Bobcat CT225 50 hour service

   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service #1  

joshuabardwell

Elite Member
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
2,926
Location
Knoxville, TN
Tractor
Bobcat CT225
Not that there haven't been threads on this before, but I did my 50 hour service today. It was mostly uneventful. One challenge was finding somewhere to put the 8 gallons of used hydraulic oil until I was able to pour the new oil in. My oil drain pan only holds four gallons. Another challenge was getting the under-seat hydraulic filter off. I don't have a filter wrench. I just used a big pipe wrench on the other filters, but there was no way to get a grip on the under-seat filter with it. I ended up punching through it with a screwdriver and a hammer and taking it off that way. Maybe I'll get a filter wrench before the next time I do the change. With the next change coming at 400 hours, I've got time to think it over.

The service included changing the hydraulic oil and both filters, changing the engine oil and filter, and changing the front diff oil. Also little things like checking the clutch pedal travel and brake travel. I'm tempted to cut open the hydraulic filters and see what the swarf looks like, after that one thread where the... I think it was a Kubota... had that gob-loads of metal filings.

At the moment, the entire service is done. I am not 100% sure that I don't have a tiny leak coming from one of my hydraulic filters. It's hard to tell if it's a leak, or if it's just a bit of oil that got spilled during the change. I'll keep an eye on the filters and the level in the reservoir for the next few hours of use. That stuff is too expensive to let it leak out on the ground!

I would say that if you are on the fence as to whether to do your 50 hour service yourself or take it to the dealer, don't hesitate to do it yourself. It's really about as simple as simple can be--just removing a bunch of drain plugs, unscrewing some filters, and pouring new fluid in. My dealer wanted to charge me about $250 for this service, which, at their labor rates may be a fair price, but it's not like this is rebuilding an engine or some other job that really requires advanced mechanical skill.

My only advice to the neophyte would be to be very, very careful when replacing drain plugs. It is easy to cross-thread them or to over-tighten them, and once you strip out that housing, you are in a world of trouble. Not un-solvable trouble, but let's just say it'd be better if you didn't. I always start the plugs in gently by hand and then continue to screw the plug in by hand until it is almost all the way down. Sometimes cross-threading isn't obvious until a turn or two in. If there is any resistance, I back out and take another run at it. Once the plug is as far in by hand as I can get it, I use a ratchet or wrench to firmly seat it--but don't overdo it! It doesn't need to be gorilla tight. I use my smallest wrench or ratchet and choke way up on it to try to avoid giving myself too much leverage.

Also, when you take the drain plugs out, they may be in there tighter than you expect, and you may have to give them a little oomph to break them loose. When you do this, make sure you are turning the right way. I know this sounds dumb, but sometimes when I'm working on a bolt that's upside down, I get dyslexic in my head about which way to turn it. If you pull as hard as you can trying to loosen the bolt, and you're really tightening it, you can absolutely strip out these threads by hand, especially if you're using a hoss big wrench.

Last thing: nitrile or latex gloves. I know that Real Men just get oil all over their hands, but when it came time to run in the house for something or check my manual for the exact location of a drain plug, the ability to just strip off the gloves and instantly have clean hands was appreciated.
 
   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service
  • Thread Starter
#2  
BTW, one additional thought: I know that HST transmissions do best with the highest-quality hydraulic oil. And my owner's manual calls for the same oil in the front axle as in the transmission/hydraulic reservoir. But it sure seems to me that lubricating the front end shouldn't be nearly as demanding as running the transmission and hydraulics, and I wonder whether next time I would be better off to buy some cheap off-the-shelf hydraulic oil from TSC or Wal-Mart instead of the fancy dealer stuff that goes in the back end.

Eh. Then again, it's only a gallon in the front axle, so maybe I'm splitting hairs unnecessarily.
 
   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service #3  
Joshua, Gald you got it done with no problem. I had to take my wheel off to get enough leverage to get that bottom filter off. Take another look at your manual, page 216, it calls for 80-90W in the front axle. Not that UTF won't work but gear lube is as good or better and costs less. Factory put UTF in ther for 2 reasons; 1 - to use common fluid in the factory, 2 - the thinner UTF does a better job of flushing any manufacturing/break in debris down to the drain plugs. Also watch the front axle fluid level after the first few days of operation. I followed the book by filling close to capacity listed, driving it around for 15 minutes the rechecked, it still showed little over full so left it then checked about 20 hr. later and was able able to get that last 1/2 qt/ in to bring up to float the ball.
 
   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service #4  
Strap wrenches are great for removing filters. I bought a cheap set from Harbor Freight. Joshua, I'm curious what engine oil did you use.
 
   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service #5  
BTW, one additional thought: I know that HST transmissions do best with the highest-quality hydraulic oil. And my owner's manual calls for the same oil in the front axle as in the transmission/hydraulic reservoir. But it sure seems to me that lubricating the front end shouldn't be nearly as demanding as running the transmission and hydraulics, and I wonder whether next time I would be better off to buy some cheap off-the-shelf hydraulic oil from TSC or Wal-Mart instead of the fancy dealer stuff that goes in the back end.

Eh. Then again, it's only a gallon in the front axle, so maybe I'm splitting hairs unnecessarily.
Front Axles, Really? it comes with Hydro installed, but my manual recommends replacing with 90 weight Gear Oil.:)
 
   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Front Axles, Really? it comes with Hydro installed, but my manual recommends replacing with 90 weight Gear Oil.:)

That may be the case. I knew it had hydro in it originally. I bought the fluids and filters from the dealer for the 50-hour because I thought it would help if I had a warranty claim. I basically said, "tell me what I need for my 50-hour." The dealer provided just enough hydro for the axle and the hydro reservoir; no 90-weight oil. So I figured that was what was meant to go in the axle. Then again, he also provided a fuel and air filter, and the air filter isn't done until the 1-year mark, and the fuel filter isn't done until somewhere north of 200 hours. So it's just possible that his list of materials wasn't 100% up-to-date.
 
   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service #7  
That may be the case. I knew it had hydro in it originally. I bought the fluids and filters from the dealer for the 50-hour because I thought it would help if I had a warranty claim. I basically said, "tell me what I need for my 50-hour." The dealer provided just enough hydro for the axle and the hydro reservoir; no 90-weight oil. So I figured that was what was meant to go in the axle. Then again, he also provided a fuel and air filter, and the air filter isn't done until the 1-year mark, and the fuel filter isn't done until somewhere north of 200 hours. So it's just possible that his list of materials wasn't 100% up-to-date.
When I got my supplies for the 50 hr. service from Lynn in Knoxville I had to remind her I wanted a gallon of gear lube for the front axle instead of the more expensive transmission/differential/hydraulic fluid used in the rear. I hope they sold you the trans/hydraulic fluid and not the Hydrostatic/Hydraulid fluid, the H/H fluid will swell up and degrade your wet disc brakes. I double checked with Bobcat Service about this, they said the Trans/Hydraulic fuid starts with a base fluid used for limited slip differential and has some other additives for higher temps. & pressure of the HST. So if it is good for a limited slip dif it should be fine for a regular differential. Reason for specing the 80-90W is maintenance cost to the customer.
 
   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service #8  
What "book" did you guys use for this the owning and operating manual or do you have the service manual?
 
   / Bobcat CT225 50 hour service
  • Thread Starter
#9  
The standard owner's manual that came with my tractor has instructions for basic maintenance, including changing the fluids/filters, adjusting the brake and clutch pedals, and so forth.
 
 
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