Working under the tractor

frogpond · Nov 27, 2023

I have just finished another oil, transmission fluid and filters change, and transmission fluid strainer cleaning on my Kubota BX25D. And I have previously done several one-off jobs like relocating that damned fuel filter.

I hate to admit that I'm getting old enough to dislike scooching under there while wrenching, but there it is.
What do you use to raise the tractor enough for comfort, while making sure it's stable enough to be safe? I have a creeper, but this tractor is too low to use it.

I have a floor jack and jack stands, but I imagine it should be level to drain the fluids, and I don't think 4 jack stands feels very stable. I looked at 2-post hydraulic lifts, but they are expensive, and require serious installation, and I'm not sure they even fit a tractor. Digging a pit is out of the question; it would quickly become a pond.

Would 4 ramps from HF or an auto parts store be the answer? I imagine that the total weight with loader and backhoe is about 3k pounds.

mrmikey · Nov 27, 2023

Mine, an Iseki 3160, is smaller than yours. I've only had it up high once and that was to fab and install the plow mounts on it. I ran the back up on my ramps and jacked up the front and used a couple of jack stands under it, worked great.

frogpond · Nov 27, 2023

Of course, great idea!

seville009 · Nov 27, 2023

I don’t have to jack up the tractor, but I do need to jack up my zero turn to change the oil. I jack it up and then set it down on several 6x6 (might be 8x8) blocks of wood that I keep handy. Very stable.

dodge man · Nov 27, 2023

I’ve done something like the pic above. You can also use the FEL to pick up the front end, put jackstands under the front axle and lower it carefully.

I have two creepers but rarely use them. I have a couple of pads that are about 4 feet long that I throw done and are much lower than a creeper.

CliffordK · Nov 27, 2023

There is a mini 2 post lift called MaxJax. In theory it is movable, and you could set one post in a different place for a car vs the tractor.

However, I would carefully consider the lifting points on the tractor before buying the lift as the tractor may not have ordinary frame rails.

Your ramp idea should work. The capacity should be greater than the tractor weight, even with accessories on it.

There are a couple if brands of detachable ramps that might be of a benefit.

frogpond · Nov 27, 2023

Sure, actually when I do need to jack up the tractor I use the loader and the backhoe stabilizers.
What do you mean by detachable ramps?

WranglerX · Nov 27, 2023

As in other posts, ramps, jacks and jack stands.....

JCoastie · Nov 27, 2023

frogpond said:
What do you mean by detachable ramps?

CliffordK · Nov 27, 2023

frogpond said:
Sure, actually when I do need to jack up the tractor I use the loader and the backhoe stabilizers.
What do you mean by detachable ramps?

Ironton 47112 Detachable Car Ramps - Set of Two 2500 lbs Capacity Ramps - Accommodates 5000 lbs Pair - Walmart.com

Buy Ironton 47112 Detachable Car Ramps - Set of Two 2500 lbs Capacity Ramps - Accommodates 5000 lbs Pair at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

Eastwood Detachable Car Ramp Set

Removable ramp section to free up space under the vehicle

www.eastwood.com

Once you drive up onto the ramp to the level part, then you can detach the slanted ramp portion giving you clear access to work around the tractor with hardly any more footprint than the actual tire.

It might make it easier to slide an oil pan in and out.

tacticalturnip · Nov 27, 2023

If you've got a heavy set, jack stands will work, maybe put them under the frame towards the front if you're worried about the pivot.

Thomas · Nov 27, 2023

I use heavy duty ramps.

JJT · Nov 27, 2023

My tractor is currently sitting on my 4 post lift getting its 400 hour service, (I'm almost at 1600 hours). I bought the lift 15 years ago, one of the best investments I've made.

Yander · Nov 27, 2023

Works like a charm!

deserteagle71 · Nov 27, 2023

Another vote for using 4 heavy-duty ramps. That's how I change the oil in my Kubota M7060HDC12. Gets it high enough that I can drain the oil into a 5 gallon bucket (tractor holds 3 gallons) using a big funnel.

I wish I had a lift - 4 post or 2 post even. But my shop is too low - no way I can get the tractor with cab inside, much less on a lift. Getting too old to roll around under my vehicles...I need help getting back up again! And since at my age I don't know how much longer I'll be able to do any of this I'm not going to build a new shop designed to handle a lift.

WranglerX · Nov 27, 2023

deserteagle71 said:
Another vote for using 4 heavy-duty ramps. That's how I change the oil in my Kubota M7060HDC12. Gets it high enough that I can drain the oil into a 5 gallon bucket (tractor holds 3 gallons) using a big funnel.

I wish I had a lift - 4 post or 2 post even. But my shop is too low - no way I can get the tractor with cab inside, much less on a lift. Getting too old to roll around under my vehicles...I need help getting back up again! And since at my age I don't know how much longer I'll be able to do any of this I'm not going to build a new shop designed to handle a lift.

Fellow up the road from me has a lift outside, it's on a cement slab and a pole barn roof and no sides.....

5030 · Nov 27, 2023

Not an issue with either of my 3 M9's. Plenty of ground clearance. In fact I can almost sit under the oil pan when on my butt. I did make a set of very heavy duty ramps out of .40 retention PT planks that I back them up on when switching out the 540-1000 pto shafts so I don't loose any of the high buck Chevron All Weather THC Synthetic transmission fluid I use. At 145 bucks a pail, stuff is like gold. The ramps elevate the back of the tractors just enough that the fluid don't run out when I pull one shaft and replace it with another and I should have specified the internal shift instead of the flip shafts. Would have been a lot easier. Use them for oil changes in the buggies as well. I used to have a nice set of steel ramps but those grew legs years ago when we had the house remodeled and no one knows where they got off to, especially me. The ones I made are so heavy no one would take them or at least I hope they don't take them. They weigh about 100 pounds each. and I added snowmobile carbide picks on the bottom side so they bite into the concrete a bit and don't slide around.

mrmikey · Nov 28, 2023

...I need help getting back up again!

I hear you, same here. Getting down is not the problem, gravity works as does a knee pad for the landing. If there's nothing to grab to get I end up rolling around like a beached whale to get to something.

.....and I added snowmobile carbide picks on the bottom side so they bite into the concrete a bit and don't slide around.

I didn't want to chew up my floor so I made a set of extensions out of 2- 4' lengths of 2 x 6 reinforced with a 2 x 4 on edge on the bottom. Couple of bolts that go thru into the holes in the metal ramps to hold them in place. Makes it a lot easier to drive up, I just put my truck (Ram 1500) in 4wd low and idle up.
I don't think I'd truck plastic ramps. Wasn't there a thing not too long ago where they'd disintegrate after a couple years?

John0829 · Nov 28, 2023

Years ago I had a set of plastic ramps, worked good for the lighter weight vehicles. Easier to handle vs the metal ramps but one day I was lazy and since I already had them out for the car I pulled the truck on them... one of em' collapsed like a house of cards