Why would an L3901 feel weaker than a 2003 L3301?

[5030]

People swear by the Kubota branded SUDT. It's what I use also in my HST. I don't drink the Kool aid enough to swear by it....but I would NEVER put a straight AW hydraulic oil in a modern tractor transmission, and especially never in a HST

Neither would I. Kubota HST's are very sensitive to fluids. I think you are asking for trouble deviating from the OEM juice.

Neither of mine are hydrostats, both are geared with hydraulic shuttles bit I still use a Kubota compatible fluid in viscosity and quality. In my case I use Chevron All weather THC synthetic and it actually costs a tad more than SUDT. I like to clod start flowability of the Chevron plus it comes tinted (orange) so you can see it easily, unlike clear SUDT. Lots of cheap fluids out there, key word is cheap and in most cases, cheap is not compatible.

 

[DK35vince]

Could be wrong but I don't think AW 68 is a tractor/transmission fluid (it's not meant for systems with wets brakes)

 

[tractortroof]

That’s good to know, I think I’m going to get some SUDT

 

[5030]

Like I said, Chevron AWS is, so is Rotella Hydraulic oil, so long as it meets or exceeds the Kubota spec and is the correct viscosity, all is good

 

[eyi]

Have the 3800, the only thing I hate is the transmission noise

 

[Reddogs]

Well it makes me question just what two tractors you are comparing.

The 3301 and 3901 are only 4hp apart. They have the same engine and transmission. And both came out in 2014. So what tractor you have from 2003 I have no idea

Also worth noting that if you replaced all the hydro fluid with a generic AW68....that is FAR FROM the correct fluid.

People swear by the Kubota branded SUDT. It's what I use also in my HST. I don't drink the Kool aid enough to swear by it....but I would NEVER put a straight AW hydraulic oil in a modern tractor transmission, and especially never in a HST

Very true, the new tractors seem to need the Kubota branded products more so than before, I think its by design but no one can prove it.

 

[LD1]

That’s good to know, I think I’m going to get some SUDT

So did you get the fluid changed? Any improvement?

 

[nybirdman]

Definitely use the Kubota branded fluids and add the John Deere hydraulic dye(so you can see it).