Worlds hardest oil filter to get off

[Cat_Driver]

I had a slow leak from a hydraulic hose that left a pretty good puddle under the tractor. My dilemma was put in 5 gallons of new hydraulic fluid after I fix the hose or keep going and drain it all and change the fluid and filters. I went with the complete change I mean why put 5 gallons of fresh fluid into 6 gallons of old fluid.

My Kubota takes (2) hydro filters, one for the Tranny and one for the rest of the tractor.

The first one ( the larger one ) came off as normal, the next one was a different story. I broke the spot welds on the first filter wrench after trying for an hour and finally using a pipe attached to it.

Off to the store to buy a new "HEAVY DUTY" model, still no luck so I braced myself and used the full force of my legs. BANG, the metal strap actually from the force.

Two hours and still the filter would not budge. I went to you tube to find a solution and realized many, many people have this problem from idiots at quick lube joints that seem to take pleasure in cranking down on oil filters when they change them.

Some of the solutions are hammer and chisel other methods are driving a screw drive through the filter and using that as leverage. I did that once years ago with a similar oil filter problem and all that did was shred the oil filter and make it impossible to grip again with anything ( DO NOT USE THIS METHOD)

OK now on to the solution. I purchase a pair of vice grips with the chain attached to it. I attached it with a solid grip from the chain, used the entire force of my leg strength by pushing and off it came. Total time invested about 4 hours.


For all of you that find yourself in this situation, and believe me you will some day as this is the second one for me. In my opionion this this is darn near impossible to break.





Looks like I'm not the only one....

 

[Oaktree]

Worst OF change i ever had to do was on a late 80s/early 90s Suburu a lady friend had. It was mounted horizontally, but recessed into something where you couldn't really get any leverage on it. It didn't help that a gorilla had put it on. Ended up doing what you did with the chain vise grips.

 

[RjCorazza]

A Chain wrench is also my go to filter tool for the hard ones. Mine is not quite the same though... Has a short crescent area that bites into the material as it grips.

 

[Oldoak]

RjCorazza, that is also my "go to filter tool" for removing a stubborn factory installed filter.

Funny, we used similar tools made my Ridgid with 5' handles on them. They had two sets of teeth and much larger size chain. Used them on 4-8" threaded pipe. All bull work!

 

[jaxs]

After using a wrench to tighten new filter,tighten drain plugs with a half inch impact and it will be a done deal. I've never used more than one hand installing filters and never had a single leak.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

My FIL's new Deere Gator was factory installed waaaay too tight.

I had to remove the exhaust manifold to get at it to get it off... Arrrgh.

What should've taken 15 mins turned into 3 hours.

 

[fried1765]

I had a slow leak from a hydraulic hose that left a pretty good puddle under the tractor. My dilemma was put in 5 gallons of new hydraulic fluid after I fix the hose or keep going and drain it all and change the fluid and filters. I went with the complete change I mean why put 5 gallons of fresh fluid into 6 gallons of old fluid.

My Kubota takes (2) hydro filters, one for the Tranny and one for the rest of the tractor.

The first one ( the larger one ) came off as normal, the next one was a different story. I broke the spot welds on the first filter wrench after trying for an hour and finally using a pipe attached to it.

Off to the store to buy a new "HEAVY DUTY" model, still no luck so I braced myself and used the full force of my legs. BANG, the metal strap actually from the force.

Two hours and still the filter would not budge. I went to you tube to find a solution and realized many, many people have this problem from idiots at quick lube joints that seem to take pleasure in cranking down on oil filters when they change them.

Some of the solutions are hammer and chisel other methods are driving a screw drive through the filter and using that as leverage. I did that once years ago with a similar oil filter problem and all that did was shred the oil filter and make it impossible to grip again with anything ( DO NOT USE THIS METHOD)

OK now on to the solution. I purchase a pair of vice grips with the chain attached to it. I attached it with a solid grip from the chain, used the entire force of my leg strength by pushing and off it came. Total time invested about 4 hours.


For all of you that find yourself in this situation, and believe me you will some day as this is the second one for me. In my opionion this this is darn near impossible to break.

View attachment 604271



Looks like I'm not the only one....

I have had a pair of chain vise grips for close to 30 years.
I don't use them often, but sometimes they are the only tool that will do a particular job.

