Do your own Fluids and Filters on a BX

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Vacuum user with video finally showed up.
Filter change vacuum trick

fluidchangeemail3.mp4 Video by dstig1 | Photobucket

Thanks dstig1 for contributing/adding to this thread. We've been seeking a fellow TBNer for a bit to participate in this thread with how to use the shop vac to assist in the filter change without losing lots of fluid. Words are good but videos with words are great.
Thanks again, especially for the new tractor owners that join our forum that haven't been around for years which happens daily.
Lots of people have contributed to this thread to help other tractor owners and it hasn't left it's original intent to help with fluid and filter changes by doing them your self. Some times original posts wander pretty far afield and become.......well, you all know what they become.

 

[dragoneggs]

Vacuum user with video finally showed up.
Filter change vacuum trick

fluidchangeemail3.mp4 Video by dstig1 | Photobucket

Thanks dstig1 for contributing/adding to this thread. We've been seeking a fellow TBNer for a bit to participate in this thread with how to use the shop vac to assist in the filter change without losing lots of fluid. Words are good but videos with words are great.
Thanks again, especially for the new tractor owners that join our forum that haven't been around for years which happens daily.
Lots of people have contributed to this thread to help other tractor owners and it hasn't left it's original intent to help with fluid and filter changes by doing them your self. Some times original posts wander pretty far afield and become.......well, you all know what they become.

JT, would this technique be effective on a BX? I would like to check/clean my strainer again.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I am one of those on this thread that get flak from others over not using K branded lubricants and filters especially the SUDT hydraulic fluid. To ease my mind on this I undertook some research. The following paragraphs are a condensation of 2 hours of highly technical one on one discussions and another 2 hours reviewing internet and printed data perusal.

K has 2 products SUDT and SUDT2. As far as I can determine from my dealer and Ks literature the SUDT was formulated for low temps as a companion to Winterized diesel fuel and 5-20/30 motor oils. SUDT is their standard for above 20 degrees F. Another extrapolation is when you get below 0 you need to consider heating all those products until operating temps are reached. That is what the military does in the arctic and Antarctic.

I have extrapolated from the information available that SUDT is a product formulation that is proprietary to Kubota. It is a multi-viscosity product that approximates 5-20 motor oil. It is not a synthetic product as some have alluded, it is simply a petroleum based product with additives directed by Kubota to their supplier. Apparently K wasn't selling as much of their above market price UDT (which was pretty universal) so they decided to have something that other blenders could not duplicate due the copyright and patent laws. That is why there is no standards of comparison in their manuals or recommendations and their refusal to condone any substitute product. No other blender can use the term SUDT in their specifications.

SUDT is blended for K by Valvoline Corp. Their technical department will run you around in circles if you try to discuss the properties of the product. Their stock answer to a direct question is "we cannot discuss the product due to our exclusive contract with K". In reviewing their product line they have several heavy duty, multi-viscosity hydraulic fluid products. None are recommended for temperatures below 10 Degrees F, based on cursory review only, not conclusive.

I discussed the product I use, NAPA 85-405, with their blender Martin Petroleum. 85-405 is what they recommend as an equal product to Kubota SUDT as they have no standard for comparison except operating parameters. They do not recommend their Extreme line for that service. 85-405 is a multi-viscosity oil with various additives for all the reasons K has in their literature. They do not recommend it for temps below 10 degrees F. This years extreme cols in the north and east has convinced them they need a cold weather product and they will have one on the market for next winter. it is under testing now. They told me their are only 4 producers in the world for the additives and all blenders use them. Naturally , their contention is K's SUDT cannot have any magic ingredient that makes them unique.

Standard oil and others also makes a synthetic product considered comparable but it is even more expensive than K SUDT.

Conclusion for me: I feel comfortable with my product choices especially as I have 1000 HRs on my BX25, have always used 85-405 since the 50 mile service when I found the Hydraulic oil contaminated and changed it and the filter then. After thwe switch I noticed no change in the performance or the noise level of the system. The HST has always had a low level whine which increases with RPM. Also I seldom work mine at more than 2500 RPM and usually around 2200. Yes, I change fluids more often than most but I work it hard and long plus here in the NW water contamination is always a problem when a lot of the time we are working in 100% humidity and a lot of moisture goes through the ventilation of crankcase and HST. We do not have the cold temps most of you experience so that is mot a problem. We had 10 days of temps below 20 degree F and I noticed no problems with the 85-405 or standard #2 diesel. I have also stayed with using it in the front axle. 90 W gear lube would have been pretty stiff on those cold days.

