NEW BX2350 hydro noise???

[Musclford]

I just brought home my BX2350 last night and put about 2 hours on it today.

It is a sweet machine, but I have a couple of questions....

When idling, I hear a slight whine from the hydro and when I rev as I rev it up the noise gets louder. Now I know that some hydro is normal, but this is actually resonating up the ROPs and it gets quite annoying when I'm mowing. I used my neighbors BX2200 and never noticed this noise. He too has the typical/slight hydro whine, but mine is much louder and grindier.. if that is a word??

If I put my ear on the rops it is very predominant. I put my ear on my neigbors and it is barely noticable, but it's not even the same sound. It's like the rops is a stethascope....

I bought the tractor out of state and didn't notice the noise for the very little time I ran it to put on the trailer, but 2000 or so RPMs and it gets on my nerves a bit.

It almost sounds like a Power steering pump that has air in the lines...

Anyone else have this problem.. I'm reluctant to take it to the local dealer just yet... I may go ahead and put some hours on it and if it persists, may go down to the local dealer and listen to another....

Any suggs, or similar experience???

Also, what rpms do you mow at? I mowed at 2200 today and it seemed to cut just fine... Does everyone run it at max rpm or keep it lower?

Thanks!!!

Phil

 

[rdsaustintx]

Most everybody complains about HST whines, but I think it's hard to be objective. I'm at 350 hours (200 last summer) and I still obsess on every whine (from the tranny) and every clatter (from the engine). Mine definitely sounds different when hot than cold, but other than that I think I can obsess on it until it just makes me miserable. My happiest seat time is when I can just concentrate on digging and forget about the machine. It IS a diggin dog!

Somebody posted here a couple of months ago they were buying a gear shuttle machine simply because they couldn't stand HST whine anymore.

None of which gives you any useful information, only to say that if you listen hard enough, the thing might drive you nuts. Anything acoustic will be inherently subjective. Absent a functional problem, most dealers wouldn't care.

A chevy dealer once advised me how to deal with octane clatter - He told me to turn the radio up

I mow at WOT with a MMM. Better cut and my deck is actually quieter at high speed.

Russell in Texas

 

[IH3444]

Amsoil synthetic hydraulic/trans fluid has been know to quiet down the whine quite a bit.

 

[crd]

Phil - I run my BX2350/54" deck at about 2800-2900 when mowing - as Russell said it seems happier at higher RPM although I don't go all the way.

BTW, you might kill two birds by wearing hearing protection when you mow. Althought the BX is relatively quiet, it's still pretty loud and earplugs will save your hearing in the long run AND help with random noise worries.

Craig

 

[Charliebrn]

Another thing...you can't really compare it to the BX2200...it's a different design, so sounding different may be normal. Check the fluid level though, sometimes the dealer doesn't fill it after hooking up the FEL, etc. And don't forget to check the level in the front axle as well. Even my dealer forgot that... *sigh*

 

[c-and-a]

Sounds obvious, but did you check the fluid level? TBN warned me about front axle fluid and sure enough, it took 2/3 of a quarter after 2 hrs... I check the tranny often and so far, it has been fine...

I have 10 hrs on my 2350 - 60" MMM with bagger - dealer told me to run it at 2800 which I have been doing. The bagger works more efficiently, deck is quieter and cut is better. Dealer told me not to run WOT until after 50hrs...

I have been very satisfied - mowed four times and moved several yards of banked fill...machine performed outstanding...

 

[Lockport]

You might find the online specification sheet interesting. To get the proper speed of the mid PTO, thus the proper blade speed, the rpm should be around 3k

 

[teachdocs]

My BX23 HST has more "whine" than my previous BX2200 did. I recently made the switch to SUDT fluid and that quieted things down considerably.
It's a bit more expensive, but I think it is the way to go.

 

[hwew]

Amsoil synthetic hydraulic/trans fluid has been know to quiet down the whine quite a bit.

I had a BX2200 before I sold it and I noticed hydro noise got louder after 25 hours of use. I changed the hydro filter and it helped quiet it down.

If you think it does not sound right try to find A Kubota dealer that has a tractor like yours and test drive it.
And if yours sounds far differant then it is time to talk to someone in a Kubota service department.

Make sure you follow the recomended HST filter and fluid changes for break in.
I also recommend cleaning the strainer screen in the transaxle at the break in changes.

The Quote that IH3444 made about using a higher quality synthetic HST fluid does make a difference in some applications.

I had problems with my B7500 this summer running Kubota Super UDT in hot weather even installing new filters with with HST fluid being only 10 hours old.
So I purchased another new set of filters and did a fluid and filter change.
This time I used Chevron Synthetic All-Weather THF for fluid.
Well it was worth every dollar spent. Hydro whine is less, Gear clash noise is less, power steering is not jerky and 3 point lift does not fade out.

I started a fourm called:Test results on B7500 with Chevron Synthetic All-Weather THF. Check it out.

I noticed you live in IL. I believe it gets cold there and you should try to stay with a super UDT speced fluid. I believe AMSOIL is UDT speced only.
It is a good product but I would be concerned with it only being UDT speced because of:
1> Your location and the possibility of Sub Zero Temperature.
2> Tractor Warrantee. I believe Kubota might require your model to use a Super UDT speced fluid. Please check your manual.

If I was in a mild climate I would probably run AMSOIL.
It is real good stuff when used in the right temperature.

Chevron Synthetic All-Weather THF is SUPER UDT speced.

Right now I am working to get Chevron Synthetic All-Weather THF available in 5 gallon buckets in other parts of the country it is mainly sold in bulk.

Let us know what you have found out.

 

[JEW]

I have experienced the same concern with my BX24 I purchased earlier this year. It also sounded like it resonated from the steering column. With these concerns I reported it to my dealer during a warranty repair of an oil leak on the transmission return line. They indicated the noise was normal for Kubota tractors. At the 50 hr service interval, changing all fluids and filters, I had a freind anlayze my transmission oil. The report indicated a normal petroleum based hydrocarbon oil, not a synthetic fluid! The viscosity test at 50 hours of service was out of spec at 210 def F for a UDT transmission oil, probably normal degredation. With the preparations for winter and the concerns of further HST noise in colder conditions in Indiana, I refilled with Kubota Super UDT (synthetic) oil, Kubota filers, and cleaned the strainer thoroughly. I even drained some of the oil out of the FEL cylinders and the BH cylinders. By the time I was done I used nearly 10 gallons of new Super UDT oil.

After the oil change, and at a bit over 60 hours, the HST noise has subsided, and I don't hear the resonating in and out at various rpms. The noise is definitely still present, but to a lessor degree. It might have been from any of the combination of events. 1) Indiana temperature in July-August 85-90 deg F, 2) UDT oil in transmission, 3) partially clogged filter/strainer, 4) normal break-in conditions. Not sure exactly.

The concerns are still there in my mind, but don't think there is alot I can do. It is definitely not bad enough to wear ear plugs!