New(ish) Kubota M62 With Filthy Hydraulic Oil

[mtputney]

Sorry you are having so much trouble with a new machine. This size TLB is most useful on our wooded farm too.

The insolubles may not be removed by the two hydraulic filters. The HST is much finer filter and polishes the fluid better. Lower micron rating. If the M62 is like our M59, the HST filter is above the oil reservoir so minimal oil loss and easy to change. If changing this filter doesn’t lower the insolubles level they might be too small to be caught.
Does the lab report indicate size of insolubles?

The dealer showed me two different filters for the dual hydraulic filters. One had refrigerator type circle magnet and one without. About $25 more each for the magnetic ones. That’s what I got. Haven’t changed them yet to see if they caught anything. Have you noted any metal? An old mechanic trick was to stick a strong magnetic outside on the filter can. On industrial machines running constantly.

I know you have spent considerable time and money protecting your investment already. Some people heavily rely on oil analysis. Have yet to see anyone testing new oil out of the bottle for a base line.

Making Mega pads for the M59 outriggers made a huge difference on our hillside farm. Improvements on soft ground and on slopes. Added steps to cylinder rod guards helps climbing up and down. Like them so much did the same for the B26.

 

[mtputney]

Sorry you are having so much trouble with a new machine. This size TLB is most useful on our wooded farm too.

The insolubles may not be removed by the two hydraulic filters. The HST is much finer filter and polishes the fluid better. Lower micron rating. If the M62 is like our M59, the HST filter is above the oil reservoir so minimal oil loss and easy to change. If changing this filter doesn’t lower the insolubles level they might be too small to be caught.
Does the lab report indicate size of insolubles?

The dealer showed me two different filters for the dual hydraulic filters. One had refrigerator type circle magnet and one without. About $25 more each for the magnetic ones. That’s what I got. Haven’t changed them yet to see if they caught anything. Have you noted any metal? An old mechanic trick was to stick a strong magnetic outside on the filter can. On industrial machines running constantly.

I know you have spent considerable time and money protecting your investment already. Some people heavily rely on oil analysis. Have yet to see anyone testing new oil out of the bottle for a base line.

Making Mega pads for the M59 outriggers made a huge difference on our hillside farm. Improvements on soft ground and on slopes. Added steps to cylinder rod guards helps climbing up and down. Like them so much did the same for the B26.
View attachment 813163

Thanks for the mega-pad suggestion - we'd definitely benefit from a pair of those! We're on a hill as well.

 

[mtputney]

Just a wild guess when your original dealer prepped the tractor somebody topped off the hydraulic fluid with something that was not hydraulic fluid or was incompatible. I noticed the analysis doesn’t say water but insoluble. I’m not sure what that means.

A totally different machine but when I changed the hydraulic fluid on my JD 2025r at 50 hours I was surprised how cloudy it was. They didn’t recommend a 50 hour change but I did one anyway. I did the 200 hour change also. Same thing, it looks very clean on the dipstick but cloudy when it’s out of the machine. When I say cloudy not anywhere as bad as yours was but not as clear as the new.

I think your ok with your machine but I’d probably do another change early.

 

[mtputney]

Dodge – thanks. We did a 50 hour oil/filter change and a 200 hour as well. Oil report is going in the right direction – but still not where we’d like it.

 

[mtputney]

My final comment (before I disown this thread is).... Never buy any tractor from an out of state dealer, always buy local even if it means paying a bit more and I think you are being a bit paranoid about something that is proving to be inconsequential.

I'm done, Good day.

Sage advice - we tried with the local dealers - they both admitted that they might not be able to get us a machine for a year or two...

 

[Smokeydog]

I need to check my M9's as both have the rubber hose that to my knowledge has never leaked but I'll check with my dealer and if the refit is reasonable, next time I change the fluid (which will be in the fall), I'll replace both. I'm sure my dealer will be aware of it. Being a 2002 and a 2000 models, doing pretty good I'd say.

Maybe it’s me but hoses don’t seem to last like they use to on equipment.

 

[5030]

I need to check my M9's as both have the rubber hose that to my knowledge has never leaked but I'll check with my dealer and if the refit is reasonable, next time I change the fluid (which will be in the fall), I'll replace both. I'm sure my dealer will be aware of it. Being a 2002 and a 2000 models, doing pretty good I'd say.

I am having intermittent issues with the 00 open station with the hydraulics whining. It has over 6000 hours on it and I maintain it religiously and I don't even want to think about replacing the pump as it's over a grand and not rebuildable according to Dennis. I'm thinking the hose is compromised and sucking air though the fluid is never cloudy and never overflows or anything like that. Always full according to the dipstick reading and no leaks anywhere. No engine leaks or gearbox leaks, she's always dry and tight.

Talked to Dennis at my dealer (Dennis is a personal friend and the lead mechanic) and he drew a blank on it. Gonna inspect the hose today and proceed with your solution. The whine is irritating and no way impacts the hydraulics at all.

