Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice

   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #1  

abatis

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Jun 27, 2011
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Today, I was over at the local Bobcat dealer and two Bobcat factory reps from Fargo, ND were at the dealer. I was scheduling my Ct235 for the 50 hour service and asked the Bobcat factory reps why the hydra/trans oil needs changing at the first 50 hour service. It is around 8.75 gallons of fluid to change. I said it seemed like a waste to discard that much product after 50 hours. They both jumped on it saying it was absolutely critical to get that original fluid out of there. They said that fluid carries all the leftover machining and initial gear meshing filing out of the system. One of them pointed out that once you do the 50 hour service the next trans fluid change is at 400 hours.


They also said original oil filter for the engine is specially designed to have higher filtration than the ones we buy from the dealer to capture machining particles. I bring this up because I have read various threads on the forum of people skipping the 50 hour hydra/trans fluid change. It seems like the manufacturers have some reason why they are saying to do the service.
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #2  
We are a KIOTI Dealer - same tractor.

Yes it is recommended to replace the hydraulic oil and filters. Is it a waste of oil? Maybe. Will it make your tractor life longer? Maybe. Do the change. This way if you do have a warranty issue there is no question.

However/whatever you decide, make sure you change the hydraulic filters regardless.
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #3  
I just hit 50 hours. Debating whether to do it myself or have the dealer do it and dispose of the fluid considering that's quite a bit more oil than just a couple of quarts of old 30 wt.
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #4  
It is not hard to do the change yourself and the owners manual walks you through step by step. The hardest thing is getting the hydraulic fluid put back in. It is almost a two person job, someone to hold the funnel and someone to pour the fluid. I ended up buying a hand pump that fits on top of a 5 gallon bucket. It works pretty well but takes a little time to pump all that fluid in.

AutoZone or any place like that will take your oil for free. Or, if you know someone who burns waste oil, I bet they would love to have it. I have a local shop here that burns waste oil and they are glad to get all my fluids.
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #5  
I was glad I did the 50 hour fluid change on my DK35seHst. The fluid that came out did not look like the pristine fluid that went in. On the dipstick you could not tell the difference, but 10+ gallons of the stuff in a pan sure looked darker... on pouring the new fluid back in. I bought a little electric battery powered pump, that did not work, and wound up pouring it in straight from the 5 gallon bucket.. but I tye-wrapped a long funnel up to the bar on the back that the toolbox sit on. So that solved the 2 person thing.. Just don't pour too fast and block the funnels air hole as it will spit fluid back at you. It was kinda tiresome, but I made out OK and I am not the worlds strongest guy. All in all except for the hateful hydraulic filter (must be stuck on with huge impact wrench or something) which I would recomend maybe a chain wrench to get it off, not a real bad experience.

James K0UA
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #6  
I replaced the oil similar to the long funnel method k0ua mentions using a short length of 1" garden hose that fit snugly into the filler pipe and with the funnel jammed into the hose.

All my filters were a chore to get off using a 1/2" drive strap wrench. The entire housing for the engine filter turned a little before the filter came lose. I took my time and spent likely 4 hours or so over a couple of sessions. I think the self service was valuable as it forced me to become more knowledgeable about the tractor quicker. TBN 50 hour service threads were a great help.

Another thing it did was make me more aware of the importance of checking loader and wheel torques. The loader frame is to be torqued every 25 hrs, and each time I found 1 or 2 bolts moved slightly. On my dealer's recommendation I reinstalled the bolts with blue LocTite. There has been no movement since then but I still check them regularly.

I also found a few wheel bolts also turned a bit during the first checks. The fronts particularly had movement. But the last couple of times (I'm at 316 hrs) they have been fine. So perhaps there is some "settling in" for those bolts.

My DK35 is similar to the CT335 but I imagine much of the work is similar for the CT235.

One other thing I find that makes the servicing easier is to remove the loader--much better access to loader mount bolts and chassis grease points.
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #7  
The hydraulic filter can be a real challenge to get off. Just a tip on filling hydraulic fluid, pull the dipstick out and set it aside this gives air a place to escape without it all having to come up through the funnel.
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #8  
The hydraulic filter can be a real challenge to get off. Just a tip on filling hydraulic fluid, pull the dipstick out and set it aside this gives air a place to escape without it all having to come up through the funnel.

Ah. good idea.. wish I had thought of that. Oh well I got it done, but it did spit back at me if I poured too fast. Next time.:)

James K0UA
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #9  
I'm glad I did my 50hr service myself. I used one 27qt oil pan and two 15qt pans to catch the fluid. Now I'll have to find a place that will take it.

I bought the 5 gallon buckets of hydro fluid too. To replace the fluid, I first poured the fluid into a one gallon Tupperware juice jug (which has a handle) and used a long funnel to fill the tractor. It turned out to be easier than I thought it would be. I had to fill the jug 8 times, but it wasn't bad at all. I used the Super Tech Tractor Hydro and Trans fluid they sell at Wal-Mart. The caps on the 5 gal buckets pull out a few inches which makes pouring pretty easy.

Yeap... those factory filters were a chore to get off. Fortunately, I had a metal oil filter removal cap which slides onto the end of the filter and used a ratchet to unscrew it.

Now it's time for the front axles... :)
 
   / Bobcat CT235 50 Hour Service - Factory Rep Advice #10  
The hydraulic filter can be a real challenge to get off. Just a tip on filling hydraulic fluid, pull the dipstick out and set it aside this gives air a place to escape without it all having to come up through the funnel.

On my DK35 there a plug on the left side of the 3 pt hydraulic cylinder to bleed air. The instruction on Page 7-15 is: "If the fluid does not flow out freely, unscrew the plug on the side of the hydraulic cylinder on the left of the top link to facilitate drainage (Ref to next page)", and the next page shows the plug location.

There's also a box on page 7-16 saying "IMPORTANT When adding the fluid, unscrew the bleeding plug on the left of the hydraulic cylinder. Otherwise, the fluid can overflow"

Perhaps the CK35/CT235 models don't have such a plug.
 
 
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