A clean, well maintained and restored Kubota B6000E 2WD.

Ahhh yes, you have taken the leap and plunged into the orange tractor club. Your Kubota B6200 is solid runner and you got a good deal on it too, maybe even picked up a belly mower and a front end loader as part of the package deal. What now though? Well, your Kubota is going to probably need some minor repairs and will need ongoing maintenance. Where do we start?

A Checklist!
This is a handy checklist that you can use to quick start getting to know your new-to-you Kubota. If you already have another piece of orange equipment then this guide is a good refresher. On the other hand, if you have never seen, touched, sat near or smelled a diesel engine before, no matter, you will be comparing CCAs and suction filters in no time!

Take Aways
Aside from specific details and procedures, the things that we hope you take away after running through this guide are:

• getting to know your equipment better (controls, filter locations, manuals, etc)
• insight into the mechanical state of your equipment
• confidence when it comes to operating, servicing and discussing your Kubota
• an understanding that maintenance is ongoing – be prepared to pay with a little time and money to maintain and service your equipment

Let us begin.

Cleaning
There is a very good chance that unless the previous owner of your equipment was Service Dept. Vic, that it will need a good cleaning. A tractor is a piece of dirty, earth moving, rototilling, tree stump pulling, mowing, snow plowing heavy iron. Generally a tractor is not something we think about washing very often if at all.

Cleaning is important because it will knock the years of dirt and grease off allowing you to better inspect for leaks, cracks and other wear and tear. Rinse it down with degreaser and pressure wash it off. If you have your Kubota trailered do not be afraid to pull it right into the wash bay at your local car wash. This type of cleaning is always the first thing we do with our equipment.

Parts and Operator’s Manuals
If you know what model Kubota you are getting you could even acquire these in advance. You will definitely need at least the parts and operator’s manuals. As equipment changes hands these manuals tend to get lost, so if your new purchase does not come with these manuals we recommend you get them. They cost anywhere from $30-50 each and are well worth the time to track them down. eBay or your local dealership are good starting points.

A parts manual is also handy not just because it provides part numbers. Each page details an exploded-view diagram of a section of your equipment. These exploded-views really come in handy when a repair calls for disassembly or if you have a broken part in your hand and are not exactly sure what it is.

An operator’s manual will detail not just how to control your equipment but other helpful things like: fluid levels, capacities, load limits, implement hookup and removal, wiring diagrams, simple troubleshooting, maintenance intervals and so on.

Typical look and feel of a Kubota operator's manual. This one for the B9200 is out of print so be sure to check on eBay!

We have an entire article on Kubota reference manuals that is worth a read.

Assess the Situation
After a good cleaning your next objective is to test the operation of everything on your tractor. The lights should work. The horn should work. Three point arms should lift and lower smoothly. You will know how everything is supposed to work because you have your operator’s manual close at hand.

General things to make note of as you go about your assessment:

• leaks of any kind – oil, fuel, coolant
• burnt smelling hydraulic fluid
• milky/spotted oil or hydraulic fluid
• anything that looks like a makeshift repair or anything non-standard – bypassed seat safety switches, mis-matched bolts, baling wire holding together some major engine component
• missing PTO shield
• missing, damaged or rusty ROPS (roll over protection system)
• missing or damaged seat belt
• the location of any grease zerks that you will need to return to later and lubricate

Quick Tip: Tighten Those Bolts
We are just about to talk specifics but here is a quick tip. Making sure each bolt you come across is nice and tight is actually a good way to get to know your equipment. As we go from area to area (air, fuel, oil, cooling and electrical systems) take the time to find the right socket or wrench, wipe down any grease or goo and button everything up nice and tight.

Air Filter
Replacing the air filter is recommended. The previous owner may have just replaced it, but we cannot be sure of that. Best to start a new service history right now.

Air box assembly.

Your air box is at the front of the tractor and has an end cap on it. When you open up the box you will see the filter element but also a silver bowl. A common mistake is to not dump the dirt and debris inside this silver bowl – be sure to do that. Install a new air filter and secure the rubber washer at the base of the filter, if not, unfiltered air will bypass the filter assembly entirely and make its way to the combustion chamber! Oops!

Typical Kubota air filter.

Read more about your air filter and watch a video in our Kubota Servicing 101 – Part 1 lesson.

