It is time for another installment of KubotaTube, where we scour YouTube to surface some interesting videos featuring our favorite orange tractor in action. Instructional videos are handy but sometimes its more fun to watch others do the heavy lifting, or pulling, in minus 30 degree weather. Without further delay…

1. 2 Engines, 8 Tires and 5 Gallons of Diesel Fuel
   I like this video because it demonstrates the can do spirit, even if it looks a little out of control at times. These two gents managed to chain together what looks like an L245 and L225 to generate enough pony power to get that bottom plow moving. They plowed 2 acres like this.
   
   
2. Orange and Yellow Team Up to Save the Bacon
   Skip ahead to the 1 minute mark in this video to watch a Caterpillar backhoe team up with our hero to have a semi truck with a load of hogs stuck in a snow ditch. Family entertainment folks.
   
   

3. Not a Kubota – But it is Orange…
   And there’s a horse in this one so we will let it in! Continuing the theme of ropes strung between pieces of heavy equipment moving somewhat dangerously – we have a 4WD Zetor pulling a truck up a muddy embankment – all of which is pulled by a single horse at the top.

   Same road, but different truck this time. We also get a glimpse of what not to do behind a muddy heavy piece of moving equipment.

4. Man and His L3400 Knock a House Down
   Demolition and a Kubota L Series. What else does a man need really? Jump ahead to the 0:40 mark to watch the carnage.
   
   

5. Next Best Thing to a Ski Hill
   Believe it or not, this is only the second video of a Kubota gray market B1600DT pulling a skier I have seen.
   
   

Mr. K

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Ahhh yes, the battery. Really handy when it comes to starting your Kubota but after that just seems like its along for the ride. Still, it is important that we think about the battery every now and then to avoid a situation where we are 5 miles away, sun going down, wolves starting to come out… you know the drill. Let us look at some ways to make sure your battery is the best it can be.

Cold Cranking Amperes
The CCA rating, or cold cranking amperes, of your Kubota’s battery is a measure of its ability to deliver current at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 Celsius) for 30 seconds – hence the reference to cold. We know that as the temperature decreases the efficiency of the battery decreases. This explains why the battery CCA rating is lower than its cranking amperes, or CA, rating measured at a warmer 32 degrees. Most cars have batteries around 500-600 CCA.

The engine in your Kubota is of high compression which means it takes a lot of muscle to get it going in the first place. We recommend at least a 850 CCA rated battery or even 1000 CCA if you live in a cooler climate. It is important to remember that even if the battery is fully charged and fresh, if it lacks the ability to deliver enough current to get that engine turning over your equipment will not start – especially on cold days.

A battery that we pulled during routine service. Although the battery was fully charged, the CCA rating here is 525 which is too low. Replacing the battery with one that offered higher CCAs will greatly decrease starting effort.

Hold Down Bracket
Most of Kubota’s lineup ship from the factory with some sort of battery hold or tie mechanism. Usually it is just an angled bracket that holds the battery snug with a couple of long bolts. The purpose of this bracket is to reduce the amount of shock and vibration transferred to the battery during normal operation – and operating a tractor can be a bit rough sometimes.

A battery and hold down bracket.

The reason we want to reduce vibration to the battery is to prevent the parallel lead plates inside of the battery from colliding and destroying themselves. There are 6 cells in a standard battery. Each time a cell is destroyed expect a drop of 2.1V across the terminals – not good. Vibration is a quick way to destroy your new battery.

Does this mean you need to purchase an expensive anti vibration battery too? No. I do not think that the value is there for anti vibration batteries. Make use of your battery hold down bracket or get one if you have lost it and you are set.

Know Your Battery Terminals
Inspect your battery terminals. They should be free of chalky white corrosion and nice and snug on the battery posts. Make sure you have a solid ground connection to the frame. So far, easy right?

Comparison between old connectors that need replacement. The old connector had a crack all the way through its right side. This meant regardless of how tight the connector was closed around the post, a good connection would never be made.

Something that is often overlooked is caused by the type of terminal connector itself. There are typically two types of battery terminal connectors:

1. enclosed style – these have the terminal connector and wire lead as one piece
2. clamp style – these sandwich the wire from the lead at the back of the connector

What can happen over time with enclosed connectors is the wire inside the sheath can wear and break at the base of the connector. Since everything is enclosed you cannot actually see that the wire is making poor contact with the end of the connector! You will pull your hair out testing everything else (battery, alternator, belts, regulator, etc) before you realize the base of the connector is at fault.

We prefer to use the open, clamp style connectors. It is plain and easy to see if the wire lead is making proper contact. Case closed.

Left - clamp-style connector. Right - enclosed-style connector where the wire can break at or inside the base of the connector leading to unexplainable electrical malfunction.

Test the Voltage
As mentioned earlier, your Kubota’s battery has 6 cells in it producing 2.1V. When organized in series inside the battery the combined voltage is 12.6V. Take a volt meter across the terminals of your battery periodically and confirm that you are in the neighborhood.

Anything too far off 12.6V and start looking at the rest of your charging system to make sure everything is up to snuff. Unlike our road vehicles, when the battery is not being charged properly it can take months or even a year before that problem manifests itself as a failure to start. It simply takes that long to run the battery down when you do not have a radio, air conditioner or DVD player to power (with exception to the newer M and Grand L series of course!).

