Oil & Fuel 50hr front axle oil??

[dutchman56]

I have a GL4630gstc and will be doing the 50 hr service over the holidays. The operators manual says kubota UDT or sae 80w90. This seems to me to be two very different oils. UDT being a more hydraulic type oil with less viscoisty and 80w90 gear oil being a heavier oil and has the extreme pressure additives for bevel gears. What are others using.

 

[DmansPadge]

I have a GL4630gstc and will be doing the 50 hr service over the holidays. The operators manual says kubota UDT or sae 80w90. This seems to me to be two very different oils. UDT being a more hydraulic type oil with less viscoisty and 80w90 gear oil being a heavier oil and has the extreme pressure additives for bevel gears. What are others using.

There has been a bunch of talk about what to use... either will do. I still like to stick with 80/90. I don't know about your tractor... but I know the B series do not call for the front axle fluid to be changed until the 300 hr. mark.

 

[canoetrpr]

dutchman:

I kept with the premium udt stuff we get here in Canada. Thats what it comes filled with. The gear oil is really really thick - like molasses. I imagine it does not flow too freely when cold.

I see no real reason not to stick with the premium udt for the front axle.

 

[Jimbrown]

I put gear oil in mine. the UDT just runs out.

 

[dutchman56]

Went to dealer this morning and they say use UDT especially here in northern ontario and tractor is used in winter. Service technican confirmed tractor comes with UDT in front axle from factory. So 60 liters and $216 later I am all set plus engine oil and all filters which wife bought yesterday for me as a surprize with a toy Kubota tractor.

 

[frank_miller]

I use Amsoil 75-90 SG fluid.

 

[gotcha]

I have a GL4630gstc and will be doing the 50 hr service over the holidays. The operators manual says Kubota UDT or SAE 80w90. This seems to me to be two very different oils. What are others using.

My B26 manual says to use the exact same thing, but it says to change every 400 hours.
The Gotcha Man

 

[dutchman56]

My manuel says to change the filter and oil first time at 50 hours and then filter every 200 and oil every 400 hours. The dealer says many just change filter and they will service that way and not push oil change at 50 hours. But he told me to save old oil for my father inlaw who has many 1930 40 and 50 vintage tractors and dozers.

 

[Racer71]

I just came home with the Super UST for my 50 hour change. I like to change oil after the break in period to help get the metal out. It may be a while before I change the oil again.

 

[TalonDancer]

My manuel says to change the filter and oil first time at 50 hours and then filter every 200 and oil every 400 hours....

Are we still discussing 50 hr front axle oil?

'cause my manual says to change the front axle oil for the very first time at 400 hrs. And I don't see any filters for my front axle

FWIW I'm gong to use the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principal and use UDT in my front axle. I don't need yet another oil for this tractor

Talon Dancer

 

[Racer71]

For my L3400HST 50 hour service:

Change:
Engine oil
Transmission fluid
Front axle case oil

Replace:
Engine oil filter
Hydraulic oil filter
HST oil filter

Adjust:
Clutch

I bought the super UDT oil and filters for $220.

 

[canoetrpr]

Interesting that the GL does not call for a front axle oil change at 50. The L3400 calls for all fluids and filters to be changed at 50.

 

[DLMaine01]

Even my M4900 calls for the front axle oil to be changed at the first 50 hrs. Then at 600 hrs intervals, I probably will not wait that long. I use SUDT. The temp this morning when I went to plow was 7 degrees F. Yike!!

 

[TalonDancer]

Interesting that the GL does not call for a front axle oil change at 50. The L3400 calls for all fluids and filters to be changed at 50.

I know this is a small thing, but...

It would be nice if Kubota would standardize the maintenance schedules for their tractors. It simply leads to lots of confusion for owners who are doing their own maintenance. Surely the various models are not built so differently that they require such different maintenance schedules.

For example, is the L3400 4WD front axle so different from the L3240 4WD front axle that the L3400 requires the first oil change at 50 hrs and the L3240 not until 400 hrs ?