Fuel Filter
Kubota’s fuel filters come in two varieties: either a canister spin-on style (like an oil filter) or the more popular paper element in a sediment bowl. If you have an early L-series like an L175, L185, L1500 or L1501, you have a spin-on. Regardless of the type, we are going to want to replace this filter too. Order in advance to save yourself some time.

If you have the spin-on style simply place a catch basin below the filter, close the fuel petcock/valve, and spin the filter off. You will want to make sure the rubber o-ring at the top of the filter came off. Next, just spin a new filter on but not all the way – you can save yourself having to bleed the lines if you leave a slight 2-3 thread gap at the top. Turn the fuel valve back on, let the diesel fill the filter and run over and then finish tightening the rest. If you tighten all the way you will get an air lock and will need to bleed your injector lines.

A sediment bowl style filter is similar. The bowl is held onto the bottom of the fuel petcock by a large retaining ring. Loosen the ring to drop the bowl and get access to the paper filter inside. Replace with a new filter on top of the spring you find below the existing filter. Again to avoid bleeding the lines, tighten most of the way and then let the fuel petcock open, then finish tightening.

A filter-in-bowl style fuel filter.

You can read more about servicing your fuel filter and watch a video in our Kubota Servicing 101 – Part 2.

Oil Filter
As with the air and fuel filters you will want to perform an oil change. Kubota’s equipment uses a standard spin-on style filter that you can either acquire from the dealership or an aftermarket supplier like NAPA or Wix. If you have a gray market Kubota like an L1500, B1600 or B5000 those part numbers are a little harder to track down – luckily we them right here.

Kubota engine oil capacity ranges from 4-8 quarts so be sure you have enough replacement oil on hand – again something that your operator’s manual can provide you with specifics on.

When you drop the oil make note of its color – milky, green or spotted oil indicates that you have an oil/coolant mix somewhere and would have to diagnose further. Dark or black oil is okay – oil does get dirty as it cleans out and lubricates the engine.

Cooling System
Your Kubota’s cooling system consists of the radiator, upper and lower radiator hoses, a fan, a fan belt and a waterpump assembly. Most owners have a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water serving as their coolant. We do not recommend running just water because it causes all sorts of problems if it freezes while still inside the engine block.

There is a lot to cover, so we will summarize here and leave it to you to read Kubota Servicing 101 – Part 3:

• radiator hoses should be firm but flexible – if they have cloth on them, they are original and must be replaced
• fan belt should be tight with little slack and no more than 1/2″ of deflection – Kubota lettering indicates it is original and time for replacement
• inspect the fan – it should have all of its blades crack and dirt free
• pop the cap and look inside the radiator – expect to see green antifreeze – if not and there is even the slightest chance of freezing, replace the coolant
• blow out the leaves, grass and debris from the front of the radiator

Test rad hoses by feeling for soft spots, twistly slightly and looking for tears or listen for ripping.

Electrical System
You are looking to confirm that the battery can hold a charge and that the charging system is working to recharge the battery. We have a lot of Kubotas with malfunctioning electrical systems where the owners just “make do” – whenever they need to start their equipment they just borrow the battery from the truck. That is a huge hassle, so do not take short cuts and do things right the first time. Using your Ohm meter, measure across the terminals. A properly charged battery should be in the close vicinity of 12.6V.

CCA (cold cranking amperes) is a measurement of the battery’s ability to deliver current at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend a battery that can deliver at least 850 CCA, 1000 CCA if you live in a cold climate.

When it comes to the battery terminals make sure you have clamp style connections – that is, a battery cable that sandwiches the lead at the back end of the connector. Typical enclosed style connectors are prone to breaking and thus provide a bad contact leading to intermittent electrical failure.

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.

One last thing before we move onto another section – the battery hold-down bracket. Your Kubota may not be equipped with this anymore as it is a common thing to go missing. The point is to hold the battery tight against the battery support bracket so that the lead plates inside the battery do not smash themselves to pieces. If the plates are damaged the battery will not hold a charge.

A battery and hold down bracket.

Read more about inspecting your electrical system in our Kubota Battery Basics article.

Hydraulic Suction Filter
If you have an earlier Kubota like a L175, L185, L245 or a B5100, B6100 or B7100 you have a hydraulic suction filter that must be serviced on a regular basis. Most folks forget to do so which leads to one of two things: 1) the filter get plugged and hydraulic performance suffers or 2) the filter disintegrates and the fine mesh material ends up circulating around in the fluid.