Using a volt meter to measure across the terminals. 12.5V reading here means this battery is well charged (but still not enough CCAs to be useful in our Kubota).

Battery Recommendation
Again, you do not need an expensive antishock battery here. We use Energizer batteries rated at 850+ CCA from WalMart. Others have had good luck with Exide or Allstate Mega-tron (sounds like a gun or something). All priced around $80-100 + battery disposal tax.

Summary
In short, some things you can do to make sure your battery is in good working order for when you need it:

• use a battery rated at 850 CCA or higher
• make use of the battery hold down bracket to prevent premature failure
• make sure your battery terminals are clean and tight on the posts
• use open, clamp-style terminals if you can opposed to enclosed terminals
• periodically measure the voltage across the terminals – a properly charged battery should be around 12.6V

Having Other Problems?
Read through this article, checked your battery and starting to think it might be something else? We have segment coming up that looks a little deeper into your electrical and charging system. Stay tuned!

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A chalky and coarse steering wheel - commonly found on older B and L series Kubotas.

If you own an older L or B Series Kubota tractor chances are pretty good that the steering wheel on it looks like it has seen better days. It is probably chalky, scratchy, white and coarse. Seems like most Kubota steering wheels end up like this after a couple of years in the sun.

Why the Steering Wheel Degrades
The steering wheel on your Kubota tractor is made from a vinyl chloride polymer resin that degrades as it is exposed to the elements and ultraviolet light from the sun. This gradual chemical breakdown in the material of your steering wheel shows up as a chalky white residue, almost like the wheel is flaking apart.

Some creative owners, dissatisfied with the appearance of their Kubota’s steering wheel have:

• wrapped the wheel in electrical tape
• installed an aftermarket steering wheel cover
• gone to the expense of replacing the wheel with a new one – average cost for a new wheel is around $150+

Quick Restoration Tip
Before doing any three of the above, try this tip: using a propane torch, on a relatively low setting, work the flame over the wheel inch by inch. You will be able to see the old resin melting and the wheel returning to its former black state. Keep the flame moving slowly, watching the resin turn black and move on before you burn it. If you do burn it a little, wait a few minutes and go back over the area, remelting it.

Set your torch to a low setting and work the flame over the wheel to melt the resin.

Take your time and keep going over all black parts of the wheel and center cap. The process takes about 20 minutes but afterward you have a wheel that looks almost new! Worth a try before you experiment with electrical tape or order a new wheel.

Service Department Vic

Ahhhh yes, YouTube, now the internet’s number 2 search engine behind Google. There is nothing you cannot find on it, including plenty of videos of Kubotas in action. Remember, watch these in high definition if available. Without further ado, I present to you 7 must-see Kubota videos:

1. Snowblowing Action Video
   I like this video because it shows what looks to be a Kubota BX24 with a rear snow blower tossing snow 15 feet in the air – what’s not to like? Also at 51 seconds into the video we see a dog with what appears to be a very large udder wander into frame. Worth a look.
   

   
   
   

2. Kubota M108 Hauling Bales Like they Weigh 50lbs
   Here we get to see Kubota’s new 108 horsepower M108 in action. It has a pair of pallet forks and spears 2 bales at once and hauls them around – the Kubota does not skip a beat. You will note that at almost 9500lbs, there is no need for this M series to ballast the rear against the weight of those bales. Right around 45 seconds in we get a nice 1st-person view of what it looks like to operate this beast! Watch the video to the end and count how many bales on the trailer.
   

   
   
   

3. M9000 Really Stuck
   I’ve posted this video on OrangeTractorTalks before but it is always worth a look. This M9000 is stuck deep in the mud and the suction keeps it there.
   

   
   
   

4. Kubota Tug of War
   A couple of guys got together and wanted to settle the question of “in a tug of war between a Caterpillar forklift and a smaller Kubota BX series who would win?” I will not spoil the video for you but I’m guessing that this equipment is not their own.
   

   
   
   

5. Box Scraper in Action
   YouTube user wilsonoutdoors brings us a handy video that shows us a box scraper used to grade a driveway. Sometimes we can forget about the trusty box scraper, but this video does that attachment justice. Their other videos include mower decks and stump removal so check those out too.
   

   
   
   

6. Abusing Your Father’s Kubota when He’s Not Around
   Here is another video out of the “I do not personally own or pay for this equipment” file. Skip the first 20 seconds and have a look as two teenagers repeatedly ram the equipment into a snow drift and perform numerous, high speed and dangerous doughnuts in a snowy field. Something tells me they will be needing that ROPS sooner than later.
   

   
   
   

7. Kubota Export Yard
   I’ve included this short clip of Japanese Domestic Market (soon to be gray market) Kubotas prepped for export from a Japanese shipping yard. These Kubota tractors are due for destinations all over the world and typically collect in yards like these before being distributed by the container load. Just like their newer cousins, the wheels are unbolted and the units undergo minor disassembly for transport. If they are used, like these ones are, they will also be pressure washed as required by the importing country duty and customs department. Most countries have strict regulations when dealing with imported agricultural equipment that still has mud or vegetation on the equipment.
   

   
   
   

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A Kubota L185's 2 cylinder diesel engine with a huge hole in the block.

