Not so sure this is normal?

[jewing3227]

Hello fellas, Just changed the filter/fluids on my L3200 and after pulling the tranny filter off I was shocked by the amount of shavings I found in the filter. I will post a few pictures and hopefully I can get an idea if this is normal or not. The tractor is a L3200 HST 4x4 model. It has 45 hours as we speek. I have been nothing but gentle with it in my opion compared to how I have seen several ran. I have also emailed the pictures to the dealer to get their take aswell. I understand there is gonna be some wear as it is the break in period per say but this much...

 

[DK35vince]

That is not normal.

 

[Thomas]

I consider that not normal and be letting the dealer know..just in case.
Cost dollars..about 20 hours or so I's pull the filter again.

 

[tuerdon]

Yikes that looks bad. I didn't have any thing like that on my filer at 50 hours. How does your intake screen look?

 

[creekbend]

Rest assured that I am in no way a professional mechanic, but those pictures, most definitely, indicate an excessive amount of wear particles. I have never seen this before in regards to my "backyard mechanic" maintenance during my lifetime. It would be in your best interest to relate this issue to your dealer.

 

[Chilly807]

Maybe a tad more than most, but not alarming to me. What you're seeing is residue from the machining processes for the transmission case. The curly chips are from drilling processes. Here's the thing, the hydraulic filter is on the suction side of the pump, so any material like this gets caught before it goes into the pump and back to the transmission or other hydraulic components. I agree with changing the filter again in about 10-20 more hours and see what it looks like. Odds are you'll see a few more pieces of curly metal that didn't get to the filter this time, some fine steel particles, and that's it.

Mine was marginally better than yours, the second change had almost no large pieces.

Kubota seems to have trouble thoroughly cleaning out the cases before assembly, but almost zero failure rate with transmissions of any kind.

Show it to the dealer and ask if he considers it normal, maybe ask him for a letter acknowledging you are concerned about this, and get some more hours on 'er.

If they had done the change, you'd never have known how much material there was.

Sean

 

[Bluegill2]

I have seen a couple other photos like that here. It's not wear particles, it's left over from the manufacturing process. I'd say it's not normal, but it's not really a problem either. At lest the filter w/magnetic ring did it's job.

 

[300UGUY]

I have seen a couple other photos like that here. It's not wear particles, it's left over from the manufacturing process. I'd say it's not normal, but it's not really a problem either. At lest the filter w/magnetic ring did it's job.

Yup, those are chips from the machining. I'd run it a bit, then change the filter.

 

[jewing3227]

Ahh that makes good sense.....chips left from the machining process. What don't make sense is how a multi million dollar company like kubota could not clean parts better before they are assembled. Far as the intake screen goes, I'm not sure as to where that is located so I didn't check it. When I pulled the plugs to drain all the fluid, I ran the fluid through a strainer just for my own and I didn't see anything out of the norm. I am waiting to get a response from the dealership and see what they have to say about it. I will let you guys know what there opion is when I get it. Later on

 

[ibnxe]

If I found that debris in my tractor, I'd be pissed. Yes the filter caught what you see but remember it only filtered out what is going through the pressurized portions of the system. There are bearings and gears that are running in that debris contaminated oil without the benefit of being filtered.

 

[Deano]

Ahh that makes good sense.....chips left from the machining process. What don't make sense is how a multi million dollar company like kubota could not clean parts better before they are assembled. Far as the intake screen goes, I'm not sure as to where that is located so I didn't check it. When I pulled the plugs to drain all the fluid, I ran the fluid through a strainer just for my own and I didn't see anything out of the norm. I am waiting to get a response from the dealership and see what they have to say about it. I will let you guys know what there opion is when I get it. Later on

Would be a good idea to locate and check intake screen.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If that is now considered normal then things have certainly changed in the past ten years. And not for the better. Maybe I am to old but to me that is slob manufacturing. I would expect way more from Kubota.

 

[bellweather]

It's definitely from the manufacturing process. As others have said, it suggests less than Good Manufacturing Practices. I suggest you let your dealer and Kubota know about this.

 

[General Lee]

I just posted a pic of my filter about a week ago with similar amounts of metal, and everyone that replied said its normal. So what gives now?

 

[k0ua]

I had a few small particles and some metallic sludge on the magnet, but nothing like that on my Kubota L3400HST at the 50 hour, Those machining curly chips were just never cleaned out during the manufacturing process. I would just change the filter again soon, and I bet it will look a lot better.

James K0UA

 

[lilranch2001]

That was probably a Friday or Monday unit, even Asians have their bad days.

 

[jewing3227]

Ain't that the **** truth.......seems like everyone is trying to cut procedures to save that dollar. I'm not through complaining yet.

 

[ibnxe]

You might want to get the trans oil good and hot, then dump it and replace with new. This will help to flush more of the debris.
When I did my 50 hour service, I changed both the filter and oil. Most of the owners manuals don't recommend this anymore, but it just makes sense when you see trash like this left behind during manufacture.

 

[ibnxe]

You might want to get the trans oil good and hot, then dump it and replace with new. This will help to flush more of the debris.
When I did my 50 hour service, I changed both the filter and oil. Most of the owners manuals don't recommend this anymore, but it just makes sense when you see trash like this left behind during manufacture.

 

[Mace Canute]

If people think that's "normal" I'd hate to see what they think is "abnormal"! It just goes to show some people have been accepting sh*t for so long they expect it...

If that were mine, I'd at least go through the motions of raising h*ll with both the dealer and manufacturer...especially the manufacturer! Probably nothing will come of it but at least you would have had the satisfaction of knowing you tried.