How soon is soon enough for Super UDT2 in Front Axle ?

[RickB]

Ballast of any kind in any location it is NOT a precondition for warranty coverage for New Holland, CaseIH, Kubota, Mahindra, Kioti or Kubota tractors. I won't speak to any other brands because I have no direct knowledge.

 

[deamer1]

Was there an initial filter change for the HST? Did it also have lots of metal in it?

That front oil does look dark though. Are you always in 4wd?

 

[deamer1]

View attachment 712965



I was shocked ...

L3560, 14 months old. 400 hours all on my watch, and first change of the hydraulic and front axle oil.

The 3 containers are old Pepsi plastic containers so there is no difference in the clarity of the plastic. I backlit top down above the containers with a sheet of white paper behind the bottles to show the difference in the color of the oil. I caught the oil as it poured out of the front end, and the transmission - before it hit anything else (old used oil catch containers).

The results are amazing, as are the fragments of metal and silicon sealing materials stuck in the hydraulic magnet of the ingress side of the hydraulic filters.

A picture tells a thousand words here.

I was shocked to see Bronze/Brass material floating in the front axel oil as it was drained. It was as if someone took powdered metal filings and dumped them into the oil.

There is nothing more disturbing than to see this kind of wear internally in the front axle on a 1 year old Grand L 3560 with 400 hours used around our property. We use the front loader (805) for lifting mostly IBC totes for firewood for our home, and lifting logs to cut down into rounds so we can split them into firewood.

We have also done some excavation work on a driveway of about 150ft by 20ft, removing about 60 ton of material and placing it in another area in the yard for building the barn on. I can't believe that kind of wear is from that use and weight on the front end. If it is, then we may need to do something else over using the tractor for what it's intended to be used for?

We just started mowing this summer, and had only used the PTO for a post hole attachment previous to this. The Hydro Fluid looks somewhat beat up, I suppose I would feel that way too if I were stuck holding and gripping and lifting stuff all day for 14 months!

Yes we have a grapple that we use about 60% of the time for firewood prep, but other than that it's just driving and carrying firewood for our 1800sq ft home. We also burn oil so we are not dedicating that 1800sq ft to all wood burning.

Maybe I'm just a little paranoid. What are your thoughts?

Its a Mad Mad Homestead!

 

[deamer1]

Just a note on your Hyd. oil change. I have a Kubota M7040 with FEL. we just completed our 700 hour items, one of which is a Hydralic oil change, filters etc. same as you completed. Our Hyd oil from both the transmission and the front axle was more like your photo on the right side. We did not experience anything like your center photo or your description of metal shavings. Just a normal Hyd. oil change with filter changes. We did clean the magnets very well which are with the oil filters.
Enjoy your week. Good luck to you.
Deamer1

 

[bulldog69]

I've bought 3 new tractors and changed all the fluids and filters @50 hrs. It's expensive, especially on a big M series but piece of mind is priceless.

 

[JRH02]

And for the record, I always use ballast with a loader. Currently have beat juice in rear tires of my B3200.

I can't afford any new stuff with a warranty. So I care for it so it lasts to the next generation.

But this ballast thing is curious. I have ballast in both tractors, front and back, and I do that so we don't end up at the bottom of the canyon. I don't get how ballast and warranties are an issue. If anything I would think they'd count ballast against you because the tractor should be rated for how it sits on the floor. If you add ballast you can over do things and that's what they could use to come against you.

Forgive me, when you are buying you can do anything. When you claim a warranty failure there is no end to stupid stuff and exclusions made up on the fly.

 

[Tony H]

View attachment 712965



I was shocked ...

L3560, 14 months old. 400 hours all on my watch, and first change of the hydraulic and front axle oil.

The 3 containers are old Pepsi plastic containers so there is no difference in the clarity of the plastic. I backlit top down above the containers with a sheet of white paper behind the bottles to show the difference in the color of the oil. I caught the oil as it poured out of the front end, and the transmission - before it hit anything else (old used oil catch containers).

The results are amazing, as are the fragments of metal and silicon sealing materials stuck in the hydraulic magnet of the ingress side of the hydraulic filters.

A picture tells a thousand words here.

I was shocked to see Bronze/Brass material floating in the front axel oil as it was drained. It was as if someone took powdered metal filings and dumped them into the oil.

There is nothing more disturbing than to see this kind of wear internally in the front axle on a 1 year old Grand L 3560 with 400 hours used around our property. We use the front loader (805) for lifting mostly IBC totes for firewood for our home, and lifting logs to cut down into rounds so we can split them into firewood.

We have also done some excavation work on a driveway of about 150ft by 20ft, removing about 60 ton of material and placing it in another area in the yard for building the barn on. I can't believe that kind of wear is from that use and weight on the front end. If it is, then we may need to do something else over using the tractor for what it's intended to be used for?

We just started mowing this summer, and had only used the PTO for a post hole attachment previous to this. The Hydro Fluid looks somewhat beat up, I suppose I would feel that way too if I were stuck holding and gripping and lifting stuff all day for 14 months!

Yes we have a grapple that we use about 60% of the time for firewood prep, but other than that it's just driving and carrying firewood for our 1800sq ft home. We also burn oil so we are not dedicating that 1800sq ft to all wood burning.

Maybe I'm just a little paranoid. What are your thoughts?

Its a Mad Mad Homestead!

3500 front axle are very weak when using FEL for anything but hay. Google 'Kabota front axle bearings'. Neighbor is way on top of maintenance on his, with that said, he's torn up his front axle twice in 1700 hours. First time he had a weep on the axle ends. 2nd time the wheel dropped without warning.

 

[DonaldP]

Just a note on your Hyd. oil change. I have a Kubota M7040 with FEL. we just completed our 700 hour items, one of which is a Hydralic oil change, filters etc. same as you completed. Our Hyd oil from both the transmission and the front axle was more like your photo on the right side. We did not experience anything like your center photo or your description of metal shavings. Just a normal Hyd. oil change with filter changes. We did clean the magnets very well which are with the oil filters.
Enjoy your week. Good luck to you.
Deamer1

Your feedback is really very nice to know about. I have a feeling that something is awry wothmy fro g axel, although I haven’t my seen anything mechanical happen yet.
Im sure I will.
Thanks so much.

 

[Metalman5767]

Looked at my front axle oil (while changing engine oil). My BX23 at 925 hours with minimal 4WD, the Super UDT looks like new. Not sure that helps much...

 

[Midniteoyl]

I doubt ballast is a requirement for the front axle warranty…but I’d have to read the entire warranty to be sure. And how could the manufacturer prove one way or another wether you used ballast? In some specific situations, they may be able to prove overloading

The recommendation had nothing to do with warranty and everything to do with helping OP with unloading his front axle a bit as that *is normal practice*.

Using loaded rear tires is good for helping to prevent tipping forwards, as I said.

Using a 3pt ballast as well so the *much* beefer rear axle is the fulcrum instead of the front, is better.