What is Starting Fluid?
Starting fluids are comprised of volatile hydrocarbons, heptane, butane, hexane and a mixture of up to 60% diethyl ether. Ether is clear, colorless liquid that has a low autoignition temperature – handy when the engine you are attempting to use it on it cold. The temperature at which ether auto ignites is 360 Fahrenheit or 182 Celsius. Ether also has a high cetane number, a measure of fuel ignition delay – ether has a high index and so the delay from fuel injection to fuel combustion is shorter. Finally, ether has no lubricating properties like normal diesel fuel does, making it harder on gaskets and seals. Starting fluid is widely available at any automotive supply chain and typically costs $4-5 per spray-can sized can.

How a Diesel Engine Fires
When we take a closer look at the basic mechanical principles of a diesel engine it become easier to understand why reaching for the starter fluid when you are having a tough time getting your Kubota to start is not a good idea.

In any diesel engine, only air is introduced to the combustion chamber. The compressing of this air raises the cylinder temperature to over 1000 degrees F (550 Celsius). At this precise moment, the tip of the injector opens and diesel fuel, also under pressure, is injected into the top of the combustion chamber. The extreme heat then ignites the atomized diesel fuel, firing the piston downward supplying power to the crankshaft.

Your Kubota’s diesel engine produces between 412 and 470 psi of compression. The air sucked into the engine on the upstroke is squeezed at a 19:1 ratio. Depending on the engine model, the tips of the injectors will open between 1700-3400 psi. These are high compression numbers! Your Kubota’s engine is pressure ignited and built to operate within its design limitations of 470 psi of compression. When we introduce an unregulated fuel source, like starting fluid, into the combustion chamber, the compression is much more volatile and can exceed specification – in short, that fluid can grenade the engine.

The Effects of Starting Fluid
The only way to get starter fluid into the engine of your fuel injected Kubota tractor is through the air box. When you spray starting fluid into the air box of the engine, it replaces a certain volume of air with a highly explosive and volatile fuel.

Once the engine is cranked over it quickly begins to compress the air and starting fluid now inside the combustion chamber. As the piston begins to move upwards compression increases and cylinder temperature begins to climb. However, since starting fluid will ignite at a lower temperature 360 F (182 C) versus the diesel fuel at 1000 F (550 C) a flame inside the combustion chamber occurs ahead of the injectors opening to deliver their fuel.

Kubota fuel injection pumps are designed to begin delivery to the injector at 14-22 degrees Before Top Dead Center (BTDC), depending on the specific engine model. This means that as the piston in still traveling upwards, a flame has already started inside the combustion chamber! Spray some diesel fuel into this flame ball and add a little more compression and you can see where this is going. BANG!

With starting fluid displacing the air, ignition now occurs explosively, uncontrollably and with such force that the upper limits of compression pressure are well exceeded. Never, ever use starting fluid on a diesel engine with glow plugs! KA-BLOOMIE!! Kubota tractors all have glow plugs!

Kubota Technical Service Bulletin SB78-38
In 1978 Kubota issued a service bulletin covering the use of ether or starting aids in their engines.

Kubota's TSB SB78-38 was the 38th bulletin issued in 1978. The use of ether or starting fluids resulting in damage to your equipment would not be covered under warranty.

10 Quick Cold Weather Starting Tips

1. Have a good strong battery with 850-1000CCA (cold cranking amps).
2. Use a magnetic block heater if your Kubota does not have a water jacket heater to keep the engine block, oil pan and oil warm.
3. Crank over the engine for 15-30 seconds with the cylinder head decompression knob pulled out to circulate warm engine oil to the upper parts of the engine.
4. Glow the glow plugs for the appropriate time as dictated by the outside ambient temperature. Below zero give them 60 seconds of preheat. Over-glowing does not hurt.
5. Service your tractor regularly, change filters and fluids.
6. If the engines begins to fire and is running a little lumpy, quickly turn the key backwards to reactivate the glow plugs and bring the temperature of the combustion temperature back up.
7. Set a trouble light on top of the engine for an hour or so to warm up a frozen engine. Place it by the air plenum and injector lines but do not leave it unattended or overnight.
8. Remove the battery and bring it inside the house if necessary. A warm battery will crank your Kubota over like a hot day in July!
9. Park in a heated garage if possible, if not, even an unheated shed offers a degree of protection.
10. Make sure the fuel in the tank is fresh, number 2 diesel. If you store your own fuel, make sure it has been treated with an extender and it does not hurt to use a little cetane booster.

Service Department Vic

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How to Enable High Quality Playback
Simply start playing the video and then move your mouse to the bottom right corner. A menu will roll up that lets you select “HQ” for high quality playback. The video will take a moment to stream in the higher quality content and will resume playing from the position where you toggled the quality.

The HQ button in the menu that rolls up from the bottom right toggles quality between low and high. When the button is red you are on the high quality setting.

Results
Here is a frame from our video on how to clear snow with a snow blade, and you can see the difference toggling the quality setting makes. YouTube in the future might have high quality set to on by default, but for now, you have to select it manually.

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A Kubota L1-R24 in its rearward operating configuration.

We recently received a comment from Ian King, an OrangeTractorTalks reader from British Columbia, Canada (map), asking for some information on his recently acquired Kubota L1-R26 tractor. Unable to find much, if any information on it, Mr. K and I decided to answer some of Ian’s questions with a feature story on his unique Kubota!

