leaking steering lines

   / leaking steering lines #1  

chucko

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2004
Messages
1,540
Location
Polk Co , Fl
Tractor
bx1800
Went to mow moms yard today . Got the tractor loaded and noticed UDT all over the place. Steering line is leaking. Best I can tell it has chafed on the metal as it exits from under the dash. I would not have expected this with only 400 hours.

Looks took the covers and deck off so I can see it. This does not look like it will be a fun repair. I don't know if it is because I am getting older or what but fixing things just is not fun anymore So I may just let the dealer do it..
Told the wife she jenxed me by paying it off early
 
   / leaking steering lines #2  
From reading the kubota forum.. it seems as if they treat their PS lines as 'wear items'.. like filters and such... and like you to replace them often... (YUCK!).

When you do repalce them.. if they are in a place they can rub.. get an old inner tube.. or some other material and wrap the lines and then ziptie the shield in place.

Anything from old fire hose.. to split or twist wire loom will work..as well as the old tire inner tube trick I mentioned.

Use tarp tie downs ( balls with bunji cord loop ) to hold lines out of the way in problem areas. that's what i do with the lines on my antique tractor / loaders ( by the way.. i have on tractor from the 50's with darn old oem looking lines.. maybee kubota needs to research hyd lines and get up to speed on that technology.... or.. I guess it could be planned obselescence.. IE.. why sell the customer a good line when you can keep selling them disposable lines and keep draining their pockets!! )

Soundugy
 
   / leaking steering lines
  • Thread Starter
#3  
" out of warrantee" so I must pay
 
   / leaking steering lines #4  
Soundguy said:
From reading the kubota forum.. it seems as if they treat their PS lines as 'wear items'.. like filters and such... and like you to replace them often... (YUCK!).

When you do repalce them.. if they are in a place they can rub.. get an old inner tube.. or some other material and wrap the lines and then ziptie the shield in place.

Anything from old fire hose.. to split or twist wire loom will work..as well as the old tire inner tube trick I mentioned.

Soundugy

Depending where the hose is at I have found two options work well. 1) the water pipe insulating material sold at HD & Lowes works well. The material is already cut and you just pull it apart and slide it on the hose. It can be secured in place by zipties or adhesive. 2)Use an automotive wire loom protector sold by O'Rileys, AutoZone or Advance. The automotive wire loom protectors are black, made of heavy plastic and withstands weather real well.
 
   / leaking steering lines #5  
Get used to it... From what I've read here, you will get very good at replacing your power steering lines.. if you buy them from kubota...

Soundguy
 
   / leaking steering lines #6  
maybee kubota needs to research hyd lines and get up to speed on that technology.... or.. I guess it could be planned obselescence.. IE.. why sell the customer a good line when you can keep selling them disposable lines and keep draining their pockets!! )
Must be planned obselescence as to my knowledge the BX series is the only Kubota tractor that considers the PS lines as a scheduled maintenance replacement item.
The B, L, GL & M series don't have the 200 hr inspection/replacement requirement.
 
   / leaking steering lines #7  
Mine went at a little over 400hrs. The dealer had only one at the time so I bought that one, looked at the old ones and I had gotten the one with nicks in it. Thought I was home free, replaced the line, fire the 'Bota up, the other line that looked perfect was leaking like a soaker hose!:mad: Moral of the story: if you have any leak in the power steering hose, replace them both!

Anyone out there tried an after market brand? I think when I hit 800hrs I will try a different brand just to see if they last any longer. I've heard, though, that Kubota uses strange metric sized fittings that a lot of places don't carry.
 
   / leaking steering lines
  • Thread Starter
#8  
well I guess I will do it myself as the hose is on about $30 bucks +- but labor is over $200

how big of a pain is this to do?
 
   / leaking steering lines
  • Thread Starter
#9  
So to remove thes two lines I had to take off the floor pan....not fun with UDT all over the place
Take off the rear wheel. Tractor sits so low it's a pian to get a jack under it...remember when pulling last lug "oh yea check you put water in the tires"
remove the two lines from the protector and can't see a problem (God I hope it was not the other two) Guess I will hoock them back up and make sure it was one of them.
Oh yea it was like 95 deg last night and my glasses keep fogging up.
Our yellow lab now knows at least 4 new bad words
 
   / leaking steering lines #10  
Hope you did the two lines to the front rack while you were at it.
Those can be made locally, of better quality hose.

$440 for the 4 hoses and labor- two weeks ago.
 
 
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