Schedule for greasing FEL

   / Schedule for greasing FEL #1  

b2910

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2010
Messages
54
Tractor
Kubota B2910
My Kubota FEL, LA402, says to grease every 10 hours. I was thinking that meant 10 hours on the tractor meter but that really seems very often even in my limited usage. I can't imagine an owner using their tractor for several hours a day greasing the loader every other day so I now am questioning what that every 10 hours means. I tried a search but without knowing the right keywords to include I didn't have much luck. I never take off the FEL but only really use it, changing positions, less than 10% of the time it is running so I would not expect the bearings to need greasing very often. When I do grease it the grease oozes out of the joints immediately so it appears to be full. What is the schedule you recommend?
 
   / Schedule for greasing FEL #2  
It seems to me that you have to guess at it when you are doing routine maintenance. If it is just occasional use, I wouldn't bother with it very often. On the other hand, the hour meter might be useful if you are really working the FEL moving rock, dirt, snow etc. for several hours at a time. IMO
 
   / Schedule for greasing FEL #3  
Keep in mind that greasing these types of fittings is the only way to force contaminants out (dirt and water). If you are kicking up a cloud of dust when you work, and the tractor sits out in the rain, grease it every 10 hours or more. But if it is kept inside and stays pretty clean, you can get by with less, maybe just once in the spring and once in late fall for example.
 
   / Schedule for greasing FEL #5  
My Kubota FEL, LA402, says to grease every 10 hours. I was thinking that meant 10 hours on the tractor meter but that really seems very often even in my limited usage. I can't imagine an owner using their tractor for several hours a day greasing the loader every other day so I now am questioning what that every 10 hours means. I tried a search but without knowing the right keywords to include I didn't have much luck. I never take off the FEL but only really use it, changing positions, less than 10% of the time it is running so I would not expect the bearings to need greasing very often. When I do grease it the grease oozes out of the joints immediately so it appears to be full. What is the schedule you recommend?

Since instructions say to fill just until grease oozes out, if grease oozes out immediately, you're done.

If you're not using the loader much, maybe adding a dab every 20 hours makes sense. Same thing, though, if every 20 hours you add grease & old grease immediately oozes out, I might stretch it to 30 hours ... & just grease more often during times when it's hot, dusty, rainy and/ or you've used the loader more than usual.

This is all just my own logic, coming from a tractor owner of only 7 months :)
 
   / Schedule for greasing FEL #6  
You mean to tell me that it is only 10 hours of use:confused2:

Heck I have been greasing mine both before I go to work and after work. I ocasionally oversleep on the weekends and stretch it to about 12-14 hours. :laughing:

Now...what to do with that 55 gallon drum of used grease that accumulated over the last 5 years:laughing::laughing::laughing:


In all seriousness though, It means 10 hours of loader use. But like others have mentioned, it keeps the contaniments out. So If you do other tasks like mowing, bushhogging, or leave your tractor outside, that can cause grit and grime to get to the pins. I dont really keep track of the hours, but I do grease it about twice per year. Once before winter when I am "winterizing" the other equipment and small engines. And another when I am getting everything out for the summer.
 
   / Schedule for greasing FEL #7  
i use all my stuff commercially. we grease our stuff every morning. no equipment leaves the shop with out every grease fitting greased, fuel, oil, water, and hydraulic fluid checked, loose debris removed, radiator blown out, and visual inspection of the hole machine. that is probably over kill for non commercial use, but i would rather spend the time doing routine maintenance than have premature wear.
 
   / Schedule for greasing FEL
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks for the link TEG and to all the others' replies. I won't feel bad greasing my FEL every 20 hour meter hours since I use it just a fractional amount, but I may try to stick closer to the 10 hour schedule since I think my hour meter is one counting engine revolutions rather than time itself. The meter seems to rack up the counter very slowly, now it makes more sense why; but I think I will test it out to be sure.
 
   / Schedule for greasing FEL #9  
I was over at the farm beside me say last year and they had a king pin on a hay wagon that was siezed up. It was determined by very accurate methods that the root cause was over greasing. They had a lever type grease gun with the 10,000 PSI burst hose standing straight out. The problem was NOAH was the last guy that over greased it.
Craig Clayton
 
   / Schedule for greasing FEL #10  
...It means 10 hours of loader use...
I don't think so... I wish someone from kubota would clear this up... for me, driving down a gravel road counts as the bucket is subjected to movement... LOTS of movement. Yea, I admit that I'm an over greaser... grease is cheap - New pins ain't. :2cents:
 
 
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