The L1-R Family Tree
In North America, an L1-R Kubota is extremely rare and seldom seen – built exclusively for the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) between 1983-1988. Since it was a JDM tractor only, Kubota North America brands the L1-R series as gray market tractors. The L1-R series tractors consist of the L1-R20, L1-R22, L1-R24, L1-R26 and L1R-28 – all of which are a marvel of Kubota design engineering. Ian’s bidirectional Kubota is from the L1 Series of Kubotas that include these models:

• Early L1 Series
  L1-20, L1-22, L1-24, L1-26, L1-28, L1-33, L1-38, L1-43, L1-45

• Later L1-5 Series
  L1-185, L1-195, L1-205, L1-215, L1-225, L1-235, L1-245, L1-255, L1-265, L1-275, L1-285, L1-295, L1-315, L1-325, L1-345, L1-385, L1-435, L-455

Ian's Kubota L1-R26 in the forward configuration with a front end loader ready to do some work.

The R designation in the model number means the tractor can be driven and operated in either the traditional forward facing manner, or with a few quick adjustments they can be safely operated and driven with the driver facing backwards. Finding a use for a backwards running tractor may seem a little odd at first, but, they are more common than you may think. In fact, Kubota is not the first manufacturer to develop and build a bidirectional tractor…

Bidirectional Tractor History
You have to hand it to the average hard working farmer – masters of ingenuity, dreamers and developers, they have come up with some of the most creative ways to get things done, make things work, or repurpose old machinery for a new task. It is this line of thinking that gave birth to the bidirectional tractor.

In the late 1960s, a couple of talented brothers, Peter and Dan Pakosh from Manitoba, Canada (map), were building grain augers, drawbars and field sprayers under their own brand name, Versatile. Credited with being the first company to mass produce 4WD farm tractors, brother Dan thought that a market existed for a multipurpose tractor that could be operated bidirectionally. Surely the world was ready for such an innovation!

The D100, the world's first mass-produced 4WD farm tractor. Produced by Versatile in 1965.

Since the tractor could be used to either push or pull an implement, it was marketed as being “a number of self-propelled machines in one”. The concept was an immediate success. With 4WD and a switchable operator’s platform, bidirectional tractors had arrived! 20 years later, when was Versatile sold to Ford-New Holland, the design engineers at New Holland brought Dan Pakosh out of retirement to help them modernize the bidirectional tractor, taking it forward into the next century. The result was the New Holland TV-140.

The Ford-New Holland TV-140 - a result of redesigning and bringing the bidirectional tractor into the 20th century.

Simplified Timeline

• Late 1930s – Early 1940s
  Peter Pakosh goes to work for Massey Harris honing his skills as a designer, draftsman and inventor.

• 1960s
  Peter and his brother Dan become the first to mass produce a 4WD farm tractor, the Versatile D100.

• 1977
  Versatile brings the world’s first bidirectional tractor to market – the
  Versatile Model 150.

• 1982
  Versatile iterates on their design and introduces the Model 160

• 1987
  New Holland buys Versatile and starts developing the next generational of bidirectional tractors – the New Holland TV 140.

• 1983-1988
  Kubota brings out their own line of bidirectional tractors, the L1-R Series.

Service Department Vic standing beside a Versatile 160 bidirectional tractor. Versatile built the 160 from 1982-1983.

Engines, Drivelines, Nuts and Bolts
Ian’s L1-R26 is equipped with a Kubota V1512 direct injected 4 cylinder engine. The V1512 was used in a number of JDM Kubota tractor models including the L1-265, L1-285, L1-295, L1-315 and was also used in the L1-R28. Depending on injector pump pressure and timing, the V1512 was rated anywhere from 26-32 horsepower at the PTO.

Transmissions and final drives are shared on Ian’s Kubota with the Kubota L2250, L2550, L2650 and L2950. While these North American models had 4 ranges and 4 working speeds to the transmission (16F), the JDM versions offered 20F speeds. Both the Japanese Domestic Market and North American models feature a mechanical shuttle shift.

PTO Speeds
All L1-R’s have 4 speed PTOs which operate at these speeds (@ 2500 engine RPM): 566 RPM, 774 RPM, 938 RPM and 1250 RPM. Interestingly, all L and L-1 gray models have 4 speed PTOs and gray market B series have 3 speed PTOs. For North American models (non gray market equipment), Kubota limited the PTO to only 2 speeds.

Going From Front to Back and Back Again
An owner of a L1-R series needs to a few things if they wish to switch from front operation to rear-facing operation:

1. The steering column is detached from its location by unscrewing a set bolt located adjacent to the PTO speed change lever.



Steering wheel release located next to the PTO speed lever.

2. The dash blank out panel is unclipped and stowed.



When switching to the reverse configuration, this blank out panel is removed and the seat is installed in its place.

3. The seat is released and mounted where the dash blank out panel was removed. Note that because of the placement of the speed change lever and shuttle shift, control of the tractor is still natural feeling in either forward or reverse configurations.



A close up of the L1-R shuttle shift - its placement means operating the tractor is not awkward regardless of forward or reverse configuration.

4. When operated in the reverse position, the driver’s feet would rest on foot pads, one located on the right hand side of the seat by the position control, and the other rubber foot pad on the center of the transmission tunnel where the transmission is filled.



