Used Kubota buying advice

[Seamonster124]

HI everyone, I'm considering a 10-year-old bx25 with 275 hours on it. Questions is how important is the 50-hour service? Rather, how bad is it that this tractor has not received it? Would you pass on it based on that info alone?

 

[DK35vince]

How about engine oil change and greasing, has that been done?

 

[Seamonster124]

How about engine oil change and greasing, has that been done?

Once, recently

 

[oosik]

At the recommendations in my owners manual - at 50 hours I changed EVERY fluid except the diesel fuel. Front axle housing, engine, hydraulic plus the two hydraulic filters, engine oil filter and two air filters. I do grease all 36 zerks on the tractor, rear blade and grapple, at least, every ten hours.

I guess if you are very concerned and the current owner agrees - you could send in samples of the engine & hydraulic oils for analysis.

Otherwise - take a leap of faith - buy the tractor and change the hydraulic fluid/filter(s), engine oil/filter, fuel filter, air filter(s) and grease it.

My initial concern is not the hours on the tractor so much as the ten years with the same hydraulic oil.

By the way - where are you and this tractor located - location will have a bearing on this situation.

And if you are saying that the ten year old tractor has only been greased once recently in ten years - that would concern me also.

 

[Seamonster124]

At the recommendations in my owners manual - at 50 hours I changed EVERY fluid except the diesel fuel. Front axle housing, engine, hydraulic plus the two hydraulic filters, engine oil filter and two air filters. I do grease all 36 zerks on the tractor, rear blade and grapple, at least, every ten hours.

I guess if you are very concerned and the current owner agrees - you could send in samples of the engine & hydraulic oils for analysis.

Otherwise - take a leap of faith - buy the tractor and change the hydraulic fluid/filter(s), engine oil/filter, fuel filter, air filter(s) and grease it.

My initial concern is not the hours on the tractor so much as the ten years with the same hydraulic oil.

By the way - where are you and this tractor located - location will have a bearing on this situation.

And if you are saying that the ten year old tractor has only been greased once recently in ten years - that would concern me also.

Thank you. I'm in the puget sound area which is super damp and muddy.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

HI everyone, I'm considering a 10-year-old bx25 with 275 hours on it. Questions is how important is the 50-hour service? Rather, how bad is it that this tractor has not received it? Would you pass on it based on that info alone?

When we bought our Virginia property in 2012 it came with a 1996 Kubota L something or other, that had 109 hours on it. It came with a bush hog, back blade, and a woods fel. Most importantly, it had always been kept in the shop as well. We changed the oil, radiator fluid, checked everything else and gave her a good greasing. Tractor ran fantastic for two years and another 100 hours. I then traded it in on my L3301 and got 10 grand for it.

 

[mikester]

HI everyone, I'm considering a 10-year-old bx25 with 275 hours on it. Questions is how important is the 50-hour service? Rather, how bad is it that this tractor has not received it? Would you pass on it based on that info alone?

If the guy can't be bothered to do a basic service then it indicates he likely never maintained or cared for his machine. If it's been sitting outside the whole 10 years then you are going to find even more issues including hidden internal corrosion, moisture problems, never greased pins and parts, dried out seals and rubber parts, critters etc...

Pig-in-a-poke.

If you are handy and he accepts low ball then you may get lucky. I'd consider it like a rental machine and probably walk away unless I was going to flip it for a quick profit.

 

[HEC]

I would rather look for another tractor . This tractor could easily end up costing you more than a well taken care of one .

 

[rgr33]

The situation is not good, but if the price is low enough, and you feel like taking the risk, you might end up with a good tractor. Kubotas are good tractors, and can take a bit of abuse from poorly motivated operators.

 

[/pine]

If this was a tractor with a gear drive and after a test drive I would not hesitate if the price was right...being a HST though you never know...!

 

[Trillium Farm]

HI everyone, I'm considering a 10-year-old bx25 with 275 hours on it. Questions is how important is the 50-hour service? Rather, how bad is it that this tractor has not received it? Would you pass on it based on that info alone?

If you can get it for $100 go for it if not move on. This description spells neglect all over and it would end up costing you well over what the machine is worth.

 

[vvanders]

At least on the bigger Kubotas the 50hr service is *the* critical one. It's the one where any leftover particulates from break-in are removed. The fact that he couldn't do that on a smaller machine sends up all sorts of red flags.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

he 50 hr on my 8 yr old BX turned out to be vital. Found metal particles and mold sand in both the oil and HST filters. HST suction strainer also had stuff in it. Did not do the fuel filter at that time. Before 100 hrs the fuel filter plugged up with some kind of black gunk and particles of the ABS tank. It took 3 changes to get it all clean. Now 1500+ hrs and no more fuel filter plugging.

he closer you are to salt water the more corrosion builds up inside and outside. I pressure wash before every lube and maintenance period to help keep corrosion sown. Mud is bad because it tends to work into the implement bearing points. At 500 hours I had to replace all the QC on the FEL as they were rusted shut. I had taken the FEL for the first time and found that. Lesson learned: exercise those QCs often and keep them oiled.

Price would be the decider for me after a through inspection throughout including scoping the engine an HST looking for corrosion. Guarantee the crankcase and HST will have free water in them. My favorite mechanic works on a lot of old stuff. If i has been sitting awhile he has a lube pump he hooks up to the pressure gauge connection on oil pumps and force lubes before starting (after changing oil and filter). I am a decent wrench turner so tend to tackle stuff others should not or will not tackle. See if the seller will let you loosen the drain plugs checking for free water. $5K or less could entice me, depending on inspection. Find enough wrong and you maybe able to negotiate. He will probably find a sucker though. My take; let the sucker suck.

Ron

 

[HillStreet]

If your only option is a low ball tractor then check it out very good: any transmission noise, engine knock, smoke. Does it scoop dirt, raise and lower ok, travel ok. If it does I would buy it. Then clean it up with all new fluids and filters, grease it, and put it throug,h some tests. If you are still worried, go to Kubota and trade it up for something else.

 

[Jchonline]

I would pass. The 50 hour is to get all of the casting shavings out of the engine. I agree with Pine. HST is far more important to get this right. If someone can't bother to do this, they probably never greased it or did any other maintenance.

 

[dodge man]

First off the OP is saying just the 50 hour service was skipped. He doesn’t say otherwise if it was neglected. If at the very least the oil was changed 4 or 5 times I’d check it out carefully and buy it. It is pretty low hours. On my BX which is about the same vintage, I had some large metal shavings on the HST screen but nothing that didn’t get caught. If I had skippped it I don’t think it would have been fatal to the tractor.

 

[ChuckT]

As an aside, I'm considering a BX and not meaning to hijack this thread, I'm amazed to see posters describing metal shavings in the filters at first service. Is this really that common?

 

[hawkeye08]

If the tractor hasn't been abused otherwise, likely it would be fine.

 

[BleedingOrange]

All depends on the physical condition of the rest of the tractor, and asking price ?
By any chance, can you post a pic or two of the tractor ?

 

[dodge man]

Yes metal shavings on the HST screen are common.