UDT2 Maintenance interval, time vs. hours

[repete]

I store the tractor in a heated garage and try to start it up once a week and warm it up for at about 20 minutes including driving it around my yard to get the fluids moving around. (On my toyota manual it says to engage the 4wd occasionally on my truck and drive it a few miles to keep the gears lubed.) So what you're saying makes perfect sense.

I always keep the diesel tank full to minimize the air as well (as per the kubota manual) but don't get the sense of it as now my 5 gallon tank of fuel sits half full with air in it and I will use that to refill later...

I read in a sno-dogg plow manual that it wants you to drain the fluid once a year due to the moisture. So I guess that's where I'm getting my idea from to change it sooner than later. I never take my backhoe off, and the front loader only comes on and off when I swap it out for the snowplow/snowblower. I may end up changing it back and forth several times a winter season for the snowblower/snowplow (although I do find the snowplow to more effective overall and last winter I didn't use the snowblower once)

I do try to keep the valve area clean to minimize contamination. Funny, the "dust covers" that come with the tractor seems like the dumbest thing in the world. If anything, it adds dirt/grime to the valves by using them. I cut them off and always wipe the valve stems down with a lint free cloth and wrap them in tin foil when I put attachments away/swap them out.

The fluids are cheap by comparison to the cost of the tractor and don't mind changing them more frequently than not, but I find the drain bolts to be somewhat of a challenge. I torqued them to the specified foot/pound but they keep turning. It holds the fluid, but just doesn't get tight. I brought it up with the mechanic and he said just leave it and recommends getting them re-tapped if it becomes an issue. He said the metal where the bolt goes in was aluminum, softer than steel so its not uncommon. Retapping needs the pan to be dropped to clean out the metal bits so its a bit of a task. ($$)

I'm still on the fence on what to do, but I agree to err on the side of caution. If it wasn't for those pesky drain bolts I wouldn't be so hesitant.

Thanks for the replies

Let me know when you want to sell this tractor as it sounds like you take very good care of it.

 

[s219]

Apples and oranges. Hyd oil that is consistently run at or over 175-180 F will retain far less water than a CUT that runs 50-100 hours per year. Water from condensation is the primary contaminant in the machines typically discussed here. Seasonal temperature and humidity changes coupled with short run times and low oil temps accelerate hydraulic oil contamination in this group of machines.

Construction and excavation equipment design takes into consideration the expected operating conditions and recommended service intervals for those machines reflect that. You don’t see wheel loaders, excavators and skid loaders with 400 hour hydraulic oil drain intervals.

I agree, but I suspect when tractors are used hard, even with limited hours, it can really help ward off moisture and condensation issues inside the hydraulic system. Probably using a tractor hard enough to heat the fluid just once a month is enough. Not all of us do that, but I suspect most do. Between bush hogging and grading work, I know I do. One time while I was taking a break, I could see heat rising out the breather tube on my tractor in the sunlight, so it's obviously moving hot air out of the system. That has got to carry any water vapor with it.

 

[SDT]

I store the tractor in a heated garage and try to start it up once a week and warm it up for at about 20 minutes including driving it around my yard to get the fluids moving around. (On my toyota manual it says to engage the 4wd occasionally on my truck and drive it a few miles to keep the gears lubed.) So what you're saying makes perfect sense.

I always keep the diesel tank full to minimize the air as well (as per the kubota manual) but don't get the sense of it as now my 5 gallon tank of fuel sits half full with air in it and I will use that to refill later...

I read in a sno-dogg plow manual that it wants you to drain the fluid once a year due to the moisture. So I guess that's where I'm getting my idea from to change it sooner than later. I never take my backhoe off, and the front loader only comes on and off when I swap it out for the snowplow/snowblower. I may end up changing it back and forth several times a winter season for the snowblower/snowplow (although I do find the snowplow to more effective overall and last winter I didn't use the snowblower once)

I do try to keep the valve area clean to minimize contamination. Funny, the "dust covers" that come with the tractor seems like the dumbest thing in the world. If anything, it adds dirt/grime to the valves by using them. I cut them off and always wipe the valve stems down with a lint free cloth and wrap them in tin foil when I put attachments away/swap them out.