Driver's feet rest on foot pads that are normally under the seat.

5. The brake and clutch pedal pads are connected with bolts on Kubota’s Reversing L-1 tractors, rather than welded on as they are on the L1-18, 20 etc. For reward operation, these pads are removed and are installed on redundant pedal “posts” that are located on either side of the operator’s seat. A complete set of duplicate pedals – gas, brake and clutch are sitting under the seat!



Redundant gas, brake and clutch pedals are located under the seat (shown here tipped forward). Photo credit: OrangeTractorTalks reader Keith

6. The steering column is reinstalled where the seat used to be.

7. The final detail would be to swap the tires from side to side in order to maximize the traction of the R-1 Ag Grips.

An L1-R24 before and after swapping from forward to reverse operation.

Cab Versions
Cab versions of L1-R Series Kubotas were equipped with front and rear windshield wipers, and in addition to having lots of glass, the cab versions had a glass window that was at the back of the tractor behind the seat.

An L1-R Kubota equipped with a cab - note the rear glass panel for viewing ground near the PTO and the rear wiper.

Non-cab versions had a plexiglass panel just behind the seat which incidentally, had two armrests rather than a single armrest seat version installed on non-Reverse models. This opening made viewing the ground right at the 3 point hitch possible when operating in the rearward facing position.

What were these Tractors Used For?
Since these tractors provided a very detailed view of the goings on at the PTO end of the tractor, the L1-R Series of Kubota was used in much the same way as its Versatile and New Holland ancestors were:

• precision seeding
• planting and tilling
• bidirectional mowing
• PTO operation of a rotary brush or broom
• snow blowing
• lifting pallets
• trenching
• hoe operation
• bulldozing

Anywhere that increased maneuverability and tight handling were needed, the L1-R Kubotas were pressed into use! You can see from this video a L1-R Kubota in action (thanks to OrangeTractorTalks reader Dan Alex for finding it).

There you have it, a history and overview of a rare and unique Kubota. If you have more detailed questions or comments regarding the L1-R series, ask away in the comments below and we’ll do our best to answer.

Service Department Vic

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Why Chains?
If you are operating your Kubota compact tractor equipped with turf tires and you would like to get the most utility from your equipment, then that means being able to use your Kubota year round. The problem is, turf tires are good for the lawn in July but are not as handy on the driveway in January! Chaining up the turf tires is an excellent way to get the traction assist you need without the expense and effort of buying another set of rims and tires.

Tire chains installed on the turf tires of this B6200 boost traction enough for us to use a snow blade to clear the driveway.

Types of Tire Chains
One would think that not much that could be new with a tire chain – it is just a few links of metal crisscrossed over the tire, right? In fact, there are a few different versions of tire chains available for your Kubota tractor, each with some unique characteristics that are worth taking a look at:

• ladder style
• double cross
• duo ladder

Ladder Style Chains
The most common style of tractor tire chain is the ladder style. Uninstalled, these chains look like a ladder when laid out. Most ladder style chains have “rungs” that cross every fourth link in the side chains. These cross rungs sit on the tread face and ultimately make contact with the ground.

Ladder style chains have cross rungs every 4th link on the side lengths. For our B6200 this means 13 cross lengths for each wheel.

Double Cross Chains
A common variation on the 4-link ladder above, is the double cross where a cross length is attached every second link on the side chains. This means there are twice as many cross rungs in contact with the ground providing for superb traction and minimal tire wear.

Double cross chains are just that - twice as many cross-ways lengths in contact with the ground.

Duo Ladder Chains
Another variation of the ladder style tire chain is the duo ladder. This version utilizes case hardened cross lengths attached every second and fourth side link on the perimeter chain and further attached every second and third cross length. Duo ladder chains are recommended for AG Grip or R4 industrial tires used off road, so no pavement or concrete driveway clearing when equipped with these type of chains.

Duo ladder chains, typically not used on hard surfaces such as pavement or concrete.

Installation Guide
Without a doubt, the easiest way to install tire chains on your Kubota is with the help of a good floor jack. While not absolutely necessary, a jack does allow you to lift one tire at a time which really helps. Here is a quick low down on tire chain installation assuming you have access to a floor jack.

1. Park your Kubota on a level firm surface like the garage or shop floor, check tire pressures and adjust as required.
2. Turn off the engine, remove the ignition key.
3. Place a wheel chock or block in front of both front tires.
4. From the rear of the tractor, place the floor jack under the left hand rear axle close to the left hand rim.
5. Operate the jack to raise the left hand rear rim and tire only a couple of inches off the ground.
6. Do not attempt to lift the entire back end of the tractor by jacking it up in the middle of the rear axle – attempting to balance the tractor on the jack!
7. Take one tire chain, lay it out flat on the garage or shop floor, and untangle it if necessary. Pay attention to the curled ends (A) of the cross chains.
   

   Cross lengths that are finished with curled ends - you will want to make sure these face down when the chain is laid out on the floor.

8. You’ll want to make sure that the curled ends face down when the chain is sitting on the floor.
9. Pick the chain up and drape it over the tire orientating in such a way that the curled ends of the cross chains will curl up and away from the crown of the tire when the chain is installed.


Correctly draped chains will have the curled ends curving up and away from the crown of the tire as shown here.

