Wishing I still had a Deere!

[proudestmonkey]

Well, 45 minutes into my first 50 hour service on my BX 2230, all I can say is, I wish I would have bought another John Deere.

Last year, I changed the oil on my Deere three times, and the oil filter twice. No problems. Took less than half an hour each time.

So, today, having the day off, I get everything together, get the manual out, realize I need to take the mower off to get at the tranny filter (dumb engineering, really dumb, but okay). Take it off. Can't rotate the anti-scalp wheel on the right side (as you face the front) because it hits the rear tire (dumb engineering, really dumb, but okay). Get the mower off with some difficulty because the clearance between front and rear tires is not sufficient for a straight slide, you must maneuver the 250 lb beast back and forth to get it out (dumb, really dumb, but okay). Take the front grill off to get at the oil filter (dumb, really dumb, but okay). After half an hour, I can actually start the service.

I take the drain plug out of the oil pan, its torked real hard, but with some pull, I get it loose. Oil drains. I go to put it back on. Goes on easily, by hand at first, then I use the socket to continue. No biggie. Get it to almost tight, but it won't tighten at all, no seal. Try to get it off. Nope. Its stripped, apparently. ****! Try several times to get it off, it just turns, easily, no movement of drain plug loosening. ****!

Call the dealer, of course, he blames me, says "you must have cross threaded it." What a surprise! No thought about overtorquing it at the factory, or the dealership before delivery. Not maybe a shaving in the threading as I loosened it for the first time. Somehow, I threaded it wrong, even though it went on smooth as silk for the first several turns, by hand. Just ignore the fact that I had to use superhuman strength to loosen it when I first took it off. Yup, my fault. So, they are going to pick it up, charge me the shipping, try to rethread the crankcase if needed, do the 50 hour service, and the whole thing is going to cost me hundreds of dollars, even though I have a crate full of SUDT, oil, filters, and the tools needed to do the job. Great.

I have changed the oil in probably a dozen different cars, maybe a total of 50 or 60 times in my life thus far. I changed the oil in my snowblower, lawn mowers, and my JD garden tractor many times. Never a hitch. First time on this tractor, and I end up getting soaked for hundreds of dollars.

I wonder if I can modify my review. At this point, I don't even want to look at that tractor. Worse, I can't imagine ever trying to do any maintenance on it again, when what should be a simple task is mind-numbingly, and unnecessarily stupid and expensive.

Can you feel my pain?

 

[jrock]

I for one, FEEL your pain!

 

[jmt1271]

that was very well written. it made me get mad. that sucks, i hope it turns out better than it looks now. best of luck.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

If its any consolation, it does get better after you've done it a few times. I can pull a mower deck off in about 2 minutes, and put it back on in 3 or so. Gotta sympthize with the stripped threads. Hopfully the mechanic will be understanding if he sees there is no metal flakes in the threads.

 

[kevinj]

Well, 45 minutes into my first 50 hour service on my BX 2230, all I can say is, I wish I would have bought another John Deere.

Last year, I changed the oil on my Deere three times, and the oil filter twice. No problems. Took less than half an hour each time.

So, today, having the day off, I get everything together, get the manual out, realize I need to take the mower off to get at the tranny filter (dumb engineering, really dumb, but okay). Take it off. Can't rotate the anti-scalp wheel on the right side (as you face the front) because it hits the rear tire (dumb engineering, really dumb, but okay). Get the mower off with some difficulty because the clearance between front and rear tires is not sufficient for a straight slide, you must maneuver the 250 lb beast back and forth to get it out (dumb, really dumb, but okay). Take the front grill off to get at the oil filter (dumb, really dumb, but okay). After half an hour, I can actually start the service.

I take the drain plug out of the oil pan, its torked real hard, but with some pull, I get it loose. Oil drains. I go to put it back on. Goes on easily, by hand at first, then I use the socket to continue. No biggie. Get it to almost tight, but it won't tighten at all, no seal. Try to get it off. Nope. Its stripped, apparently. OMFG! Try several times to get it off, it just turns, easily, no movement of drain plug loosening. OMFG!

