Oil & Fuel Stuck Hydraulic filter

[indianaEPH]

I've been very busy building the new house. The M59 has been a huge help in so many ways.

I hit 400 hours and went to change the hydraulic fluid. All went well, except, I cant get the hydraulic filter off. I've tried varous wrenches but no luck. I even stripped off one of the lugs on the filter.

Anyone have any suggestions, Please??

Thanks

 

[davesl708]

If it is easily accessible you can use a method I have used on a stuck filter.
I drove a large screw driver though the filter body and twisted it free.
May be able to get a pipe wrench on it also.
Worst case would be to cut or tear the body off and use a pipe extractor.

 

[Stonehaller]

A trick I have used on stuck automotive oil filters is to placing a large screw driver up against the filter can at the edge of the flange and whacking the screw driver with a hammer. Angle screw driver so that when you hit it rotates the filter in the direction to unscrew it. Be careful not to hit the flange on the tractor side. You may puncture the filter doing this so you should have the oil drained. Note placement of the screw driver blade in the attached picture where the filter has some strength. Start at a steep angle in lightly tap to get the screw driver to bit into the filter and then go to a shallower angle and give it a hard whack. The screw driver in the picture is 24" long with a 9/16" wide blade. You could use a chisel, but you would want to square of the cutting edge.

 

[varmint]

I remember that Paul Short did a video about a major service on his big Kubota, and spent some time talking about hard-to-remove HST filters, and how to deal with them. Check that video- Youtube under Paul Short, or maybe 4shorts? Okay- I found it for anybody interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQeNpsRmFJE

 

[gwdixon]

I had the exact same problem on an L48.

I used a chain-style pipe wrench and attached a Come-A-Long to the handle and to a place on the rear of the tractor. A few strokes of the Come-A-Long and the filter became loose. Wrap the chain as near to the attachment base as possible. The screwdriver method doesn't give quite enough torque and may just rip out the filter body.

Here is an example of a chain-wrench from Home Depot:

https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/chain-wrenches

 

[sandyc]

Ah the wonders of the painted on filter that torqued by a gorilla when built. At least the next time should be easier!

 

[George2615]

That usually happens because the filter was installed dry (and maybe by the factory gorilla with super human strength). Make sure you coat the gasket on the new filter with fresh oil before installing. I have also used the screwdriver through the filter method.

 

[dodge man]

I have a large pair of channel locks just for getting stuck filters loose.

 

[Grandad4]

That usually happens because the filter was installed dry (and maybe by the factory gorilla with super human strength). Make sure you coat the gasket on the new filter with fresh oil before installing. I have also used the screwdriver through the filter method.

That gorilla, or his pappy, has been doing the filters on the Kubota assembly line for a long time now. I used GWDixon's come-along technique more than 10 years ago when the 4610 got its first filter swap. I think it's some kind of rite of passage to verify whether one is manly enough to be servicing a Kubota.

 

[the old grind]

I have a large pair of channel locks just for getting stuck filters loose.

+1! :thumbsup: Some filters will be pinched nearly flat, ruptured, leaking, by the time they budge, but batting 1.000 for over 35 yrs in my shop(s). Pipe wrench can mean a lot of fiddling/re-adjusting as the tightest ones crush down, and jaws aren't as deep for o'all tool length/weight. Screwdriver method is as reliable, but often messier and/or requiring better access. (angle C-locks in as room permits)

'Arther' still lets me tighten a new filter just enough with a two-handed grip and hands a bit oily. (How'd that get all over me?) Have yet to see one loosen between changes, and only slight dimpling of 'can' when removing any I installed. Be sure the old rubber ring comes off with the filter. (Y'all knew about that.) Assembly with two is basis for some hairy start-up stories, like refilling twice, damming/squeegy-ing up an oil lake, teaching G-kids new words ...