10. Depending on your make and brand of chains, there may be a lever fastener or a snap clip fastener that joins the two sides of the chain together. Make sure that the lever or snap clip is on the outside of the tire.


Your chains may be equipped with snap fasteners that join the two ends of the chain together as shown here.

11. Adjust the chain for straightness, centering the chain on the tread face equally.
12. Place the first cross chain (opposite the end with fastener and inside hook) under the tire.
13. Pull the inside rim chain tight and hook the inside hook. Pull the outside rim chain tight and hook the outside lever fastener (B) by running the end through a free link (C).


Pull the inside chain, closest to the rim, tight and hook the inside hook.

14. Close the fastener by rotating it back 180 degrees and engaging the hook (D) on the end of the fastener into a rim chain link (E). Make sure the chain is centered on the tire with approximately the same number of free rim links (F) on the inside and outside.


Close the fastener by rotating it back 180 degrees.

15. Tie back any excess rim chain links (G) back to the rim chain.


Tie back excess chain links.

16. Try to get the chains as tight as possible, readjust the lever fasteners if necessary.
17. Slowly lower the jack, reposition to the other side of the tractor and repeat installation process on right hand side tire.
18. Once installed, remove the jack and parking block or chock, and operate the tractor for a few hundred feet, forward and then backward, to seat the chains. Check to ensure tightness, and readjust as necessary. Periodically over the winter season, check air pressure and chains, adjusting pressure and fit as necessary.

Taking Up Slack
You may feel it is necessary to add a few rubber bungee cords to take up any slack on the chains. Just make sure that you take the slack to the outside of the wheel and tire, not the inside. Excess chain and bungee cords may become tangled up on the axle or axle stubs if placed on the inside.

Cost of Tire Chains
A decent set of chains for you Kubota will cost anywhere from $150-275 depending on the style of chain you select and of course tire size. If your Kubota is a 4×4 it is not a bad idea to chain up the front tires as well. If you decide to just do the rears and you experience some under steer, separate the brake pedals and use them individually to brake steer your Kubota when pushing down a long stretch. This tip works real well when you have the bucket angled down slightly and all ready have the front tires of the tractor a little high.

Service Dept Vic

Related Articles
How to Clear Snow with a Snow Blade
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Your Kubota’s snow blade – an implement that is earning its keep this winter! Record snow falls all across North America has meant a lot of seat time for Kubota tractor owners as they push, pile, blade and bucket their way through winter! Even if your Kubota tractor is equipped with a front end loader, there are still a lot of reasons to have this handy, often under rated, implement.

A typical snow blade that has seen some use. This one, manufactured by Farm King, is in back blade position and attached to a Kubota B6200.

General Blading Technique
The general steps to clearing your driveway with a snow blade would be:

1. adjust the discharge angle by pulling the clevis pin at the top of the blade and rotating the blade – we typically have it somewhere in the middle
2. lengthen or shorten your top link to change your blade’s tilt with the ground (its aggressiveness) – for an even less aggressive blade, flip it around to back blade
3. if necessary, add some additional weight to the blade assembly so that your implement maintains its bite
4. begin in the center of your driveway and make multiple passes toward the edges – do not worry about getting every bit of snow all in one pass – easy does it
5. making use of tire chains or your Kubota’s differential lock (if equipped) will help you out if traction becomes a problem
6. if you are clearing snow and your tractor bogs a lot, this is an indication that you are 1) being to aggressive with your blade tilt or 2) the angle of discharge needs to be increased to fire more snow off the end of the blade rather than dragging it all

Adjusting the Blade Angle
All snow or grader blades are built with a sturdy frame that attaches to the tractors 3 point hitch. The blade may be fixed to the frame or it may be adjustable, allowing the operator to angle the discharge of snow, dirt or gravel off to one side. Pulling the clevis pin allows the blade to be angled up to 30 degrees left or right, across 4 or 5 discrete positions. The blade may also be fully rotated backwards. Operating the implement in this manner is referred to as back blading.

Pull the clevis pin on your snow blade to swing to another angle or to completely reverse it.

Schematic displaying snow blade attachment to 3 point hitch, clevis pin and 5 adjustment positions to give up to 30 degrees of blade angle.

Adjusting the Blade Angle of Attack
When we say angle of attack we are referring to the angle the edge of the blade makes with respect to the surface you are grading – in other words, the tilt of the blade. Lengthening the top link will change this angle of attack and make the blade more aggressive. Shortening the top link does the opposite – allows the blade to still move snow or gravel, but reduces the frequency that the blade digs in as much as much on uneven ground.

Adjusting the blade agressiveness - lengthen top link to increase blade agressiveness, shorten for a softer blade.

Blade Moldboard
Your blade might be equipped with what is known as a moldboard, like we have on our 60″ Farm King Series 30 here. The part of the blade that contacts the ground is called the moldboard and higher quality blades typically have replaceable moldboards. Once the contact edge of the moldboard has become sufficiently worn, it can be unbolted and inverted, giving a fresh sharp cutting edge once again.

We have a moldboard on the bottom of this Farm King Series 30 which allows us to 1) invert the moldboard for a fresh cutting surface and 2) replace the moldboard only instead of the whole blade.

