hydraulic/transmission fluid

Katahdin · Jul 6, 2014

Based on what I know the 303 should work and you're good to go. Here's what I know...

"Cub Cadet" brand fluid for these Yanmars is defunct, putting that in your owners manual was a ploy to get you to spend more money at your CC dealership. As we all should know by now, Yanmar has taken over support for these Cub/Yanmar tractors.

I have a newer post-Cub-Cadet Yanmar manual, it says to use TF500 fluid. Yanmar describes TF500 as nothing more than an ISO 46 (SAE 20) fluid with friction modifiers added for the clutches and brakes. See this link on Yanmar lubricants here:

http://us.yanmar.com/media/ext/uploaded/a28aeb80-defa-48c3-aed0-62272347005a/LUBRICANTS.pdf

Having two pails of TF500 in my possession, I know its labeled both TF500 and J20A. It's also my understanding J20A is a newer term to describe 303 fluids. So... all things being equal:

Cub Cadet Hydraulic Fluid = Yanmar TF500 = John Deere J20A = 303

Raised on a Deere · Jul 6, 2014

First week in Aug. I am interested because the loader cylinders have been exposed to dirt and pollen. Ragweed bush hogging while using loader a lot to grapple brush plus dirt excavation. Rods stay shinny but have not had experience with dirt buildup in systems like these. The fluid looks so clear on dipstick but some say the drained fluid will look surprisingly used. Got my curiosity going.

Katahdin · Jul 6, 2014

Yeah, I was the guy who said that about the drained fluid after 50hrs. It won't be black, but it won't be as shiny and pretty pink as what you see on the dipstick. Another option is to send a hydraulic fluid sample to an oil analysis lab for a $20 professional opinion.

Katahdin · Jul 27, 2014

I visited my Yanmar dealer this weekend and have another angle to offer on the hydraulic fluid topic.

My dealer has temporarily stopped accepting TF500 fluid from Yanmar because it is shipped in tin 5 gallon buckets that get dented up easily in transit. My dealer will resume selling Yanmar brand fluids when/if it is shipped in a plastic bucket.

Meanwhile, the Hydraulic Fluid my dealer is providing Yanmar owners is AGCO Permatran 821XL. My dealer did frown upon Tractor Supply hydraulic fluids, they feel the tractor dealers provide higher quality oils than TSC.

Other than the tin bucket issue my dealer feels they are getting good support and enjoy a good relationship with Yanmar. Japanese engineers have even been onsite to get feedback about the tractors Yanmar is building for the USA market.

Raised on a Deere · Aug 7, 2014

Changed hydraulic fluid today. Used 303 from my yanmar dealer. 80 hours on tractor. Old fluid was darker than the golden 303 but it was very clean looking. Very translucent. I know the transmission fluid on my dodge truck changes color very soon after a change. Its the nature of the newer fluids i am told.

I was expecting to find a magnet to clean during the filter change.Read it somewhere. I saw no magnets.

Did about 5 hours mowing and about 5 hours brush grapple work past two days. Awesome what you can do with a grapple. Tonz and tons of trees and brush from an old fence row. I used to take days cleaning up what I cut down with a ha I saw. It took less than an hour and I never got off tractor. Awesome awesome.

The yanmar LX490 is a fine piece of machinery.

Didnt know until today however that the power reverser clutch disengaged seconds after engine is turned off. I just had not thought that through to be expecting that.

I had always locked the parking brake before getting off tractor but today I stopped on a hill, killed the engine, and while still in gear i let the clutch out expecting the tractor to stay put while i sat there looking over the site for what to do next. It held for a second or two ànd then started to roll. Now I know not to do half assed brake sets expecting the engine too hold

Would be happy to hear from anyone about the magnet. Is it somewhere I have to attend to? I was expecting it to be in the filter or the filter adapter from my recollection of reading about it somewhere on this site.

scoutcub · Aug 9, 2014

Wish I could help, but I'm overseas for a few more months, and the FIL changed fluids/filters for me. Good deal for him, he gets to play with the toyz putting in food plots.....:smiley_aafz:

I agree on the fine grappling machine, this is the majority of what I do on the property. Makes some nice big brush piles for me to burn.....:fiery::laughing:

Raised on a Deere · Aug 9, 2014

scoutcub said:
Wish I could help, but I'm overseas for a few more months, and the FIL changed fluids/filters for me. Good deal for him, he gets to play with the toyz putting in food plots.....:smiley_aafz:

I agree on the fine grappling machine, this is the majority of what I do on the property. Makes some nice big brush piles for me to burn.....:fiery::laughing:

Wait till you get home and want to do something and the fuel gauge is deep in the red. Then go gurrrrrrrr!

My biggest challenge now is to not have a perpetual burn pile. Had a a huge burn back during last rainy spell. Grand kids got a lesson on fire burning furious and unfazed during downpour. There they were in their rain coats with wiener roast sticks at the ready and couldn't get within 100 feet of the fire.

I have 3 more such piles and growing

alltherage · Aug 9, 2014

One of our local dealers set me up with wolf's head hydraulic fluid. He said cub fluid is the same stuff. He carries both actually...wolf is in pails and the cub fluid comes in quarts. Using 303 seems a bit out of date. J20c and J20d (cold climates) are the recognized standards when it comes to fluid these days from what I've read. Wolf's head meets j20c as do many others. 303 is lower grade. Bobistheoilguy.com has info on this.

Raised on a Deere · Aug 11, 2014

alltherage said:
One of our local dealers set me up with wolf's head hydraulic fluid. He said cub fluid is the same stuff. He carries both actually...wolf is in pails and the cub fluid comes in quarts. Using 303 seems a bit out of date. J20c and J20d (cold climates) are the recognized standards when it comes to fluid these days from what I've read. Wolf's head meets j20c as do many others. 303 is lower grade. Bobistheoilguy.com has info on this.

Interesting. I am pretty sure the can had meets J20c and J20d on the can. Unfortunately I am back in Alabama and the cans are in KY. I wonder if hydrostats have a particular requirement that synchronized gears do not and would not benefit from.

At any rate I will read up on Bobistheoilguy.com