The hydraulic suction filter in your Kubota is essentially a fine mesh that collects flash and debris.

If you have slow hydraulics, shuddering, jerky front end loader movement or poor 3-point performance this suction screen is likely at fault. You will need to locate the filter, clean and inspect and possibly order a new one. Read our article on hydraulic suction filters for the specific details on how to perform this maintenance.

Safety
Most Kubota tractors have a PTO speed of 540RPM which is about 540 too much if you get your arm and leg stuck in one. If not already equipped get a PTO shield that adequately covers the PTO stub shaft at the rear. You will also want to make sure the implement drive line is shielded in the usual plastic casing.

Kubota has a ROPS and seat belt program that they offer through their dealership network. If your Kubota is not already equipped, get and use a ROPS and seat belt. Seriously.

Dan's nearly-rolled Kubota B2320. He blamed it on the snow.

Implements
If your new-to-you Kubota comes with a front end loader or maybe a mower, take the time to inspect and service them. Locate and service grease zerks on the loader pivot pins. Raise and lower the loader and make note of any shudder or poor lifting performance – either could indicate problems with the hydraulic system.

Turn the mower deck over and blast out any accumulated debris with a pressure washer. Inspect the blades and belts for wear and replace as needed. You will also want to make sure the mower deck gear assembly is properly lubricated – same goes for a rototiller. Speaking of rototillers, we have an article on them as well. Mid-mount or “belly” mower decks should be removed during the winter time.

Summary
Here are some quick tips to get your new-to-you Kubota up to speed:

• give it a good degreasing and pressure wash
• order the parts and operator’s manuals in advance
• assess your equipment for leaks, cracks, off smelling oil or hydraulic fluid and things that are broken
• replace the air, fuel, oil and hydraulic filters and fluids
• your battery should be rated 850CCA or higher with clamp-style cable ends
• make sure you have safety equipment installed and use them
• grease your front end loader and mower deck

Be prepared to spend the time it takes to maintain your Kubota. Simple observations with the correct preventative follow up with pay you back ten fold when you can avoid a costly repair later.

Next Steps
Consider joining our forums where you can give advice or ask for it anytime of the day or night. Also be sure to check out our related articles for more orange tractor reading.

Mr. K

Related Articles
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 1 – Air Filter
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 2 – Fuel Filter
Kubota Servicing 101: Part 3 – Cooling System
Kubota Battery Basics

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

Related Articles
7 Must-See Kubota Videos

Instead of reinventing the wheel creating a classifieds system, we have a new section on the forums: Buy, Sell & Trade!

Cool! How can I post an ad?
You will need to register on the forums in order to post your ad and any pictures. Registering on the forums also comes in handy when you have helpful advice to give or need it from someone else. Bonus.

What sorts of things should I include in my ad?
Take a look here for some tips. There is no strict rules regarding the formatting of the ads – but – certain things can make your ad easier to find.

What happens to the existing ads on the old system?
They are no longer accessible. If you want your ad up you will have to post it again – sorry about that!

Mr. K

A shot of failed bearings freely rolling around the inside of the steering box - the source of wobbly unresponsive steering.

This article is the first of two that covers the procedure for rebuilding a failed steering box on your Kubota. An earlier article has hints and tips regarding diagnosing steering box failure and is prerequisite reading before we jump into the actual repair covered in these next two tutorials.

Symptoms of Steering Box Failure
Failure of the steering box is actually a pretty common service complaint so it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the symptoms:

• increased or very hard steering effort in either direction
• a crunching or clicking noise coming from the steering box
• steering wheel will turn then gets stuck or locks up
• steering wheel will not return to center after making a turn
• steering wheel is frozen in place and will not turn at above zero temperatures
• steering binds, jerks, locks, gets stuck then will “work” but feels loose
• oil is leaking from the sides of the steering box
• oil from the steering box is rusty or watery

Before We Get Started
This is the type of repair that the average Kubota tractor owner can undertake with relative ease. If you have a basic working knowledge of auto servicing or restoration then this repair is within grasp. Access to a clean work bench, a puller set and a selection of six-point metric sockets is also required.

Box and Column Removal
If you have not done so already, we recommend removing the steering box and column from the tractor to perform these repairs. It is possible to do the repair with the box still bolted to the top of the clutch housing, but, there is something to be said for comfort and a good solid work height.