Both of them get a steady diet of Chevron All Weather THC synthetic hydraulic oil which isn't cheap fluid by a long shot. Even more expensive than SUDT, even buying in bulk 55 gallon drums. Fluid get changed yearly along with the filters and I clean the magnets of any metal as well and I always use genuine Kubota filters. In fact that is all I use all the time. Not that much more expensive than the off brand (Baldwin or Fleetguard) and I'm of the opinion that Kubota engineers know better than I do what is best.

 

[rScotty]

Thanks for the mega-pad suggestion - we'd definitely benefit from a pair of those! We're on a hill as well.

We are also in very hilly country. After 15 years with the with this M59, I would have to agree that the outriggers slide too easily for the backhoe. It's not just the size of the pad, something isn't right about the shape as well. Making the pad larger is part of the answer, and a 4" spike in the middle might be an advantage too.

The outrigger geometry, width, lift, and actuation all seem to be good. The M59 comes with the steps built onto the cylinder rod protectors that I think had to be added to the smaller Kubota TLB.

I usually just spin the seat and get on/off from the front when using the backhoe. Spinning the seat conveniently did require removing the parking brake for foot clearance but haven't missed it.

Agree with 5030 that residue looks like nothing. Looks like tyical additives separating. The additives in most lubricant fluids do separate by themselves. That's why mechanics always shake the new contaiiners.
Just for grins, run a magnet past the outside of the bottom of the jar.

When doing a long term settlement test like that I use new canning jars, compare with a new unused oil sample, and I like to do a blotter test on each sample before letting it sit.
BTW, that old fashioned "sizzle test" for water is mostly subjective - better suited to a blacksmith'sgarage 100 years ago than to a modern oil analysis.
rScotty

 

[5030]

Sage advice - we tried with the local dealers - they both admitted that they might not be able to get us a machine for a year or two...

Interesting. My dealer can requisition any model of tractor or implement from another dealer. I don't know exactly how that works because I'm not a dealer, I'm an end user though I do work for him part time, delivering new and repaired units with his roll back truck, never inquired about it... We do have Kubota knowledgeable people on here that may shed some light on it...

When I bought my BV round bailer during the end of the Covid lockdown's and resultant equipment shortage, he got one delivered in less than a week from another dealer that I presume had it on his lot. He called me and told me it was there and to come in and finalize the deal, which I did. Interestingly, it came with a almost full roll of net installed versus the usual starter roll and a couple balls of twine in the twine box and the twine was already threaded in the twine arms (which on a BV is a complex job). Because it's a 100% computer driven and controlled bailer, you can check the total bales run on the machine (it stores a running total in a non volatile memory in the computer you cannot delete or alter), in fact every new bailer today has that so it's easy to determine how much the machine was used and the overall condition without ever inspecting it personally. Sellers lie about total machine use and bales run but the computer memory never lies....

It had run exactly 10 rounds which told me it was a demo machine, 10 rounds is nothing. It came with a full warranty and sold as a new machine. and Kubota gave me a substantial amount off as well so I bought it. All in all, with my trade in (NH 450 net twine bailer which was sold immediately and I'm sure my dealer made a nice profit on it, after all, he is in business to make money), it cost me about 10 grand and I financed that with KCC at zero interest. the NH bailer was a constant PITA and very hard to thread net in whereas the Kubota BV is easy to thread net in plus it's 100% computer driven. The NH was a hybrid, part mechanical, part electronic.

How exactly he got it or the procedure to get it, I have no idea but he did and in a week too and that tells me a good dealer can get what he needs if they want to. he did ask me if he could keep it for a while as he wanted a machine to display at the local county fairs which wasn't an issue for me as I still had the 450 and the new one would have to be wired into my tractor and the old one's computer removed. the Kubota BV uses what they refer to as a Can Bus operating system and the NH computer in cab readout was not compatible with the Kubota system and after using the Kubota system, I like it much better, light years ahead of the NH system.

Kubota deferred my payments for as long as he had the bailer in his possession as well. Was a good move on my part all around. I 'visited' it at the local fair as well and we all got a chuckle about the whole scenario.

I just did the same thing with the new Land Pride stump grinder I bought a few months ago. I told him what I wanted and he requisitioned one from another dealer and had it delivered to him in 3 days time.

Again, I don't understand the process but it is doable, obviously. I'm thinking those dealers either didn't know the system or didn't want to do it for some reason and this area is almost 100% ag too. Around here, tractors both new and used don't last long. In fact I sold my NH 575 high capacity extra sweep pickup square bailer as it became excess equipment for me when I quit running small squares for more than I wanted for it on Tractor House and it sold in 2 days, cash on the barrelhead and the buyer arranged the trucking company to pick it up at his expense, all I had to do was load it and it was over width (like all square bailers are) and he covered the permits as well.

He's not a big dealer, only has one location but he obviously knows the system and how it works. and he's multi line too. He not only sells Kubota full line but full Line new Holland as well as Cub Cadet lawn tractors and Echo chainsaws and we have both of them as well.

Never cared for New Holland tractors though they do make excellent hay tools of which I own a few.