.....I am in the state of WA and have a new 3215 (gear). Some of you have teased me in the past because I enjoy keeping the tractor super clean, and hesitate to even use it, for fear of getting it dirty! I really enjoy doing maintenance! For 2 days, in anxious anticipation of this 50 hr service, the wife noticed I had sweaty palms. She thinks I am totally nuts. She gets really tired of hearing talk of "your stupid tractor". Anyway, on Christmas morning @ 5:15 I started my 50 hr service; it took me 5 hours to complete.
Preparation: I moved 2 cars from the workshop (30 x 40 with concrete floor). The shop was heated to 60 F. I laid down a drop cloth 12' by 12'. I had ready 2 large oil drain pans, 20 qts each; a roll of paper towels, air compressor & blow nozzle, purple shop rags, genuine Mahindra oil filter and hydraulic transm filter, the owner's manual, and various tools & metric wrenches.
Fluids: I spent some extra $ on these; not absolutely necessary, but I plan to keep the machine a long time: 2 (5 gallon) buckets of Chevron Synthetic all-weather THF. ($86.00 per bucket). 5 quarts of Mobil 1 synthetic oil, 5W-30 ($5.50 per quart)
Warm-up: I drove the tractor around (in the dark) at 4:50 am for about 10 minutes, warming the fluids. I lifted the FEL up and down many times to get the pump & cylinders circulating the fluid.
Procedure: First I set front tires to 40 psi and rear tires to 30. There are 2 engine oil pan drain plugs (17mm wrench) I removed them and also the oil filter. While the oil drained, I located and removed the 3 hydraulic oil drain plugs. (19mm wrench) Using the large drain pans, I estimate that about 26 qts of hyd fluid drained out. But the system is suppose to hold 33 qts. Where was the rest hiding? While that was draining (dripping) I serviced the fuel filter and water cup. Next, I removed and replaced the Hydraulic oil filter with a new one. Same with the engine oil filter. I installed them about as tight as I could get them by hand. Then I replaced all drain plugs and tightened to the torque specified in the manual.
Next, I removed the 3 drain plugs for the front axle (24mm wrench for the middle, and 14mm for the sides) After draining, I cleaned and replaced the drain plugs and filled the axle with the Chevron Synthetic THD (tractor hydraulic fluid) until it ran out the fill-level hole. Then I took a wetted purple shop rag and thoroughly wiped down the entire underside of tractor; it looks clean as new. (this way, you can detect any leaks) Then I filled the engine with 4.9 qts of oil, and the hydraulic system with about 26 qts of fluid. For this task, I just inserted a long funnell into the fill hole, stood up on the tractor deck, and poured in the fluid right from the 5-gallon bucket. It worked great! Next, I greased the FEL (12 grease points) and the 4 zerks under the tractor. Then I cleaned the air filter. Then I checked the battery electrolite level. Then I checked the torque of the tractor frame bolts and also the wheel lugs. Then I lubricated the 3-point hitch top & side link threads. Then I checked the engine coolant level. Then I checked the alternator belt free-play.
Next, I re-waxed and buffed the engine hood, fenders, ROPS, and removed the rubber deck mat, to wax the deck. Then I re-traced all my steps and checked off each item I had done, on a check-list. All done! Then I started the tractor and drove it for 5 minutes, then let it sit for 5 minutes. Then I checked all fluid levels to make sure, and looked for leaks.
DISCREPANCIES: I was somewhat displeased with the owner's manual. It appears to be NOT updated for the model 3215. For example, the manual says there are 5 hyd oil drain plugs, but the illustration only shows 3, and I could locate only 3. The manual says there are 2 front axle fill-level plugs, but there is only 1. The manual says to replace the hyd oil drain plugs with a seal washer, but no washers were present when removed. And finally, the manual, in one place, says to use 85w 140 gear oil in the front axle, and later says to use hydraulic oil.
Then, I spent the rest of Christmas day getting seat time. I dragged a 900 lb disc harrow around the 9 acre field; it really breaks up the clods nicely. Around 3:30 pm I took a brief break for Christmas dinner, then right back out to the tractor. The wife and all her relatives thought I was crazy to be out in the cold, sitting on that red machine. Oh well.............
I agonized for a long time before spending so much of my hard-earned savings for a big yard tool. But these things also do a lot and now I would never be without one. In fact, I wonder out loud what I ever did before my big Beast came home! 