Loosen the dash cowling where it attaches to the sides of the fuel tank. Spin the 4 bolts out of the dash where it mounts to the sides of the tank and you will see the dash then moves freely.

The steering box and column visible after we remove the dash and engine side panels.

Slide the doughnut-shaped upper column bushing upwards to make the column easier to extract. Spraying a little WD40 on the column will make the bushing slide better. You will also need to pop off the steering wheel center cap and remove the wheel using a puller.

The drag link can be disconnected from the pitman arm using a tie rod end pickle fork. Next, remove the 4 bolts mounting the base of the steering box to the top of the clutch housing. Nearly there – but wait! The box will not come off yet because…

Staked with Dowels
The underside of the steering box is staked in place by a couple of metal dowels. You may need to insert a screwdriver between the bottom of the box and the top of the housing to work the box up and off.

A shot looking down just after the steering box is removed from the top of the clutch housing. The male and female dowels are visible on the left and right as well as the 4 bolt holes where the box was held in place. The clutch shaft is visible in the openening.

You will find one female dowel on the underside of the box and one male dowel on the top of the clutch housing. The box fits tightly on these two dowels so expect to work it a little to get it to pop off the dowels – once you do the steering box and column are ready to be taken over to the bench.

Inspection and Tear Down
Now that you have the box on the workbench, it is a good time to inspect for damage, cracks or breaks on the cast portion of the box case. Also be on the lookout for signs of oil leakage.

Steering box, column and pitman arm removed from the tractor and ready to inspect on the workbench.

Hairline cracks can be addressed with a little JB Weld. Broken box mounting tabs or large areas of destruction cannot be patched. Typically when the bottom of the box is blown out as a result of water freezing you will need a new bare box case – still available from Kubota but will likely be an expensive part.

A hairline crack where the box and column meet can be repaired using JB Weld. Any damage more significant than this will require a new bare box.

JB Weld. Handy in a pinch.

Next, remove the pitman arm bolt and lock and use a puller to remove the arm from the steering box.

Removing the bolt from the pitman arm.

Using a puller to loosen and remove the pitman arm from the steering box.

Inspect the Pitman Arm
Look closely for a scribed line that runs through the pitman arm and the end of the steering box sector shaft – this is an alignment mark that must be referenced when reinstalling the pitman arm – make note of it.

Pitman arm after removal from the box. We have highlighted the small alignment mark used when reinstalling the arm later.

Sector Shaft Removal
To get at the sector shaft we remove the 4 bolts holding the end of the sector shaft end cover plate onto the steering box. Removing the cover plate will draw the sector shaft out of the steering box.

Remove these 4 bolts to expose the sector shaft.

The sector shaft is attached to the end cover plate.

Column Seperation
We need to get the steering column off the steering box. Remove the bushing from the top of the steering column and remove the 4 bolts holding the column post to the cast portion of the box. You will then be able to lift off the column.

Remove the upper bushing at the far end of the steering column. It was already removed when this picture was taken.

Removing the 4 bolts at the base of the steering column exposes the steering shaft ball nut assembly within the steering box.

Steering Box Inspection
With the column post detached from the box, grasp the steering shaft and withdraw it from the box case. Chances are the ball nut will still be attached to the shaft and will come out as a complete unit. Looking inside the box you may find any or all of these:

• loose ball bearings
• stray bits of metal chipped off the steering shaft worm
• drive teeth from the sector shaft

Loose bearings at the bottom of the steering box.

A worn steering shaft worm gear.

Take the time to inspect the ball nut assembly, steering shaft and sector shaft for wear. Order replacement parts as required.

Sector Shaft Seal
With the box now almost completely torn down for rebuild, pop out the old steering sector shaft seal with a straight blade screwdriver or small pry bar.

Straight blade screwdriver used to remove the sector shaft seal.

Lower Bearing Race
The last item to be removed from the steering box is the lower bearing race located inside the steering box where the ball nut steering shaft would sit. If you are lucky, this race will just pop out after some gentle tapping on the backside of the box. If not so lucky you will need to pry it up. You will find it a tight fit to wrangle a tool in there unless it has a small hook end on it that you can pry under the edge of that bearing race. I have been successful a few times removing this race by utilizing a common 6d (six penny) construction nail.

This bearing race will either come out nicely or will put up a fight. A 6d construction nail can be used to pry it up in the later case.

