Newer Tractor- Change Out Fluids Early

[bp fick]

Anybody got a newer tractor and feels the urge to change out the fluids earlier than the 50 hour mark?

For some estate owners, with what seems like many frequent starts and stops, lots of short working periods, time passes and passes without the hours on the meter piling up. The jobs are short bursts of reasonably intense activity. It's been thru a hot summer and cold winter.

For some, 6 months, 9 months or a year passes and still the hour meter only totals 30 some hours.

Ever get the urge, feel the need, to just go ahead and change the oil/filter and drop the front axle fluid, even though it's "early"?

 

[lawn_king]

I believe in changing the the engine oil early, as far as the hydraulic oil, i do the 1st at approximately 150 hours. most oem recommend hydro @ 50 hours, i myself feel thats overkill.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would change the engine oil at least once a year regardless of the hours. If you plan to operate it in the winter time, I would change it in the fall to a lighter weight oil if manufacturer specifys. Then change it again in spring to a summer weight. A few quarts of oil and filter is cheap insurance against premature engine failure.

 

[jinman]

Fred, if a dealer has a tractor sitting on his lot for 6 months with zero use, do you think he should change fluids? I personally think that the fluids are fine, but the dealer should start each tractor at least once per month and drive it around the lot to get fresh fluid in all the gear surfaces and also "wash" the seals and cylinder walls of the engine. I guess what I'm saying is that if there is no obvious moisture accumulation, I think lack of use for long periods of time is more damaging than not having fluids changed. I always work all levers frequently and exercise all features of my tractor to ensure they are staying free and operable. I would not be concerned with fluids unless I saw a positive evidence of moisture or deterioration. You certainly will not hurt anything by changing the fluids early, but I am reminded of the story of a service department that charged someone for changing air in the tires. It kinda seems pointless to me.

 

[radioman]

Yeah - I been tempted to do fluid changes early , only because of the timing. For example, right now its fall and that the period my tractor is used the least. I hate fixing or maintaining something in the cold and you never know if you need the tractor for plowing,etc. I just do things that fit my schedule, weather ists a bit early, later or just right timing. I find that when doing something early, its a great peace of mind. Since its your first service, I advise doing it now anyway before it gets too cold and get ready for winter. It will give you a sense of getting to know your tractor as well.

 

[LBrown59]

Anybody got a newer tractor and feels the urge to change out the fluids earlier than the 50 hour mark?

For some estate owners, with what seems like many frequent starts and stops, lots of short working periods, time passes and passes without the hours on the meter piling up. The jobs are short bursts of reasonably intense activity. It's been thru a hot summer and cold winter.

For some, 6 months, 9 months or a year passes and still the hour meter only totals 30 some hours.

Ever get the urge, feel the need, to just go ahead and change the oil/filter and drop the front axle fluid, even though it's "early"?

For more info do a search.

 

[bp fick]

Well, I can see some guys literally taking 3 years to hit that 50 hour mark. That isn't unreasonable. Taking into account that when the hours are put on, they could be rather intense bursts of use. Consider also the total number of starts, warmups and then shut down nature of such usage. I would think a lot of estate tractors get used this way. Fire up the tractor, push some snow. Shut it down. Fire up the tractor, till the garden, shut it down. Many, many cycles like that with hours only totally some 20 hours a year.

This would also explain why you see 3 and 4 year tractors traded in with fewer than 100 hours.

Remember when some fluid maintenance intervals used to be stated in months/miles or months/hours? As if to say, whichever comes first?

 

[bpattie]

agree with all and heck, Oil and filter are relatively cheap compared to what you have invested in the tractor.

 

[Thomas]

I am on the same page w/Radioman.

I like to change all fuilds filters before the ground stays frozen,than change fuilds filters first of April.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I change out all manufacturer fluid within a week or two of owning anything including all my cars and trucks. I want any residual stuff that may have been built in the vehicle , shavings, dirt etc.

On my GMC trucks I have noticed they short fill all the fluids and it's not caught by the dealer. On the rear end and front differential both were about a quart low.

Knowing it's teh manufacturers job to produce something as cheap as possible and it's my job to make something last as long as possible their .50 cent a quart oils come out and I put in high quality synthetics.