Kubota M62 TLB Front Axle Oil Level?
- Thread starter mtputney
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Notforhire
Veteran Member
According to the service manual; Fill to the upper notch of the dip stick.
mjw357
Platinum Member
In the absence of any marks, I would say if there is oil on the stick you are fine. It’s not that critical.
Notforhire
Veteran Member
The manual does not specify. I would think, screwed in. Will that bring the level about 1/2 way up the case?
Captain Dirty
Platinum Member
Usually the threading is shorter than the length between marks. If the level is above the bottom mark when not screwed in and is not above the top mark when screwed in you are GTG.
rScotty
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Hey! How do you like the M62? Our M59 works a treat. I would have thought that the M59 front axle is exactly the same as the M62, but the dipsticks are different! It's interesting that my owner's manual says that the level should be between the two notches, shows a picture of a dipstick without any notches at all, and then says nothing about whether to check that measurement with it screwed in or not. Even though the threads are longer than the distance between the notches....
Frankly, I doubt if the level is all that critical. Nothing about the history of that type of front axle indicates that it is critical.
The center differential is the lowest moving part in the center section & slings oil up into itself. The outboard bevels and bearings are lubricated just fine as long as oil can pass through the non-shielded bearings.
But I like to get things right, so to make sure on my tractor that the rotation of the axle can move oil around to get proper bearing and outboard bevel lube. So I want to see oil touching the bottom of the internal axle shaft, but not deeper than the axle shaft itself...half the diameter is plenty and is what I shoot for. What I do is to measure to that point using a little bit of straw or wire and translate that into where the marks should be on the dip stick.
I thought I had written that down in my operator manual but don't see it in my notes. Oh well, it's easy enough to do again.
The depth of lube in the front axle isn't the only wishy-washy tech spec on the bevel gear front axle.
I also see in the factory owners manual that the same old oil type debate continues. Kubota recommends both a light viscosity oil and a heavy one... but without specifying either as preferred. So just like they leave the amount up to the owner, they also leave it up to the owner whether to fill the front axle with light viscosity SUDT or very much heavier 80w-90 gear oil. Very different viscosities. That "dual but different" lube recommmendation has been on-going since Yanmar patented that type of front axle back 50 years ago. Yanmar never resolved the issue and it still continues.
That axle design has now become public domain and is in common use for tractors all over the world...but without resolving the lube question. Which one are you going to use?
BTW, keep an eye on the center pivot for the front axle. That pivot design is a bit unique and tends to need adjustment and lubrication more than Kubota probably expected. You can feel it when it needs tightening.
rScotty
rScotty
Frankly, I doubt if the level is all that critical. Nothing about the history of that type of front axle indicates that it is critical.
The center differential is the lowest moving part in the center section & slings oil up into itself. The outboard bevels and bearings are lubricated just fine as long as oil can pass through the non-shielded bearings.
But I like to get things right, so to make sure on my tractor that the rotation of the axle can move oil around to get proper bearing and outboard bevel lube. So I want to see oil touching the bottom of the internal axle shaft, but not deeper than the axle shaft itself...half the diameter is plenty and is what I shoot for. What I do is to measure to that point using a little bit of straw or wire and translate that into where the marks should be on the dip stick.
I thought I had written that down in my operator manual but don't see it in my notes. Oh well, it's easy enough to do again.
The depth of lube in the front axle isn't the only wishy-washy tech spec on the bevel gear front axle.
I also see in the factory owners manual that the same old oil type debate continues. Kubota recommends both a light viscosity oil and a heavy one... but without specifying either as preferred. So just like they leave the amount up to the owner, they also leave it up to the owner whether to fill the front axle with light viscosity SUDT or very much heavier 80w-90 gear oil. Very different viscosities. That "dual but different" lube recommmendation has been on-going since Yanmar patented that type of front axle back 50 years ago. Yanmar never resolved the issue and it still continues.
That axle design has now become public domain and is in common use for tractors all over the world...but without resolving the lube question. Which one are you going to use?
BTW, keep an eye on the center pivot for the front axle. That pivot design is a bit unique and tends to need adjustment and lubrication more than Kubota probably expected. You can feel it when it needs tightening.
rScotty
rScotty
Last edited:
I recently replaced my front axel oil and used SUDT. Even with the lighter oil it takes forever for the level in the axel to adjust in cold weather. Supposed to take 12.5L and it was initially over flowing at 6L. Took several days of top ups to get it set. I'm going with the flow!