A little BX2360 maintenance help please

[Panik]

So at the moment I am feeling like a bit of a bad parent to our recently adopted BX2360. I've been using it for about 15hrs and with everything else going on in our lives I have yet to hit the zerks with a grease gun. My problem is that I am pretty much a noob with respect to maintaining tractors. That being said have been at least checking the fluids (including the front axle).

Would you folks mind reading through things and checking my understanding of basic maintenance between service maintenance?

-Fluids
-Oil
-Coolants
-Front Axle
-HST

-Zerks/Grease Points
-(1) Center of front axle?
-(2) Steering knuckles?
-(4) Mower deck
-(2) Mower drive shaft
-(1) Foot pedal
-(4) Anti-scalp wheels (carefully)
-Toplink/3 point adjustment threads

-Air filter
-Fans (stick damage)
-Radiator screen (chaff)
-Tire pressure
-Scraping or washing underside of MMM

Unfortunately I don't know what type of grease my dealer used. I do know when I took possession of the mower there was red, somewhat clear grease on the deck. Yah, yah its dye and doesn't really mean much of anything.

From searching here and the orange tractor forum I gathered that mixing grease types can be bad news. Without getting into a highly technical discussion would it be safe to assume that I can just use a reasonably priced, lithium based EP lube that has moly additives as long as I used enough to purge the old grease. (As well as picking up a grease gun more than every 20hrs) This would be for the BX, the MMM, and the F.E.L. that we are have installed in July.

Is there anything else that I might be missing. I'm actually feeling kinda horrible that I missed performing regular maintenance, after all the tractor is a big investment. I have read the manuals, I just want to make sure I'm doing mostly the right thing.

Random aside.... The little guy below is coming home next week and is going to be the official work shop mascot and my sons new best friend.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I bought my BX I also bought a case of grease and a new grease gun... wanted it all to be the same.

I went with the Texas Refinery stuff I read about on TBN...

I like to gease at the end of the day so the BX is always ready for use and check my fluids too.

A little over 300 hours and no problems and the loader has moved a lot of material...

I'm sure someone will chime in with specifics for your model...

 

[TripleR]

We have had our BX2200 for ten years and BX2660 for four years and just follow the manual, they really don't need a lot of attention or time compared to our other tractors. We just go by the manual with nothing extra thrown in, not that there is anything wrong with added attention.

It sounds as though you are doing better than many of us.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

You may want to read this thread. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/167108-do-your-own-fluids-filters.html

 

[vrmnthntr]

I use Mystic JT 6 red grease. It's lithium based and has a EP rating. I was using a green lithium based grease but decided to stick to the red. But grease is better than no grease. I would call the dealer service dept. just to ask.

I try to grease before I mow each time on the mower deck with a couple pumps on the spindles and a pump everywhere else. If I don't get to it. Then I try every other time.

On my L tractor for the loader, I grease after extended use with the loader (an hour or more). If it gets rained on for an extended period of time then i grease the loader as well. But it stays in the garage when not used.

Don't forget fuel filters. I just picked up several yesterday. I think I paid around $8 or $9 each. I plan on changing the air and fuel filters more often because of the dirt and dust when I mow. Especially the RTV. It sees a lot of field use during the summer. They are cheap. The damage caused by dirt in a diesel engine isn't.

I usually blow the radiator out with a air compressor after every mow, if not then every other just to keep it clean. I've seen what dirt and grass can do when they pack into the fins of a radiator.

Good luck with the puppy.

 

[rbarker]

With only 15 hours on the tractor it's highly unlikely that any damage or premature wear has occurred from your not greasing it yet. I'd hit the mowing deck and loader (if equipped) as priorities with a good grade multi purpose moly based grease and not be overly concerned.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[Panik]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Its kinda nice to be able to have such a cool forum as a resource. We're relatively new to our area, so are still making connections getting to know folks. To have a resource that you can trust at your finger tips is a very nice thing.

TripleR - I definitly can't say that I’m doing better than most anyone regarding maintenance seeing as I neglected greasing, but I am aspiring to be better about it. What I'm planning on doing is trying to get in in the habit of greasing every time I check the fluids which is usually every time/every other time it gets used.

JohnThomas - Thanks for the suggested reading. I had not found that thread yet. I like the idea of doing all of the maintenance, and probably will be attempting the work required at the service intervals. With three kids and 2 furry kids its not as if I have whole lot of disposable income to give my local dealer.

Rbarker - Thanks for the reassurance. That is the priority for the day. At the moment we don’t have a F.E.L.. However, I just ordered one for installation in June.

We are moving in July and are going from 5 acres (1 of lawn / 4 cultivation lease) to 10.5 acres (3 of lawn / 7.5 woods) with a substantial increase in mulching and drainage maintenance. Hence the craziness and neglecting the tractor. Its going to be such a cool place for the kids and the dogs that all the insanity in between will be worth it.

 

[radioman]

you forgot the gearbox of the mower deck. check to see if it full of oil to top side bolt. also you missed a few zerks on mower
Mower grease points
1. Universal joint (2)
2. 3 spindle shafts (3)
3. Belt tension pulley (1)
4. Belt tension pivot (1)
5. Balance shaft (1)
6. 4 anti scalp wheels (4)
Total of 12 grease zerks for mower