Using vice-grip pliers, lock onto the shaft of the nail and then use the head of the nail to pry up and under the bearing race. The nail head is thin enough to just catch the underside lip of the bearing cup yet is firm enough to allow you to pry against the floor of the steering box. Kubota does offer a service tool made specifically for this job – it costs a couple of million bucks. The nail works just fine and is a better deal we think!

Tear Down Complete
What you should have on your bench now is a completely bare, stripped down, steering box. Next steps, which we will cover in an upcoming article, are the clean up and rebuild! Stay tuned.

A bare steering box ready for a rebuild.

Service Department Vic

Related Articles
Diagnosing and Preventing Steering Box Failure

We know at least one person who will be picking 'I wish my Kubota was not tipped over on its side in the woods'... special thanks to Jim Lillie for being a good sport and posting this image in our gallery.

Around here, we know and love our orange tractors, but, that does not mean that there is not room for improvement.

Our latest poll – what one thing you wish your Kubota had but does not already. Maybe you like the finer things in life like a cup holder – would certainly come in handy while you are clearing the driveway. Maybe you bought a 2WD model and are now kicking yourself for it. Or perhaps the simple things appeal to you – just more raw power. After all, there are a lot of tree stumps to remove and so little time… Choose wisely, you only get to pick one!

PS. In case you want to read the back story of how that Kubota came to be on its side, check out Jim’s account here.

Role of the Hydraulic Suction Screen
The suction filter is housed internally within the transmission body and it filters and cleans the hydraulic oil of debris, metal flashing, filing from the gears, dirt, rust and other junk. The filter medium is a mesh stainless steel screening and a lot of oil passes over it every minute.

The suction filter medium is a mesh stainless steel screen.

Typical hydraulic pump output on a Kubota is anywhere from 5-6 gallons per minute. Running your tractor for an hour passes more than 360 gallons of oil through this filter! By the time it is ready for cleaning or replacement, it would have filtered more than 100,000 gallons of your Kubota’s hydraulic oil.

Not overly complicated or big but, serves an important role.

Which Kubota Models are Equipped?
All first generation Kubota B and L series models are equipped with hydraulic suction screens. That includes, L175, L185, L235, L245, B5100, B6100, B7100 and so on – primarily tractors built by Kubota in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Wait, what is that you say? You have a newer Kubota so now you can stop reading this article and get back to watching Discovery channel? Well, the reason Kubota stopped using an internal style suction filter has to do with…

Remembering to Service the Filter
Do not be mistaken – it is not hard to get to the filter, inspect and replace or clean it. The trouble with servicing the suction filters is that very few people remember to do it, or know where on their equipment to look. Because these screens are internal they have to be marked by a red dot on the chassis as to their location (more on this in an upcoming article). After 20+ years of rototilling tree shelter belts those red dabs or fender decals indicating filter location have long since faded away.

On top of that, after a tractor trades hands to second, third or fourth owners over the years, it becomes easier to see why a lot people just do not know what to look for. [Editor's note from Mr. K: Folks, do yourselves a favor an buy an operator's manual already!]

Canister Style Hydraulic Filters
Because suction screen type filters do such a good job of catching debris, they are prone to clogging up. Kubota recommends inspection and service every 300 hours if your tractor is so equipped. In the later part of the 1980s Kubota switched over to canister style hydraulic filters not because suction filters were bad, but because so many people forgot to check them.

Canister hydraulic filters are found on all HST Kubota B series, all L-1 series like L2050, L2250, L2550, L2650 and even the newer models from the BX lineup.

How do I know if I have a Blocked Filter?
A blocked suction filter is the number one cause of poor hydraulic system performance. All of these symptoms are indications that the hydraulic circuit is restricted:

• slow hydraulics
• shuddering on 3-point when lifting
• jerky loaders going up
• overheated transmission oil
• 3-point working at first and then slowly power fades out

Where is my Suction Filter?
Again, if you have an early B or L series Kubota (ie. a tractor not equipped with a spin-on canister filter), then you will find your filter screen on the left-hand side of the tractor’s transmission.

Check on the left hand side of the transmission just behind the foot rest for a cap covering the filter.

Look just behind and slightly below the footrest is where you will find a cap covering the filter. The cap will be secured with two bolts. The cover cap may look like a bump or a teardrop depending on your specific model.