I know this is ling winded but I tried to be comprehensive. I find no fault with brand conscious folks, it is their dollar to spend as they see fit. We all have to make, hopefully, informed decisions on our own minus any hype by slick advertising. Mine is based on $ and proximity to the products and now experience. maybe I will know better when I get 5,000 HRs on my BX. That's about when I may decide to trade or no longer be operating.

Ron

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

JT, would this technique be effective on a BX? I would like to check/clean my strainer again.

I see no reason that it won't work on any of the Kubotas. I've replaced filters on some, as have others that have posted here, and done nothing and lost very little fluid due to there being no air to replace the fluid which keeps it in place but that's with no filler caps removed but some have lost more fluid than others. So, with the vac I believe your just removing the air that keeps the fluid contained.
When I was "younger" we used to try to remove the lid on a bottle of "pop" and try and turn it upside down quick enough to keep it from coming out of the bottle and most of the time couldn't do it but sometimes we could. Any bit of an angle to the bottle and the liquid poured out but for a few seconds until we weren't able to keep the bottle perfectly straight the liquids would stay in the upside down bottle with no lid on it. We could also place our hand on top of the bottle, turn it upside down then remove our hand and the liquid stay in the bottle. We never understood the principle of why this happened though, we just did it.
I removed a strainer one time and checked it with my thumb stuck in the hole while I looked and felt of the strainer with the other one hand and then stuck it back in with very little lose of fluid. The system is "mostly" air tight and I guess there are (probably) some check valves of some type in the system that will restrict full dump flow.

 

[Deano]

Vacuum user with video finally showed up.
Filter change vacuum trick

fluidchangeemail3.mp4 Video by dstig1 | Photobucket

Thanks dstig1 for contributing/adding to this thread. We've been seeking a fellow TBNer for a bit to participate in this thread with how to use the shop vac to assist in the filter change without losing lots of fluid. Words are good but videos with words are great.
Thanks again, especially for the new tractor owners that join our forum that haven't been around for years which happens daily.
Lots of people have contributed to this thread to help other tractor owners and it hasn't left it's original intent to help with fluid and filter changes by doing them your self. Some times original posts wander pretty far afield and become.......well, you all know what they become.

Thanks for posting the video! I mentioned this YEARS ago and people said it would not work. They said using a cork was easier....no way!
But, I did say a scantily clad female assistant was needed!! :shocked:

 

[rblochli]

Ron,
Thanks for the explanation.
Bob

 

[rblochli]

This is a great thread! Thanks for all the info - one quick question, any preference to grease? I read that an air gun is superior so I'm going to pick one of those up at sears or hf and I think I read that Ron gets his grease at hf - is that a good place to get it? Any issues switching grease?

 

[bp fick]

Thanks for posting the video! I mentioned this YEARS ago and people said it would not work. They said using a cork was easier....no way!
But, I did say a scantily clad female assistant was needed!! :shocked:

Yes you did, Deano!!! Although, I've never had the least issue with a properly sized, real cork cork, not some makeshift, wrong sized rubber thing with tape on it. Piece of cake. Leave the dipstick in place, unless you're trying the vacuum thing. Why allow a huge rush of makeup air.

Still a little bummed about the lack of Deano's video, though. How would a "scantily clad female assistant" not improve this procedure's video?

 

[RFB]

This is a great thread! Thanks for all the info - one quick question, any preference to grease? I read that an air gun is superior so I'm going to pick one of those up at sears or hf and I think I read that Ron gets his grease at hf - is that a good place to get it? Any issues switching grease?

If you are not using the grease gun on a production level, I think you might be happier with a Lincoln Powerluber. I started with air, and changed to the Lincoln system and for my needs its much more user friendly. I use the 12 volt system and it has been flawless for years.

https://www.lincolnindustrial.com/P...ts//PowerLuber/PowerLuber12VoltGreaseGun.aspx

 

[k0ua]

The last Filter change I did on my Kioti I did not use the vacuum method (which I have used in the past on my Kubota's) I just stopped up the air breather for the hydraulic tank with a small screw that fit the hole. The hydraulic system is airtight except for the breather vent and if you remove the filter and air cannot flow from the top side of the fluid, it will not come out.