Preventive Maintenance Recommendations

[GPintheMitten]

I could use forum members' advice. I have a 1983 Kubota B6200 HST 4wd tractor with 15hp diesel engine that I use for finish mowing on 3 acres and plowing snow. The tractor has 910 hours. I purchased it 2 years ago from my brother. I recently just bought a used rear snow blower and will be using that this winter as well.

What preventative maintenance should I do besides engine oil/filter changes and greasing the fittings? I guess I'm mostly interested in engine maintenance but recommend anything you think I should be aware of. Thanks.

 

[bpattie]

I would try to acquire a owners manual for the machine. That should cover all you maintenance questions

 

[bp fick]

Greasing everywhere, of course. Check fuel filters, most likely two of them, if in doubt, replace. So, so cheap.

HST. Going to assume buying used, its history is bit cloudy. Brother or no, if not written down, the memory gets foggy. Since you may not know how long ago the HST was serviced, I would go ahead and do the whole HST service. Filter, clean screen, if applicable, and fresh new, SUDT, as I see you are a fellow Michigander and the winter operations, with much superior flow rate, would be welcomed. This is a bigger ticket, but one I would NOT skip if I did not know the service history. Possibility exists it has been many hundreds of hours since being serviced.

I would dump the front axle fluid, if 4x4. Again, so inexpensive, and so worthwhile for peace of mind. SUDT here as well, or 75-90 semi synthetic diff fluid if preferred, as many do. Slightly cheaper too.

Air filter? Check and replace as needed. Diesel treatment in tank?
Finally, flush and fill radiator. Again, how long has it been since being done? If unsure whatsoever, just do it. Again, a low ticket item.

Clean battery posts and apply red or purple gunk on posts.

Check all fittings, belts, hoses and boots for wear and tear.

Give it good cleaning and you got yourself a well serviced machine. Now, what did I miss?

 

[Thomas]

Check rear tire bolts to hub..make sure there tight.

 

[DGS]

BP Flick is right on
If anything looks questionable it is eaisier to replace than to repair probably cheaper in the long run also
New oil grease and filters are cheap insurance
Good luck with your new baby
DGS

 

[GPintheMitten]

Thanks guys. That's a good list. I'll do that. Uh, what's SUDT?

 

[bp fick]

Kubota now loads, from the factory, their stuff with Super UDT fluid for use in the hydro. As you know, the same fluid runs the trans, the lifts, the power steering, etc. It's a closed system.

Super UDT is much more expensive than straight UDT fluid. The advantages are really note worthy in freezing cold temperatures. It is not, by all accounts, a true synthetic, but it flows so much better.

If you do not use your tractor in the winter, then I doubt you should care. I plow snow, so yup, I care a lot. But, given that your's is a 1983, you might want to just buy a bucket of Tractor Supply's best hydro fluid and you'd be just fine. It is no doubt higher in specs than anything Kubota imagined in 1983.

 

[hondarider]

By the way, when checking for transmission fluid, does the motor needs to be running?

 

[Soundguy]

I'd also reccomend changing that utf/udt/sudt whatever it has in it.. many times those things need to be serviced at 200-300 or 600 hr intervals.. depending onthe machine.. might be filters in there as well.

soundguy

 

[bpattie]

By the way, when checking for transmission fluid, does the motor needs to be running?

Hondarider,

I would say no, most tractors that I am familiar with one reservoir for the transmission and hydraulic fluid. I other works they all share the same fluid from the same place. you just need to make sure that the 3pt is lowered, bucket is lowered so that all available fluid drains back to reservoir.

 

[whitedogone]

67401-62991 Kubota B5200/B6200/B7200 Owners Manual

 

[AchingBack]

Two very important maintenance items are your radiator, i.e. flush, and replace coolant, as needed. Keep an eye on your battery. Loose connections can cause a lot of future headaches. Also, make sure your cup holder is tight. You don't want to spill hot liquid in your crotch.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Thanks again for all the tips, link to the manual, etc. and especially the tip for the cup holder...problem is my model is so old, I think it was made before cup holders were invented.

Maybe I can fab up a gimbled cup holder and mount it off the rops.

 

[Soundguy]

Hondarider,

I would say no, most tractors that I am familiar with one reservoir for the transmission and hydraulic fluid. I other works they all share the same fluid from the same place. you just need to make sure that the 3pt is lowered, bucket is lowered so that all available fluid drains back to reservoir.

many machine advise to check with all available cyl's extended.. so you know that when extended that you aren't shy of fluid in the sump....

soundguy

 

[bpattie]

Good Point SoundGuy. I did have a tractor at one point where that was the case.

 

[Soundguy]

pretty much all old fords claim that on the dipstick.. etc.

soundguy

 

[bpattie]

interesting, yes the one I was referring to was my first tractor, a 1952 Ford 8N

 

[harpoonalt]

Got any pictures? We had an early Kubota for our lawn business that was the smallest they made at the time. It was a beast! I love old stuff. Pictures would be great!

 

[bpattie]

Got any pictures? We had an early Kubota for our lawn business that was the smallest they made at the time. It was a beast! I love old stuff. Pictures would be great!

If you are asking me about the 8N, sadly no. had it before digital cameras were really big. I may have some old hardcopies I could scan, but would have to dig them out and that won't happen real soon.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Here's a picture of my 1983 Kubota B6200 with a Kubota snowblower that someone converted to rear pto. You can see my 5 gal pail of cement wheel weights ... well the left one anyway.