M59 Discussion Thread

rScotty · Feb 22, 2011

ManAtArms said:
I only removed the two plugs on either end by the wheels, and the fill plug. The manual doesn't reference a third drain plug. Do you know where it is?
-mark

My mistake Mark. I assumed that there was a drain under the center of the front axle as well as one at each wheel bevel drive, but today I got down in the snow and crawled under mine and no third drain plug!! So it only has them at each wheel bevel gear drive housing.

But I did notice that there were three fill plugs!! One for the main and one each on the upper part of each wheel's bevel drive. That makes sense - in fact that is the way that the inventor of this drive originally made them. The way it works is that oil normally goes in the axle fill hole and makes it's way to the bevel drive just like we thought before. And checking the exploded diagram shows that sure enough the oil gets to the bevel by passing through the unshielded outrigger bearing where the axle meets the bevel drive.

That's adequate to distribute that oil, but it is a very slow distribution process - slow for venting, for draining, and also for the oil to move around to its final level. With 90 wt it would be really slow. So to get the oil in place quicker they've added filler holes to the bevel gear casing itself. Mine has a splash of white paint on top of each of the additional filler bolt.....in fact all the all the fill and check points on the tractor seem to be marked that way.

I'd be surprised if that system could hold 13 quarts, but who knows? For me the the final word is going to be the dipstick in the front axle housing. That's because the dipstick has hashes just exactly where I think they ought to be: so that the final oil level will be about half way up the front axle shaft itself. It might take it a day or two to seep around and get level.

While you are there, check that rubber vent hose. It's close to the main pivot and goes up from there under the hood somewhere. Mine had the hose pushed down so hard where it made a turn to go up that it was crimped nearly shut. It needs to vent freely.
enjoy! rScotty

rScotty · Feb 26, 2011

I had an interesting question proposed to me yesterday. It goes like this:

"If not the M59, what tractor would you have bought and why?"

rScotty

curtisfarmer · Feb 26, 2011

It would have been a L48 since it is the next best thing.

ManAtArms · Feb 27, 2011

Or perhaps the JD 110?

Charlesaf3 · Feb 28, 2011

BandDcabinet said:
I had the same thing happen (fuse failure)... I'm reasonibly certain I bumped the pto lever when I turned the seat from the rear at the same time I stepped on the forward HST pedal. Not certain what the connection is but the same failure symptoms you described and solution.

The dealer assisted on a late Saturday afternoon with resolving the problem

Another failure today. I reached for the FEL joystick and the top of it snapped off in my hand. Part replaced without question but I am surprised by the ease of the failure. I have the fornt aux hyd.

Despite the issues it is an extraordinary machine. highly regarded by many that visit the farm

B&D

I think they might have a FEL joystick problem - can't recall whether I posted about it, but I snapped one too. Replaced under warranty. Was a while ago

If not the m59 it would have been the L5740 plus a hoe. I'm glad I bought the m59, the integrated hoe really is all that and a pile of chips.

Charlesaf3 · Feb 28, 2011

oh a for grapples, search under the handle "Islandtractor". Hours of useful reading.

Chuck K. · Feb 28, 2011

ManAtArms said:
Oh yeah, Chuck, I just checked my bushings and I have lots of play in them too! 400 hrs. Did you replace them yet?

Yes, seems when they replaced the FEL curl cylinder they forgot to install the bushing

.. I Managed to install the new one in place without using a press, the other side had very little wear so I did not replace it.

59 Sons · Mar 1, 2011

I also was cowed by Kubota's fluid recomendations. It all sounded so critical in the manual, then I tried to get the products from my dealer and found that they dont even stock UDT or Super UDT. They had loaded it with Deere Plus-50 from the get-go. I figure if I have warantee issues as a result of their choice of fluid, its going to rain down on their heads, so I just stuck with the Deere product, I've never had any problems. Their line of reasoning was that the Deere product has a sucessful track record running in those huge combines that are way hotter and harsher than my M59, I bought that. Its still pretty expensive.

The manual also wasn't very clear that there were 3 hydro filters, and I swear that I couldnt find all the drains they described in the book.

I love my 59 Sons

ManAtArms · Mar 1, 2011

If I'm not mistaken, the M59 would have come from the factory with SUDT. Did you buy it new from a Kubota dealer?

I agree on the manual missing some info regarding the filter and drain plub locations. It's kind of annoying. I never found the ellusive 4th drain plug when doing the M59 Hydro-trans fluid change either. Has anyone else?

On the topic of SUDT, anyone get a batch of SUDT2 yet? I just bought about 5 jugs of the old SUDT, and the last one poured like WATER...it was marked SUDT, but it just seemed to have a different viscosity. I'm wondering if they started switching to SUDT2 in the old packaging to use it up.