Call the dealer, of course, he blames me, says "you must have cross threaded it." What a surprise! No thought about overtorquing it at the factory, or the dealership before delivery. Not maybe a shaving in the threading as I loosened it for the first time. Somehow, I threaded it wrong, even though it went on smooth as silk for the first several turns, by hand. Just ignore the fact that I had to use superhuman strength to loosen it when I first took it off. Yup, my fault. So, they are going to pick it up, charge me the shipping, try to rethread the crankcase if needed, do the 50 hour service, and the whole thing is going to cost me hundreds of dollars, even though I have a crate full of SUDT, oil, filters, and the tools needed to do the job. Great.

I have changed the oil in probably a dozen different cars, maybe a total of 50 or 60 times in my life thus far. I changed the oil in my snowblower, lawn mowers, and my JD garden tractor many times. Never a hitch. First time on this tractor, and I end up getting soaked for hundreds of dollars.

I wonder if I can modify my review. At this point, I don't even want to look at that tractor. Worse, I can't imagine ever trying to do any maintenance on it again, when what should be a simple task is mind-numbingly, and unnecessarily stupid and expensive.

Can you feel my pain?

I had a BX1500 and now have a BX1850. I WANT the mower off when I service as I do the mower at the same time. The anti scalp wheel is close to the tire, it helps to lower the deck a bit to allow it to turn sideways. It is tight between the front and rear wheels slide it out, I normally jack the front up a few inches to make it easier, but have to agree with Messick that is very easy off and on. I also prefer to remove the engine cover so I can inspect the fan belt and such. I done my 50 hour in about 2 hours and sharpened the mower while it was off. The drain plug is another issue and is not normal.

 

[proudestmonkey]

Feeling a little calmer now....

I spoke to the owner of the dealership about the problem. One of the mechanics earlier suggested that there may have been a loose metal shaving in the threads, which stripped it when I was taking it off. He agreed that stripping the drain plug would be very difficult to do with a hand tool, and said they'd take a look at it and see if they can determine what might have happened. They've been a fair dealer with me so far, and seem like the kind of guys that won't "screw" me over, if they can see what the problem with it is. He also told me that, even if they determine its not a problem on their or Kubota's end (I am trying to imagine how it could not be--there doesn't seem to be much I could have done to strip a brand new screw, unless there were an existing problem already), they will only charge me half the shipping because they routed the pickup along the way to another pickup they had to do anyway.

As to taking off the mower, I probably could have done the service with it on, but could see that getting at the tranny filter would be difficult with the mower on. Besides, like you, I planned to clean out the mower, and check the blades and belt too. Taking it off shouldn't be necessary though, and seems like it could be easier. I am sure that once I do it a few times, I'll get a rhythm to it and it won't take as long (took about 10-15 minutes this time, which is the first time I've removed it since the dealer showed me how to do it early this year.

I just hope they don't call me and tell me I need a new crank case cover because the thread is shot, and they think its my problem=$$$$.

 

[thatguy]

Once solution to the drain plug thread problem is to use something line the femco drain plug (http://www.drainplug.com/) install it once and never have to bother again. You use a connector with a tube attached to drain the oil. I have been running one on my Dodge 2500 Ram w/ cummins diesel since 2002 and havent had any problems at all. From what I read when i was researching it, is that they have been using these on large equipment for years now..

hope everything works out OK..

brian

 

[stevenf]

ProudestMonkey, I haven't had to look into this lately but should the dealer not find in your favor they make a replacement drain plug for cars when the threads strip that has a cutting bolt outside and an internal drain plug in the center in a reduced size. I'm sure that you'd rather have them find in your favor and fix it at no charge but should a pan replacement be what they call for you might look into using this as it is a very cheap fix like around $3 at the auto parts store. Sorry for your troubles I'd be disappointed as well.
Steve

 

[twodogs]

I bought a B7800 last year. My oil changes take 10 minutes - tops! I almost bought a Deere 790. For my needs, the Kubota was definitely the better choice.

 

[midlf]

With the right tool, the three fingered one for use with a 3/8" socket wrench, it is not necessary to pull the cowl on a BX2230.