A wider shot to give some context for the filter's location.

Removing the bolts will reveal the end of the suction filter itself. The end of the filter will look like it has a small stub sticking out of it (see left-side of second picture in article) about ¼” long and the diameter of a pencil. It may look like a shaft at first blush. If you have a B Series Kubota, the hydraulic filter screen is attached to the large nut holding the suction line against the transmission.

Owners of B series models will have to remove this bolt holding the suction line against the transmission.

To remove the filter you will have to grab that small stub-end with a pair of pliers and slowly withdraw the filter. Be careful to not twist it as you pull it out because it is essentially a tube of fine screen.

I’m Having Trouble. Any Other Ideas?
If you are having trouble finding covering cap and the filter screen underneath, find the area on the right hand side of the transmission where the hydraulic suction line enters the transmission. The suction line is the larger of the two lines hooked up to the hydraulic pump. The suction screen and cap will be located exactly opposite this point on the left hand side of the transmission!

Locate the suction line into the hydraulic pump on the right hand side - the hydraulic screen will be opposite this location on the left-hand side of the transmission.

Servicing the Filter
Before undertaking servicing of the screen be sure you drain the transmission oil first! If not you will soon find out what 9 to 15 gallons of hydraulic oil looks like on the floor of your shop or garage. I know what it looks like and it is not a pretty sight.

With the screen in hand, simply wash it out with diesel fuel or varsol. Once clean inspect the filter mesh for any holes, perforation, rust or tears. Compare your filter screen to the ones you seen in this article. If the filter looks out of shape, replace it rather than trying to work it back into a tube shape. It is out of shape from all of oil, debris, crud and scrum being pulled through it hour after hour.

When your B or L Series was new, Kubota placed an important service reminder on the left hand rear fender showing the service intervals and location of this filter. Kubota has warned us about “various troubles” if we neglect this service! You have been warned.

Close-up of the filter service decal Kubota affixed to early B and L series tractors equipped with screen filters.

Once clean and inspected, reinstall the filter and refill the transmission with fresh new oil. If you have not seen it already, watch our YouTube video on types of hydraulic oil to use.

There you have it – everything you have ever wanted to know about hydraulic suction filters. Now you can get back to Discovery channel.

Service Department Vic

Related Articles
Video: Kubota Hydraulic Oils Overview

A classic example of a gray market Kubota - the L1501.

A little while back we posted a poll attempting to gauge how gray market Kubotas sit with readers of OrangeTractorTalks. We wanted to know what people thought of the gray market equipment that our friends at Kubota corporate have warned about. Would anyone want to actually own one of these?

Gray market tractors, specifically Kubota grays, have had an interesting history involving leaving Japan in large volumes and eventually arriving at their second homes all over the world. Emails and visitors from all around the world arrive asking questions about their gray market equipment. Folks from Greek islands, South Africa, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Iran, Ireland and closer to home too – Camrose Alberta or Moosejaw Saskatchewan.

Results
After 300 votes, almost 70% of folks feel they have no problem owning a gray market Kubota. A full 42% of those voting indicated they had no worries when it came to the special type of ownership that comes along with owning a gray market tractor. 7% were still on the fence – not sure if the hassle and lack of support from their dealership is worth it.

Some might say that the poll is skewed a bit. After all, this is an orange tractor enthusiast site, so any responses to the poll would likely reflect positive feedback for ownership of any orange units, even if they are labeled as gray market. I am sure owners of gray market tractors responded to the poll. If they have had negative experiences with their equipment I think we would have seen higher figures for the choices “no – not interested”.

Conclusion
Despite the rumors and supposed horror-stories, a lot of people can see value in those gray market Kubotas – enough so that 7 out of 10 would own one. It is true that your local Kubota dealer might not be all that helpful when it comes to the great deal you found in your local agri-trader that you now want to fix up. Fear not – there are places to find parts and helpful advice when it comes to that gray Kubota (hint: you are at the site now).

Stay tuned for another poll to come out in the next day or two!

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Poll: Would You Own a Gray Market Tractor?
ZEN-NOH and Kubota Part 1: A Partnership

B2320, B2620, B3200, B26
BX1860, BX2360, BX2660, BX25
Grand L 40 Series, L45
M59, MX5100, M100X, M110X, M126X, M135X
RTV500, RTV900, RTV1100, RTV1140
T1880, T2080, T2380, ZG222, ZG227, ZG327, ZD321, ZD326, ZD331

Updated Maintenance Schedules
Late last year Kubota Canada issued a service bulletin detailing that the above models would have their maintenance intervals extended as an attempt to “reduce overall maintenance cost”.