Note the "generic" maintenance schedule on the Kubota site is based on a 300 hour cycle while the Grand L 40's cycle is based on a 400 hour cycle.

Talon Dancer

 

[john_bud]

Dutchman56,

You did the smart thing. I am assuming the UDT is the premium? In the USA it's called SUDT and is a multiviscosity 5w30 where the standard UDT is straight 30w.

The people that use 80w90 are mostly southern USA. That is fine there, in fact may even be better. But here in the chilly areas of the world, the SUDT works better in the cold.

I think there is also a hydraulic strainer (metal mesh screen) that needs to be cleaned of any mfg residues.

jb

 

[Kubota In Canada]

I went through the same questions.

In Canada: there is only one UDT ... it is the premium stuff for weather reasons.

In the gear box and front axle, I use the best Synthetic gear oil available (the capacity is not great and it will not cost you a fortune.

For the tranny, I use the Kubota UDT.

I hope this helps?

Eric

 

[Killer_B]

Dutchman,

I don't know about your fluid question, but that's what I call a snowblower!!

 

[N80]

The Kubota manuals really aren't causing the confusion. Its in threads like this that cause the confusion. If the manual for his tractor says to change it at 50, that's when he should change it, regardless of what the manual for someone's BX or M calls for. I'm not fussing, I'm just saying, for any given model, simply follow the recommendations for that model.

I put SUDT back in the front end of my L4400 primarily just for simplicity and due to the fact that after filling the tranny there would be enough left over for the front. It gets very hot here and winters are mild so gear oil would be just as good. But, my impression is that the front ends systems on these machines are pretty low speed environments and the lubrication demands not all that high.

 

[dutchman56]

The confusing thing was that both UDT and gear oil was in fluids listing in manual. but that is cleared up now. Will go up to camp after Christmas and spend a week there playing in the snow. Blower works great though am going through chains. I am discussing in another thread. But manual is clear all oils and filters including front end at 50 then at 400 hr intervals.

 

[TalonDancer]

The Kubota manuals really aren't causing the confusion. Its in threads like this that cause the confusion. If the manual for his tractor says to change it at 50, that's when he should change it, regardless of what the manual for someone's BX or M calls for. I'm not fussing, I'm just saying, for any given model, simply follow the recommendations for that model....

I guess I'm just easily confused then

The attached scans are from the same Kubota manual that covers all the Grand L 40 models from the L3240 - L5740. As I have posted previously, I find this Kubota manual "confusing" on the subject of when to change the transmission fluid...

The Maintenance Service Intervals table (GL40 Maint Table.jpg) indicates to "Change Transmission fluid" every 400 hours. And the detailed service instructions referenced on page 99 (GL40 Hydraulic Filter.jpg) describes that procedure in conjunction with replacing the hydraulic oil filter. BUT....

The Maintenance Service Intervals table also indicates to "Replace the Transmission oil filter" every 200 hours (as well as at 50 hours) without "Changing Transmission fluid". BUT the first step in the detailed instructions on page 96 (GL40 Trans Filter.jpg) for "Replacing Tranmission Oil Filter [HST Type]" reads...

"1. Remove the drain plugs at the bottom of the transmission case and drain the oil completely into the drain pan." along with a line drawing of all three drain plugs required to dump the full 11 gals of UDT.

and is followed up by...
"6. After the new filters have been replaced, fill the transmission oil up to the notch on the dipstick"

So maybe one of the 'Kubota manual literalists' can tell me how I can follow ALL of these instructions in my manual without filling "the transmission oil up to the notch on the dipstick" using the 11 gals of UDT I just drained completely

Talon Dancer

FWIW I have a nasty habit of thinking for myself. So, I can't remember ever following ANY instructions/manuals literally. I changed all 11 gals of UDT at 50 hours and will just replace the filters -- and the lost UDT with new UDT -- at 200 hrs (probably at the end of this week). Then I'll change out the full 11 gals of UDT again at 400 hrs.