BX23 Painer Tube

HoggyB · Jul 28, 2004

Well, actually it's the strainer tube, but it should be called a painer.

It got to the point where I could no longer ignore the 50 hour service (anyone else here gone more than 10 hours over?), so I ordered all the stuff and got to it today.

Draining the engine oil was a snap. Getting the filter off wasn't. I finally had to crush it a bit with my humungous channelocks so I could break it loose.

Draining the hydro was interesting with me passing cutoff water bottles to my wife who would dump them into a 5 gallon bucket. Next time I'll have a pump.

The hydraulic filter was easy enough.

But the strainer tube is another matter. According to the manual the darned thing should be visible and, presumably accessible, from ABOVE, but unless I'm looking at the wrong thing, and I don't think I am, getting to this thing requires you to shimmy under the tractor. (I'm guessing Kubota made it appear easy to access from above in the manual in order to hide their embarrasment at actually having located it in such a ridiculous spot.) I guess if you had reticulated pythons for arms you could reach it from above...

Am I looking at the right thing? Viewed from the back, it's on the left side and has a sturdy metal tube coming out that curves up to parts unknown. The tube doesn't look like it would flex at all. Maybe it has a flexible connection at the top that allows it to move?

Of course the head on this thing is bigger than the largest socket in my set (22mm) and my pliers wouldn't budge it.

Hog

Bird · Jul 28, 2004

Hog, I'm not very familiar with the BX, but if it's anything like a B7100 or B2710, that curved tube doesn't need to flex; it's a banjo fitting on the end and the "bolt" that goes through it is the strainer. You just pull it straight out, clean it, and replace it. It has 2 o-rings on it that you don't want to damage (I had spares on hand, but never needed them). And I'm not sure now, but think it may be a 33 mm, and I'm not sure how you'd get it out without using a socket wrench.

rlw · Jul 28, 2004

Bird is correct. Attached is a page from the parts manual. Items 030 & 040 are the stainer and o-rings. The strainer is attached to the nut. Loosen it and pull it straight out, then clean it off and reinsert being carefull to ensure the o-rings are correctly seated before tightening. If I recall, it took a lot of force to break the nut loose. Make sure you use a properly sized wrench or socket with a long handle.

HoggyB · Jul 28, 2004

( Bird is correct. Attached is a page from the parts manual. Items 030 & 040 are the stainer and o-rings. The strainer is attached to the nut. Loosen it and pull it straight out, then clean it off and reinsert being carefull to ensure the o-rings are correctly seated before tightening. If I recall, it took a lot of force to break the nut loose. Make sure you use a properly sized wrench or socket with a long handle. )

How do you get the inside o-ring in place? Does the tube swing out a bit? Or do the o-rings get placed on the strainer tube?

Hog

Will_C · Jul 28, 2004

The O-rings are on the strainer tube. You will need a 26 or 27 mm socket to loosen the bolt.
Will

Henro · Jul 28, 2004

I am a bit puzzled...because I read so much about everyone seeming to clean the transmission strainer at 50 hours that I thought it was a Kubota recommendation.

I thought I forgot to do it on my B2910, when I did the 50 hour service (and forgot to do it when I intended to), and later noticed in my manual that it was not required until 300 hours... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Which is what I did. Only found one of two small shavings, if that.

And my BX2200 manual also clearly states to clean the transmission strainer at 300 hours... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif So at 50 hours I did not clean the strainer...figured why bother?

I am a believer of "if it feels good, do it..." but for me if it isn't needed it feels better not to do it...so I decided not to clean my BX strainer until the 300 hours service comes up. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Granted, it feels funny to actually be following the rules... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

SCB · Jul 28, 2004

It is a 26 mm socket for the strainer. It is easily accessed from the left rear of the tractor. The painted frame makes the bolt tight. The o-rings are on the strainer when removed. I also would recommend not using pliers on it. hope this helps.

BIGUN · Jul 29, 2004

( Draining the hydro was interesting with me passing cutoff water bottles to my wife who would dump them into a 5 gallon bucket. Next time I'll have a pump. )

Get one of those 15qt Blitz oil drain pans from Walmart for around 5 bucks. Fits under the hydro and will hold all the fluid.

BIGUN · Jul 29, 2004

( I am a bit puzzled...because I read so much about everyone seeming to clean the transmission strainer at 50 hours that I thought it was a Kubota recommendation.

And my BX2200 manual also clearly states to clean the transmission strainer at 300 hours... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif So at 50 hours I did not clean the strainer...figured why bother? )

I guess you could interpret the manual either way. The "Service Intervals Chart" does show the first strainer clean at 300 hrs, but when you read the instructions for changing the transmission fluid on page 51 it states, "When changing the transmission fluid, disassemble and rinse the strainer......."
I would think the first change would be the most likely to have metal filings and its not much trouble if you have the right socket.
Like you I found very few filings and if I had it to do over I would probably just change the hydro filter and leave the whole fluid change/strainer cleaning till 300 hrs since everything was so clean. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

HoggyB · Jul 29, 2004

( It is easily accessed from the left rear of the tractor.)

Sounds like you didn't have to shimmy under the tractor to get to yours.

Did you have the backhoe on when you did it?

My backhoe was installed, which makes working on anything on the back end a PITA.

My strainer was on the bottom of the case, and backed out into the inside of the wheel rim when I removed it (as mentioned by someone else).

If it's easier w/out the backhoe, I'll try it that way next time. Of course I'll have to figure out how to take the backhoe off first... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Hog