Whats a good way to catch xmsn oil?

[ulflyer]

I know this sounds dumb, and I am a "do-it-yourselfer", but I can't think of a clever way to catch that 7-8 gal of transmission oil without spilling it all over. I mean, trying to slide a 4-5 gal bucket out of the way to put another in its place seems pretty dicey. Must be a better way to do this, but I can't think of one. How have you guys done it?

I've only got 30 hrs on the Ck30 Hst, but will need to change it before end of mowing season and I'll want to dump it all, not just partially.

 

[MMagis]

Bigger bucket.

 

[PaPaGus]

It's good your thinking ahead. I must say that I personally never seen seven gallons come out of anything as fast as it did when I changed mine:shocked:. I left a mess on the floor the first time, but the second time I used two three gallon pails (smaller) and sat them in those plastic drain pans you can get at Wal-mart. (had a third close by) It was still a shuffle, but not bad at all. I am sure they sell the perfect pan for the job, but the change doesn't happen that often.

I know this sounds dumb, and I am a "do-it-yourselfer", but I can't think of a clever way to catch that 7-8 gal of transmission oil without spilling it all over. I mean, trying to slide a 4-5 gal bucket out of the way to put another in its place seems pretty dicey. Must be a better way to do this, but I can't think of one. How have you guys done it?

I've only got 30 hrs on the Ck30 Hst, but will need to change it before end of mowing season and I'll want to dump it all, not just partially.

 

[Gil Case]

You can get a big low profile oil drain pan at TSC pretty cheap. Worked for me, but you best put a 5 gal bucket in the drain pan, so the drain pan can catch the overflow. There will be overflow.

 

[Jeff244]

If you hook up your shop vac to the filler tube, it will stop the fluid from leaking out of the drain hole. You turn on the vac, remove the plug and then turn it off until the drain pan is full etc. I have done this several times while changing the fluid, filters or doing repair work. BTW, I got the idea from someone else's post in the parts/repairs thread I believe.

Jeff

 

[Coyote machine]

Save yourself the trouble and don't change it at all. Put on another new filter and fill it up to replace what the filter had in it. That is what my dealer does. Saves expense of replacement oil and saves time too. Filter is the important thing- fluid is fine unless it is badly discolored or contains water.
I was surprised when they told me that is what they do, and it saves me about 150-200 $ on hydraulic fluid- and they have been doing it this way for a LONG time! Its not like engine oil in that there is way more fluid and it can last a very long time.

 

[ulflyer]

CayoteMachine: thats basically what my dealer does unless the drain plug has shavings on it. According to him, most don't have any shavings so it doesn't get drained unless the customer wants it done.

Jeff244: do you just slip the vac hose over the fill tube loosely, or do you tape it closed? Sounds like a good way to accomplish the above.

Gill & PaPa: good ideas on the pans. Will look for some BIG ones and be ready if the above doesn't work, or if theres a bunch of shavings and I want to drain. Am inclined to go with the theory that between the filters and magnetic plug, theres no need to do a drain.

Thanks guys for the suggestions and ideas. Much apreciated.

 

[CurlyDave]

If there is room for it under the tractor, a kiddie wading pool -- not the blow up kind, but the semi-rigid ones, is about the least expensive large capacity, disposable drip pan I have found.

Whenever I paint, the airless sprayer and 5 gallon bucket of paint sit in one of these that I move around as necessary. Perfect disaster protection.

 

[Gil Case]

Not draining the transmission oil at 50 hrs seems to me to be penny wise and pound foolish. There are metal shaving on the magnet, I have yet to hear anybody say there wasn't, and the only way to find out is to pull the plug and then you are into it.
I think when I did my own 50 hr, it cost about $100, but even at $200, you have a brand new machine that cost 15-20-30 grand and you are not going to change the fluids periodically???

 

[ERE]

Not changing the oil at all is not a good idea unless you are sending samples away for spectral analysis. Unlike the engine, there isn't a build up due to ring blow by, but there is a steady build up of trace metals and the gear case continuously breathes with the daily change in barometric pressure. Under any circumstances, you should change at the 50 hour point. I had a fair amount of metal filings at 50 hrs.

I use a 5 gal (I think) drip pan from the auto store and first only open one drain on one rear wheel. the pan gets pretty full, but never overflows. I then empty the pan and do the other drain holes.