If you do own one of these models you may want to acquaint yourself with the updated service intervals Kubota released along with the service bulletin. These charts are handy when you need to quickly reference when that next oil, fuel or hydraulic filter is due. You can find the updated schedules here:

Kubota Turf maintenance schedule
Kubota RTV maintenance schedule
Kubota B and L series maintenance schedule
Kubota M and MX series maintenance schedule

What Has Changed
If you look through some of the changes highlighted in yellow on the updated schedules, you will see that the next interval after the first service has been pushed out anywhere from 100 to 300 hours. For example, transmission fluid changed at 350 hours instead of 200, or axle case fluid swapped at 400 instead of 300 hours.

Using the BX1860, BX2360, BX2660 or BX25 as an example – the new updates mean that the transmission fluid will be changed once in the first 400 hours of service, instead of the three times it was changed previously. The hydraulic filter is swapped out just about as many times as before. From our own experience we have seen that 50 hour transmission fluid looks pretty clean.

Why Extend the Next Service Interval?
Justin Derzaph, the AG/Construction Sales Manager at Pinnacle International Kubota (Redcliffe, Alberta) explains that some of the reasoning behind the service interval extensions and revisions are due to improved efficiency of Kubota’s new Tier 4 compliant equipment.

We will come back to this in a moment, but first a quick lesson on the state of diesel emissions legislation in the United States as it applies to agricultural equipment…

Understanding Diesel Emission Regulation
Diesel emissions are regulated in the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA for short. In Canada and most other countries a similar government body exists. Every 4 years since the year 2000 the EPA has required diesel engine suppliers to reduce emissions on new engines manufactured for off-road products – like your orange tractor for instance.

Diesel engines manufactured after January 1, 2008 must be Tier 3 or Tier 4i compliant. It was permitted to sell product with Tier 2 engines in 2008 so long as the engines were built in 2007.

EPA Tier 4i is an interim standard with lower emission levels than those required to meet Tier 3, but it is not as low as Tier 4 Final that comes into effect 2012. Tier 4i engines can be manufactured for an additional year before Tier 4 Final goes into effect.

Where Kubota Stands
Kubota has met the Tier 4 Final standard on their engines already so their diesel engine design will actually not need to change again for 8 full years at the latest. Kubota will likely not sit around waiting though – it has been known to be well ahead of the curve regarding emissions standards and probably already has folks looking into it.

The upgrades that go into making a Kubota run cleaner, more efficient also mean that some of those maintenance items can go an extra 50, 100 or even 200 hours. Saves you money too. Handy.

50 Hour Service Important
Justin reminds us that those items included under a 50 hour service are still very important and Kubota has not eliminated or changed any aspect of that first service and inspection.

There is a lot of flash left over from the manufacturing process that those first set of filters will catch. Change that oil and oil filter as per usual. You will want to keep your warranty in check and also maximize the performance of your new equipment – something that only regular maintenance can provide.

Special thanks to Justin at Pinnacle International Kubota in Alberta for shedding some light on Kubota’s service interval updates. If you are in the southern Alberta area and looking for Kubota sales or service, check out their shop just NW of Medicine Hat. Good guys.

Service Department Vic

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A little less of this.

A lot more of this.

Mr. K is back! From vacation that is. Time to get back to the business of Kubota 101.

Up until now Service Department Vic has been holding the fort and he has been doing a good job of that – we thank him. But the show must go on so we are going to work to bring some new site upgrades, more tractor specs, new articles and of course, handy Kubota videos.

Look for those new additions soon, until then check out our forums and sign up to post questions of your own if you have not done so already.

Even larger equipment is also stacked – B, L or M series included. The gents in the shipping department skip the wood frames in the case of larger equipment and stick to steel cages that better protect the orange paint. It is a long boat ride across the Pacific!

Here we have a M7040 that is folded up nicely to fit into its enclosure. I’d imagine a dozen or more of these would fit into a standard size shipping container. Better make sure your forklift is in good running order.

Anyone want to guess what is inside every orange box that is included? No really – I forgot to open it up and take a look when I had the chance!