The fluids are cheap by comparison to the cost of the tractor and don't mind changing them more frequently than not, but I find the drain bolts to be somewhat of a challenge. I torqued them to the specified foot/pound but they keep turning. It holds the fluid, but just doesn't get tight. I brought it up with the mechanic and he said just leave it and recommends getting them re-tapped if it becomes an issue. He said the metal where the bolt goes in was aluminum, softer than steel so its not uncommon. Retapping needs the pan to be dropped to clean out the metal bits so its a bit of a task. ($$)

I'm still on the fence on what to do, but I agree to err on the side of caution. If it wasn't for those pesky drain bolts I wouldn't be so hesitant.

Thanks for the replies

It sounds like you (and I) border on obsessive-compulsive vis a vis maintenance.

As you keep your tractor in a heated garage during the off season, condensation is of much less concern (No, I did not say no concern.) than it is for most of us.

There is no need for you to change the oil now but do so by all means if it makes it easier for you to sleep this winter.

SDT

 

[NEPA guy]

Let me know when you want to sell this tractor as it sounds like you take very good care of it.

HAHAHA

 

[NEPA guy]

I appreciate all the replies. I think everyone makes some really good points. Here is another interesting article I found.

"2. Oil does not need to be changed very frequently.
Hydraulic oil in your backhoe is not the same as engine oil in your car. Hydraulic oil isn't exposed to the same abusive conditions experienced by automotive engine oil, such as 2000ｰ combustion temperatures, soot ingression from incomplete burn, and excessive contamination from wear particles, water or fuel.

Under normal conditions, a well-maintained hydraulic system oil can last indefinitely. Hydraulic oil breaks down with extreme heat, excessive water saturation and oxidation. Further, conditions such as high water content and heat also exacerbate the oxidation. High heat also reduces viscosity, which if low enough, will allow metal-to-metal contact, generating internal contamination.

However, if oil is clean, cool and free from water, the chemistry to break it down does not exist, and it remains in the same state as it was poured into the reservoir. If anything, some of the additives, such as zinc, can deplete over time, so keeping an eye on your fluid through an oil-analysis program will ensure you're within operating parameters.

Manufacturers of tractors and other off-highway machinery will publish required hydraulic oil change periods, which are the longest of any of the fluid in the machine. However, some newer and larger tractors have no published hydraulic oil change interval, which could be related to the overall design of the machine, including measures to ensure heat, water and particle contamination are kept to a minimum or avoided altogether."



I propose sending out a sample of my hydro fluid and seeing what the lab has to say. I found one from Blackstone laboratories for $30 which was recommended from TBN from a guy who said he was going to do the same thing, but never posted the results.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/282387-can-you-get-oil-analysis.html

I will deliver.

The kit has been ordered. Granted I will be taking the sample from my reservoir, and from reading about other testing companies, they want me to hook up a valve and tie it into the system at a specific point. I think this will offer a general idea. It will be a fun experiment.

 

[NEPA guy]

Got kit in mail, sampled from dipstick. It came with a prepaid shipping label on it, a bottle in a bottle, and a simple postcard for info. I'm sure the test is a basic as it gets, we'll see.

 

[jonsstihl]

can't wait to see the results. nothing like data to back up a certain point of view.

 

[ovrszd]

It's testing for foreign liquid, water, fuel, etc. And it's testing for heavy metals. Your analysis of the results is up to you.

 

[NEPA guy]

It's testing for foreign liquid, water, fuel, etc. And it's testing for heavy metals. Your analysis of the results is up to you.

Care to elaborate? How is it up to me? Are you saying it's a personal opinion?

Granted it's an inexpensive test and not like the $100-$200 ones I see. I would assume that if it's clear from contamination, it would be viable.

Whether or not it can show how much it has degraded and can operate as intended is the question. If it could be compared to a sample that was unused that would be able to give me a fair idea of its condition.

Don't make me send out a clean sample! Don't do it! lol

 

[RickB]

Any analysis I ever saw had basic comments that will give you some guidance and baseline numbers for an acceptable range of tested values.