Lifespan of kubota tractor

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Given the advances in technology, I would expect a modern diesel to go more hours than an old tractor between overhauls, just like I expect a new auto engine to go a lot longer than they did 50 years ago. It seems there is a lot of fear of electronics based on lack of understanding, but who today would want a car with points and condenser or a generator and old style voltage regulator?

I bought my first (Of over 180) car in 1964, a 1935 Dodge that smoked like a train and then a 1958 Chevy Impala and on and on and on with lots of P/Us added and subtracted. I like the cars of the 50s and 60s for their looks but......I hear and see written often about how great the older cars (Over 50000 was a get rid of it) were and how bad the newer (200000/300000 miles) ones are and have to smile at the selective memories. I still shudder when I drive a car with over 70,000 miles on it and pray for the Lord to get me to my destination and back across town. Radios, tires, batteries, solenoids, transmissions, clutches, and on and on and on are parts I have experience with because of owning those beautiful cars of the 50s and 60s.
I've owned Kubota tractors (several of them in different models) over the past 15 years and have seen the manuf scheduled maintenance for fluids extended several times and I do not believe it is to make them break down sooner or just to say Kubotas go longer than other brands between maintenance. Lubricants and electronics and mechanical parts are being studied all the time for extending the life of products which goes into advertising which brings sales which brings companies money which keeps them going. Research advancements are ongoing with thousands of people working in the field to make products that perform longer and better.:2cents:

 

[Diggin It]

It seems there is a lot of fear of electronics based on lack of understanding, but who today would want a car with points and condenser or a generator and old style voltage regulator?

Basic electronics like those are fine, but they've gone too elaborate. Tire Pressure Sensors are an example. How long will it be before we can't even change our own oil without having to see a dealer to reset a sensor?

 

[Rustyiron]

Worst problem I see with they new breed of tractors, is getting the parts when they get old!

I use to know a guy that had the front ring/pinion go out on his Kubota 2850 and the parts were no longer available. NO PLACE, not even in old stock, so last I heard after using it in 2wd, he sold it off for a much reduced price.

SR

I'm sure this can happen but I just "freshened up" my 34+ year old Kubota F-2000 front cut mower. This included a clutch, starter and misc levers and key switch. All the parts I needed were available (ordered) within a week.
This was an expensive mower when I told my wife it would be the last mower we would ever need (we were mid twenty's newlyweds) and yes, I've reminded her of that now & then

 

[goeduck]

I use to know a guy that had the front ring/pinion go out on his Kubota 2850 and the parts were no longer available. NO PLACE, not even in old stock, so last I heard after using it in 2wd, he sold it off for a much reduced price. SR

Wow, that model was made until 1990 according to tractordata.com. And that is Kubota, not some lower volume brand. The ring and pinion has nothing to do with the engine which may have had many other uses (generators, boats, etc.) to have a higher in-service volume. The ring and pinion would have been specific to Kubota tractors and that model making its in-service volume way lower.

Lots of talk about the engines in here but it could be a housing or something else that is the issue. Lesson being to do your maintenance and do not abuse or push the tractor to its limits. Easy does it.

 

[diesel85]

^ Exactly.

A lot of these engines will outlast the machine itself (with regular maintenance). A lot of engines you see for sale rebuilt (for example on flebay), usually come out of a tractor, dozer or some other piece of machinery that can't be fixed because of lack of parts OR it's just too expensive (not financially beneficial) to get the parts for. So they rip the machine apart, and sell what is left. Very common.

There was video I recently watched, where a guy got a lot of 10 CAT engines from dozers that CAT no longer supplied some integral part (could've been a housing... not sure), but he wound up rebuilding those engines that had tons of hours on them, and selling them for high volume water pumps and gensets. I think 2 of which were in perfect condition with over 20k hours on them... so minimal work was necessary (basically freshened them up).

Diesel engines are totally different than most gas engines too. 9 times out of 10 they are industrial - multi-application use. So you can not only use them in a tractor, but a dozer, genset, lighting equipment, water pumps, list goes on.

I mean there are examples of gas engines being used for on-highway and off-highway... give you an example, the latter F-250/350/450/550 with the 6.8l V10. That engine was also sold under Ford Power Products as the ESG-1068 for gensets and water pumps, or "industrial" use. The engine control is a little different for off-highway, but it's the same engine. I think even Ditchwitch used it for some of their trenching products too.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Yup, everyone is worried about the engine, but even the car motors today seem to last forever! My wives car has 217,000 miles on it and it still doesn't burn any oil...

There are LOT'S of other things on these tractors that are low volume parts, let's see how long THEY will be available!

I have a older Kubota tractor with about 800 hours on it, it still runs like new, but the hydraulic pump in history! Kubota wants $700.00 for a new pump, I guess I should just be happy I can still get one!

I guess THAT Kubota won't be going 10,000 hours without repairs!!!

SR

 

[diesel85]

Speaking of which, my daily driver is a '07 Jeep Compass with the 2.4l i4 GEMA World Engine. Which also is used for industrial applications -- mostly gensets.

I got close to 200,000 miles on it. But here's the kicker: That 200,000 miles has been done at low speed average ~25mph. I have a ScanGauge II that displays this (usually its between 24 to 27 mph depending on how I hit traffic lights).

There is a general mathematical expression for miles and hours. Typically, for highway use it's ~50 mph average.

Do the maths: 197500/25=~7900 hours. Which is scarily close according to the ECU's hour meter that I can pull with my computer hooked to it. I think the last time I checked it was about ~7800 hours.

If it were all highway then it'd be 197500/50=~3950 hours.

So if you were to do the maths in comparison 7900 hours in highway miles it'd then be: 7900x50=395000 miles.

To go back to say my little BX2200, I got roughly 1700 hours on it.

So if you were do it by highway miles it'd be: 1700x50=~85000 miles on the BX, conversely low speed mileage would be: 1700x25=~42500 miles.

Ahh, the power of maths.

 

[KennyG]

Interesting point diesel85. I believe the hour meters on equipment usually record the hours at rated rpm, so low rpm operation will result in less hours than actual operating hours. Hour meters are intended to record level of use on internal wear components like pistons on cylinders, shafts on bearings, etc. Other components on a vehicle may get a different use history.

 

[Mikefromcny]

10,000 hours is pretty much worn out scrap metal. Probably took a lot of maintnance, mi or repairs & a few major repairs to get there too.

3-4k with moderate maintnance & minor repairs is a good expectation.

On newer tractors especially time will not be as nice. I doubt we'll see the electronics & emissions last anywhere near the 50 years that a lot of the 8ns have. There are so many more makes & models these days finding parts for many 20 year old machines is almost impossible.

I have a 86' white 2-65, ISEKI made tractor. 3300 hours on the working meter. Farmer friend I bought it from thinks the meter has rolled over twice, I think just once. He bought it new. It's beat to all ****, but every still works. Starter, clutch, alternator, and lots of tires. Motor has never been opened up.

 

[shooterdon]

I bought my 1988 JD855 this year with 1104 hours on it and it was worked hard...very hard. I put over $2000 in it and it runs fine but still needs more work. I had to have a front wheel bearing assembly replaced and the part had to come form California as none were available anywhere else...so I was lucky...even though it cost a lot.

I think, like others have commented, that parts availability will be the biggest issue we face as tractors age. I am on the look out for a parts tractor if I come across a deal. The local Kubota dealer has a JD856 (same tractor as mine but 2WD) with a blown engine and he wants $2k for it...just nuts as far as I am concerned. The new machines with computers and environmental stuff on them concern me. No idea how robust they will be or if they will be supported in 10-15 years.