 

[Threepoint]

[snip]
OK now on to the solution. I purchase a pair of vice grips with the chain attached to it. I attached it with a solid grip from the chain, used the entire force of my leg strength by pushing and off it came. Total time invested about 4 hours.

For all of you that find yourself in this situation, and believe me you will some day as this is the second one for me. In my opionion this this is darn near impossible to break.

View attachment 604271
[snip]

Yup, that type of chain visegrip (plus an 18" iron pipe extension) was the only way I could get the hydraulic filter on my Kioti NX to budge for the first service (50 hr). Nice thing about that particular design is that the loop of the chain exerts uniform pressure around the filter, so less chance of collapsing it with a pressure point.

BTW, I think the same 800 lb gorilla must do the factory filter installs for Kioti, Kubota and JD. Busy guy.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Here's for your viewing pleaseure. We've ALL had oil changes like this....

 

[KennyG]

I usually do all my own work, but I take new vehicles back to the dealer for the first service, just to avoid this inevitable situation.

 

[Threepoint]

I usually do all my own work, but I take new vehicles back to the dealer for the first service, just to avoid this inevitable situation.

Not a bad idea! But for my Kiotis, that's a 200 mile round trip. :laughing: And for my NX, 83" sidewall to sidewall with big turf tires, it takes a roll-back or a deck-over trailer.

 

[FredH]

Any Filter that is in A Horizontal position . Not that getting them off is hard , most are not , But What Brain child thought it would be a good idea to have a oil filter of any type oil , mounted in a horizontal position . My TC 30 , My thermos king APU on my semi to name I few I have . What should be a simple screw off old and screw on new , turns into another 15 to 30 minute clean up of oil running down the side of the engine !!! :fiery:


Fred H.

 

[oosik]

I did a complete hydraulic oil change @ 50 hours on my new M6040 Kubota. My standard band removal oil filter tool would not even begin to remove either of the two filters. I ended up buying/using a chain band removal tool. It had a much longer handle and the chain grips a whole lot tighter.

While it's common knowledge that all OEM filters must be installed by a gorilla....... I think the reason they are so dam tight - - the filter(s) are torqued down while the engine paint is still wet. The paint dries and bondo's the filter(s) to the engine block.

 

[newbury]

Any Filter that is in A Horizontal position . Not that getting them off is hard , most are not , But What Brain child thought it would be a good idea to have a oil filter of any type oil , mounted in a horizontal position . My TC 30 , My thermos king APU on my semi to name I few I have . What should be a simple screw off old and screw on new , turns into another 15 to 30 minute clean up of oil running down the side of the engine !!! :fiery:


Fred H.

Your probably supposed to vacuum the oil out first.
I had a '79 VW Diesel Rabbit. I could change the oil filter with the car setting on the ground. Just reach under the front bumper and twist. Had to get an arm under it to get the drain plug though.

 

[ruffdog]

Does anyone use the channel lock oil filter pliers?

 

[Oldoak]

Any Filter that is in A Horizontal position . Not that getting them off is hard , most are not , But What Brain child thought it would be a good idea to have a oil filter of any type oil , mounted in a horizontal position . My TC 30 , My thermos king APU on my semi to name I few I have . What should be a simple screw off old and screw on new , turns into another 15 to 30 minute clean up of oil running down the side of the engine !!! :fiery:
Fred H.

I always thought the manufacturers designed them that way so owners would get discussed doing their own changes and create more business (profit) for their dealerships.

 

[aczlan]

I think the reason they are so dam tight - - the filter(s) are torqued down while the engine paint is still wet. The paint dries and bondo's the filter(s) to the engine block.

IIRC, Kubota engines and transmissions are painted after the engine, transmission and rear end are assembled but before the operators platform, hood and tin are installed (that is why the factory filters are grey).

Aaron Z

 

[bullbreaker]

Does anyone use the channel lock oil filter pliers?

I have those giant blue handle ones if you can get a grip on it , it works great imo .

 

[Industrial Toys]

Maybe the quick lube guys are more scared of the filter coming off. I have to admit, that is a concern of mine also.

I have often just driven a long punch or screwdrive through a filter, mostly when you can't get at it or the six different filter wrenches you own, don't fit.

 

[DEWFPO]

I don't think they oil the gaskets before they put them on at the factory. I think they just spin them on dry. Once the engine get used for a while the the rubber gasket attaches itself the the machined mounting surface.

DEWFPO