50hr service on L3540

[Grateful11]

My dealer is one the biggest Kubota dealers on the east coast, the owner and the head mechanic said don't change the hydraulic fluid at 50 hours just change the filters. We changed just the filters, one cost $71, lost a gallon of fluid with what we caught and what was in the filters. For engine oil we used CaseIH No. 1 15W40 which meets or exceeds Kubotas requirements my wife buys the stuff usually 12 to 16 gallons at a time so she didn't want stock another type of engine oil. She did use Kubotas hydraulic fluid, when it's changed at 250 hrs or whatever it is she said she may go with CaseIH HyTran Ultra like she uses in the other 5 tractors.

 

[arsenix2001]

At the time, 2 years ago the recommendation for all replacing fluids at 50hrs was in place. It was a L3540 HST-1. I understand the new changes and will probably just give the fluid away to someone with an older hydro tractor. By the time I go to use it with my current machine will take quite awhile. It just seemed like such a waste at the time, especially since it still looked so fresh. I am a little old school in the sense of waste not want ont.

Yeah tell me about it, when I was still wet behind the ears i tossed out 13 some gallons of perfectly good fluid out of my old l48 @ 50hrs...doh! At least the manuals have finally come up to speed. And I know what ya mean, everythings getting so friggin expensive these days, every penny counts.

 

[Bswope]

My dealer is one the biggest Kubota dealers on the east coast, the owner and the head mechanic said don't change the hydraulic fluid at 50 hours just change the filters. We changed just the filters, one cost $71, lost a gallon of fluid with what we caught and what was in the filters. For engine oil we used CaseIH No. 1 15W40 which meets or exceeds Kubotas requirements my wife buys the stuff usually 12 to 16 gallons at a time so she didn't want stock another type of engine oil. She did use Kubotas hydraulic fluid, when it's changed at 250 hrs or whatever it is she said she may go with CaseIH HyTran Ultra like she uses in the other 5 tractors.

$71 dollars for a dang filter, holly cow!

 

[arsenix2001]

LOL good thing you didnt buy a mini ex, just the suction hyd filter alone 175 bucks... Lest i mention that was one of only 4 in the system :confused2:

 

[bigbull338]

yes the filers are high.but thats all part of it.ok take the kubota dual air filter,it doesnt have tobe changed but every 2 or 3yrs,unless its real dirty.the last time we done the service on the 7700 it cost close to $200.the dual air filter was $90.weve never changed the hydro fluid in the 7700.but these new HST tractors require alot more maintance than the old tractors.

 

[Bswope]

I knew when I jumped up to the bigger tractor I would have more maintenance costs, but didnt think the dang filters would be so much! :laughing:
Not a big deal and like mentioned above it comes with the territory and is part of the game, now Ill just have to not put so many hours on it so quick! :laughing::laughing: YEAH RIGHT :thumbsup:

 

[Grateful11]

$71 dollars for a dang filter, holly cow!

Yep and as of yet there is no substitute. I searched every filter manufacturer I
could think of. The thing is it's a high pressure filter, the bottom end where
you screw it on is a thing of beauty, machined from billet aluminum, almost
looks to good to not have it show ;-) As many of these L40 series they selling
I think only a might of time before Wix, one of the biggest filter manuf. starts
making them. I know when picked up everything for the 50 hour service the
nice lady at the counter asked me if they told how much the one filter was. I
guess she thought we might go into shock.

 

[moship]

Baldwin makes a replacement filter for the HST. It has the billet end cap similar to the Kubota filter, but unlike the Kubota filter it is $50.04 when bought on line. I have one for my tractor.

Baldwin P/N: BT9358 (Kubota: HHTA0-59900, $73.95)

Please verify the part number for your tractor model.

 

[Baby Grand]

Just out of curiosity was wondering if anyone has kept and filtered out there hydro oil to reuse? I did my own L3540 50 hr change and did all the fluids. When I took out the Hydro fluid it still looked like it was brand new. No discoloration. I put in brand new Kubota oil. I then transferred the oil I took out from one set of buckets to another using a pump to draw off all but the bottom couple of inches after leaving it stand for several weeks. I was going to go ahead and drop a couple of magnets in the bottom as well. Seems like such a waste if the oil is still like new. I know I have said just earlier in this thread not go broke saving money and was wondering what anyone else thinks.

I did the 50 hr service on my L3240.

I cleaned the undersides of the tractor with the pressure washer to reduce any grit falling into the oil. Used one of those clear plastic storage bins with the snap fit top the The Plant Manager uses to store her clothes in as a collection pan. I took the clothes out first. Actually, she donated one "for the cause". It allowed me to dump all the hyd fluid into a single container & inspect it with a good light, a magnet and my sniffer. No burned smell. No pick up on the magnet. Oil looked almost like water. Ran it thru a cheese cloth and put it back in. Snapped the lid on the bin and tossed them up in the loft so it'll be nice and clean inside when I drain & replace with new fluid at 400 hrs.

Tossing oil with only 50 hrs of use is silly and wasteful. That's my opinion. Your opinion may differ. I'm okay with that.

Changing fluids yourself is easy and good karma. While you're doing it, take some additional time and note how everything else looks underneath. Any leaks, any sticks lodged in there, anything dinged, etc.

-Jim

 

[crazyal]

I'm only at a little over 30 hours so it'll be this summer before I'll need to do the 50. I know some people have talked about using a vacuum to keep the fliud from leaking out while doing the hst screen while others have said they used a cork. Does anyone know what size cork or if it's needed?