Adding a Little Weight
Since the 3 point hitch on your tractor does not have hydraulic down pressure the effectiveness of the attached implement often governed by its weight. A blade of substantial mass will resist riding up on a hard pack of snow or dry compacted earth. Providing you do not exceed the maximum lift capacities of your 3 point hitch (measured at the ball tips), then adding a little weight to either the blade frame, the blade itself, or both, can greatly improve the ability of the blade to function. We have short sections of railway track bolted securely to the frame and the blade to give us this extra weight for best results.

It goes without saying that no one should ever ride on a snow blade, or any implement for that matter. Generally no one should be at the rear, working end of a tractor.

Gravel Driveway or Parking Lot? Consider Back Blading
You may want to consider back blading if you are clearing snow off a gravel driveway or parking area. When the snow blade is rotated backwards it will operate in its least aggressive fashion. The blade will not cut into the roadway and will not accumulate gravel in the blade. You will still be able to move a large volume of snow and if the blade becomes overwhelmed with product it will slightly ride up and slide over the snow, rather than bogging down your tractor.

Service Department Vic

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Poll: What implements are you using to clear snow?

If you are old enough to drive then you know the basic idea behind a clutch – it is a component of transmission that is designed to allow the engagement or disengagement of the engine to the gearbox. Without a method of temporarily disconnecting these two assemblies you would not be able to shift gears or change direction of travel – both very handy features of your Kubota tractor.

Depending on the model of Kubota tractor you own it will have either a dry clutch or a wet clutch.

Wet Clutch
Certain Kubota tractors use a multiple plate wet disc clutch system that is in-place of the dry clutch. This hydraulic wet clutch offers exceptional durability and a much longer operating life compared to a single dry clutch disc. The wet clutch has a steady stream of filtered hydraulic oil that keeps the clutch discs and plates cool, reducing friction for smoother operation. A mechanically actuated shuttle valve controls the directional flow of oil, allowing the operator to shift between forward and reverse gears without clutching. Kubota’s L2550 or L2650 are two examples that employ a wet clutch.

This image is an example of a wet clutch pack. We see two gear packs - one forward and one reverse. The entire unit is bathed in a lubricating oil.

Dry Clutch
Dry clutch Kubota tractors are ones that operate with a dry asbestos friction disc material. The friction material is pressed tightly against the tractor’s flywheel using springs. They do not last as long as their wet clutch counterparts, but they are cheaper to repair or replace. It is also possible to rebuild a dry clutch and its common to have the disc resurfaced. Most of Kubota’s model lineup use dry clutches. B5100, B6100, B7100, B5200, B6200, B7200, L175, L185, L1801 and so on – all examples of dry clutch Kubota tractors.

A typical dry clutch with asbestos friction material. The springs relieve load shock and help smooth clutching action.

Kubota’s “Ever Clutch”
The L2650 is an example Kubota that was available with either a wet or dry clutch. L2650s with an “Ever Clutch” decal were fitted with the longer lasting wet clutch system – hence the “Ever”. Other Kubotas that were branded with this decal and the upgraded clutch were the L2950, L3450, L3650, L4350, L4850, L5450, M5700 and M6800.

Components of a Dry Clutch
Dry clutches make up the majority of those found in typical Kubota equipment, so it is these types that we will focus on for the remainder of the article. The dry clutch on your Kubota tractor comprises the following main components:

• flywheel
• clutch disc
• pressure plate
• clutch release or throw out bearing
• clutch release fork

Flywheel
The flywheel is a heavy metal disc that is attached to the crankshaft at the rear of the engine. It is precision balanced and of a substantial thickness – typically around 1.5-2″ thick up to 3″ thick on a Kubota M series. These flywheels weigh about 40lbs in a small L series, 55-65lbs in a Grand L series and upwards of 125lbs for the larger 100HP M series.

Flywheels in your Kubota are 1.5-2 inches thick and typically weigh around 40-50lbs. They store momentum which steadies varying amounts of torque placed on the input shaft of the transmission by the engine.

The flywheel stores momentum which means it is able to steady the input shaft of the transmission by smoothing out fluctuating amounts of torque placed upon the shaft by the tractor’s engine. It also has a ring gear with teeth that accepts the starter motor’s drive gear when cranking the engine. A common Kubota service complaint regarding the flywheel is poor starter motor engagement from a worn motor pinion or a badly worn ring gear. In this case, often a shudder is felt when releasing the clutch on the tractor. This shudder indicates an imbalance in the flywheel due to general wear or a flywheel that has been machined down in the past and is now over its acceptable tolerance.

Point where the starter's drive gear (smaller gear in center) contacts the flywheel.

A flywheel that is not able to properly dissipate heat extremes will eventually stress-crack. The generated friction can also temper areas on the flywheel resulting in hot spots. These hot spot areas appear as blue burn marks on the surface of the flywheel and indicate a flywheel that is not handling heat properly.

A flywheel with stress cracks due to temperature extremes.

A flywheel with friction hot spots burned into its surface.

Flywheel Resurfacing
If you are undertaking splitting of your Kubota tractor to service the clutch it is recommended that you resurface the flywheel – paying particular attention to the appropriate minimum thickness requirement. Kubota further states that the maximum amount of material that can be removed from any flywheel clutch surface is .060” (1.5mm). Post a comment if you require a specification for your Kubota’s flywheel and we’ll reply!

