Oil & Fuel 50hr front axle oil??

[john_bud]

Talon,

Service techs will drain the fluid into a (ahem) clean bucket and after changing the filters will pump it back into your tractor. SOP in some places.

Great way to save a hundred bucks. Totally consistent with the manual.

However, some folks might consider that to be "penny wise and pound foolish".

jb

 

[DesertRose]

I agree with Talon Dancer that Kubota manuals can be confusing and contradictory. I had Honda motorcycles in the 1960's and would laugh when reading the maintenance sections. They seemed to have all the right words in a sentence but were out of order. As I remember they had statements like this: "The oil to change frequently is important. Guidelines are followed. When passenger accompanies operator on roads of dust frequently follow more changes of engine oil and air filters." It almost gave me a headache to read them and Kubota's manuals aren't much better.

I have found much better tips and advice here on TBN than in the manual. But my manual does say to change the oil in the L3400 4WD front end at 50 hrs so that's what I will do. It only takes about a gallon of oil so cost isn't that big of an issue. The extra time and effort will be worth it if for no other reason than piece of mind. I will use UDT because it gets very cold here in the winter and let's face it, tractors are used at very much slower speeds than cars or trucks which use 90W oil in their front and rear ends.

Someone in this thread mentioned changing the filter on the front end at 50 hours. Does any Kubota tractor use a filter on the front end?

Tom

 

[dutchman56]

Did the 50 hour service over the holidays and when drained front axle it was obvioiusly gear oil and not UDT like dealer said would be in it. Replaced with Premiam UDT but next time will do this in fall or spring and not -10 deg C. It was forever to drain.

 

[lovemytoys]

my dealer quoted me from 350 -400 to do the 50 hour service .im confused it like under 100 for parts ??am i wrong i have a bx 24

 

[inseeme]

If I were you I would do it myself, really not that bad, and you save all that money, yes parts are probably around $100

 

[SteveA]

I used Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil. Wanted something a little heavier than SUDT that would not turn to molasses during cold winter.

 

[LQPAPPY]

Know this is an older thread but for current info I emailed Kubota tech about my B3030 with upcoming 50 hr. service. Manual calls for 300 hr on front axle and gear oil or sudt owners choice. Kubota tech says with fel they recommend gear oil and 300 hr is fine. My choice was gear oil @ 50 hr(if it needed gear with fel why wait till 300hr).

 

[bp fick]

Know this is an older thread but for current info I emailed Kubota tech about my B3030 with upcoming 50 hr. service. Manual calls for 300 hr on front axle and gear oil or sudt owners choice. Kubota tech says with fel they recommend gear oil and 300 hr is fine. My choice was gear oil @ 50 hr(if it needed gear with fel why wait till 300hr).

I have no idea why, but my dealer specifically spoke of using gear lube in the front axle. He brought up the subject. He also intimated that "most guys" drop the factory udt as soon as they got the machine home. His tone was matter-of-fact. Again, I don't know why this recommendation. But, I followed his advice. Dropped the front axle lube at 8 hours. Re-filled with semi-synthetic 75w-90. If I sense it is still too stiff, (although I don't know how I will detect this), I will fill it with pure synthetic. We get zero weather with regularity.

 

[Deano]

I have been using the SUDT in my front axle for 560 hours. Spoke with a dealer last week and told him I was deciding to go to gear oil at 600 hours and think I should have changed it long before this. He stated that the book does call for either, but they suggest gear lube.

I should have chaged to gear lube when I got the tractor. It is simply a gear case and does not need the thinner SUDT.

Deano

 

[brin]

I know this is a Kubota forum but I just want to throw in my 2 cents..I have a NH TC 29 and I did the 50 hr. service myself and have done all the service since...I was a little intimidated to start the 50 hr. service but it ended up being an easy task...same for all the other service...not long ago I finished the 300 hr service which included the Hyd. oil change and again no big deal.

For what it's worth it is rewarding in that you get to know your machine, you know the service was done and you can select the brand and type of lubricants you use as well as the filters..but when you are finished you know it was done and have saved a lot of money...