden signs/sounds. Just nothing. Everything else seems to work fine on the tractor.

After shut down, checked tranny fluid. Dipstick is dry. It was fine yesterday! Looks like maybe fluid loss around rear PTO shaft that was driving tiller. Added about 1/2 quart of Kubota trans fluid, no change. Oil is graphite/black looking. Pedal doesn't return to position, and if I put pedal up manually to proper position, it drifts down halfway, and feels kinda loosie goosie. Thought maybe to remove strainer and clean. Any other suggestions? Thanks,

1) So if you had the problem before what was the corrective action and why haven't you tried that first?

2) Checked trans fluid and nothing on dip stick. Added 1/2 quart. Was that enough to register on the full mark? 1/2 a quart doesn't sound like very much fluid if it wasn't even touching the dipstick before.

3) If the hydraulic fluid is graphite/black you have big problems and perhaps it's in your best interest to take it to dealer.

4) Draining the fluid and checking the screen is the minimum I'd do considering your graphite/black comment.

5) Even if the linkage fell off or other linkage issue, you'll still need to address the leak and black hydraulic fluid.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Coolerman · May 14, 2020

Relating to how much SuperUDT fluid it takes to get oil back up if it is barely touching the bottom of the dip stick? It takes 1 quart. I had a loader lift arm hose blow on me yesterday. By the time I got it back it the shop I was afraid it had pumped out half the fluid! Upon checking it it just barely registered on the dip stick. It took exactly one quart to bring back to normal.

valkyrie9901 · May 14, 2020

If your tiller is like mine, the PTO shaft is very short. I don't raise it until I stop it from rotating for fear of tearing up the clutches. It will rotate but with quite the angle when raised. I have a BX-25 also.

YotaBota · May 19, 2020

The problem that I had before, was that chunks of dirt got up up between frame and linkage and the HST wouldn't operate. That wasn't the case this time. All clean. Added about a half quart of fluid to bring level up to full, still no movement. The wet brake was changed several years ago, and new fluid at that time. I only put about 150 hours per year on the unit-if that much. Changing fluid and filter, and cleaning strainer today, I will post more when I get some news.

YotaBota · May 19, 2020

Cooling fan is intact-no blades broken. Does it work-IDK! I believe so. Why would it not? I have the shop manual. In the 10 years I've owned the tractor, I never added fluid for a top up. I've certainly checked it enough times, but it has never required any. As mentioned in another post, the wet brake was changed out a few years ago.