Clutch Disc
The clutch disc is comprised mainly of compressed asbestos with metal filings. This disc is held tightly against the flywheel by the pressure plate. The clutch disc is always in contact with the flywheel and as such, is subject to wear and slipping. Some common Kubota tractor service complaints with the clutch are slippage – due to disc wear, contamination from oil or from hot spotting on the flywheel.

Schematic of a Kubota clutch disc.

Oil on the Disc
Oil can contaminate the disc from a bad rear engine main seal, or a bad transmission input shaft seal. Either way, oil on the disc is not good. Oil can also enter the clutch housing area and contaminate the clutch disc by over filling the transmission. The L-1 Series Kubotas, L2050, L2550, L2650 and so on, have a vent hole near top of the transmission, above the input shaft and contained in the clutch housing. Overfilling the transmission/common reservoir will push oil into this area which would then contaminate the clutch disc.

Riding the Clutch
Operators can prematurely wear out the clutch disc in their Kubota tractor by “riding” the clutch pedal. This results from not removing your foot from the pedal when shifting gears. You’ll know the smell of a burning clutch when you smell it – it smells expensive. Avoid riding the clutch by keep your foot on the foot board.

When to Replace the Clutch Disc
Signs that your clutch disc needs replacement:

• inability to shift the transmission with the engine running without grinding the gears
• the tractor will not pull a load
• the tractor will not go up a simple incline
• slipping, extreme shudder or squealing
• expensive burnt clutch smell

Storing your Kubota? How to Prevent the Clutch from Rusting to the Flywheel
Kubota recommends that when storing your equipment, have the clutch disc pressure relieved by way of placing a block under the foot board after the clutch pedal has been depressed. This relieves the pressure on the clutch and prevents it from rusting to the flywheel. A clutch rusted to the flywheel is common service complaint is for owners of seasonal Kubotas (only use it in the winter to snowblow or only in the summer to mow). They may use their Kubota so infrequently that when they do attempt to start the tractor, the clutch and transmission are frozen – rusted together.

Kubota recognized this service issue and shipped all L175, L185, L235, L1500, L1501, L1801 and L2000 tractors with a small wooden block, painted black included in the under seat tool box. The block of wood had a yellow decal on it that indicated the correct placement of the block in keeping the clutch pedal depressed during storage. A paper tag with wire was attached to the clutch pedal further reinforcing its use if the tractor was stored and not used for any period of time. Later models like Daedong and Kubota’s joint venture, the 02 Series (L1802, L2002 etc), had a spring button that when pressed down, held the clutch pedal and kept the disc off the pressure plate.

Condensation & Free Play Considerations
Condensation in the clutch housing also creates a problem for the clutch disc. There is a drain at the bottom of the housing that should be opened from time to time to let water egress. If you have an early L175/L1500 and there is no drain plug, drill a small hole at the bottom of the housing to necessitate the removal of condensate from the clutch. Finally, clutch pedal “free play” should be adjusted from time to time as the tractor ages and the disc wears. Post a comment if you require a specification for your equipment.

Pressure Plate
The job of the pressure plate is to maintain constant, even pressure on the clutch disc, holding it in contact with the flywheel. The pressure plate has a precision-ground machined surface that the clutch disc contacts on the transmission side. At the centre of the pressure plate is an array of tensioned spring fingers. When compressed by the clutch release bearing, tension is alleviated on the disc plate and it is then free to rotate, independent of the flywheel. This allows the operator to change gears, or direction of travel.

Some common Kubota service complaints with the pressure plate are similar to those of the flywheel:

• shudder – from hot spotting on the pressure plate’s machined surface
• a mushy feeling – indicative of broken or worn springs
• excessive pedal travel
• inability to change gears
• grinding of the transmission even though the clutch pedal is fully depressed

A schematic of a Kubota pressure plate.

Clutch Release Bearing and Shift Fork
The clutch release bearing is a precision roller bearing that rides on the transmission input shaft of your Kubota tractor. It is held in place and activated by the clutch fork which in turn is attached to the clutch pedal linkage.

A close up shot of the clutch release bearing.

The clutch fork straddles the clutch release bearing holder.

The large flat face of the release bearing presses against the spring fingers of the pressure plate to free the clutch disc. Some common Kubota Service complaints with the clutch release bearing are squealing, grinding and chatter when the clutch pedal is lightly pressed, or pressed a little too far (clutch pedal stop is not adjusted properly) and the squeal can persist during travel with the clutch fully engaged.

B Series Kubota tractors have a serviceable release bearing. A grease zerk is accessible from the side of the transmission tunnel. A few strokes keeps that bearing moving freely. Use care not to dislodge the small return spring attached to the bearing.

All or Nothing
If you find yourself in a situation that necessitates the splitting of the tractor to get at the clutch then you should consider replacing all of the serviceable components in there. Do not just install or have installed a new clutch disc. Replace it with a matched pressure plate and have the flywheel machined to the correct spec. Emery cloth and a lot of ambition does not machine a flywheel. When it comes to a Kubota clutch it is best to take an all or nothing approach to its repair – you’ll thank yourself in the long run.

That wraps up our overview of the different types of clutches in Kubota’s equipment and an in-depth look at the mechanics of the dry clutch found in most Kubotas. Read more about your clutch in the related articles below.

Service Department Vic

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