OrangeTractorTalks is 2 Years Old!

[Mr. K]

Hello, Mr. K here - figured this is a bit off topic but some folks may be interested in knowing. The site turned 2 years old earlier this month on the 16th of September - time flies... take a look at our first post:

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/2008/09/orangetractortalks-launched/ (http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/../2008/09/orangetractortalks-launched/)

Although there is still lots of room to grow, the site now receives as many visitors in a single day than we did in those first few months combined!

Our Objective
The entire plan here at OTT is to make this site better than ever. Myself and Vic will continue to post articles, film videos, run the forums and help out where ever we can. The look and feel of the site will be updated slightly to clean up loose ends and make things a bit more accessible - look for those changes to roll out over the coming months.

New Banner
Some of you may notice a new banner up top replacing the black/white tractor we had up there previously. The L175 we have displayed suits the site a bit better I think.

Thank You!
As always, it is you folks that come onto the site and lend your time writing out advice (or asking for it) that makes the site. Myself and Vic know that it takes effort and we want you to know that it does not go unnoticed!

Here's to 2 years! EVERYTHING KUBOTA!

[Bulldog]

Mr K, you and SDV came up with a real winner when you guys came up with OTT. This is the most user friendly site on the web and is a place Kubota owners all over the world can be proud to be a member of. Keep up the good work.

[Service Dept Vic]

Happy Birthday Mr K! Hey, I did notice you guys in the front office were eating cake last week!!!

I was head down trying to find steering box repair parts for a half a dozen B Series Kubota tractors and I must have missed the intercom 'page' in the shop telling me to come to the office for a piece.

You did save me a piece, right?

[dusty-t]

Two years. Wow time flies. Thanks Mr.K and Vic for starting and running this forum. Best on the web. And getting better.:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool: Dusty

[Eric McCarthy]

I found this in my inbox the other day from Mr. K

I just noticed the other day that you passed 1,000 posts! I wanted to write you a quick note to let you know that myself and Vic really appreciate you coming on to the site helping out, commenting and posting. It is helping our site become the #1 place for a Kubota owner to get help when they need it!

Anyway, I'm rambling on now but I wanted to pass along our thanks. Take care,

Thought that was pretty cool, anything I can do to help other Kubotainians out! Although I'm pretty sure that around 900 or so of my post's were just me BSing around and acting goofy.

Site looks great fellas and keep up the good work!

[Service Dept Vic]

Eric, that's awesome! Thanks a thousand and thirty four times!

[ETRon]

Mr. K Vic - Still a great and helpful site thanks to your hard efforts! Hope I have the pleasure of saying this again at 5 and 10 years. My Kubota'll be here, it's me that's in question! :D

[gmtinker]

Mr. K, Vic: I loved the site when I joined up, it is still one of my 3 daily stops on the Internet. I've learned a lot from this community of fellow Kubotaphiles, and it is a small part of what made me change career directions into Heavy Equipment Mechanic (well, I'm an apprentice right now, but getting there). Hopefully I'm still welcome if I'm working on blue tractors and gray skid-steers at work (the orange dealer wasn't hiring . . . I tried . . .)

I love the new title banner and layout, looks quite pro. Keep it up fellas; I'll echo ETRon in looking forward to 5, 10 and even more years. This is a really cool group of people and who knows where we will all be and what we'll be able to share as time progresses.

[Service Dept Vic]

I love you man!

[Jimmysal]

I'm digging the new layout guys! Good work!

[Service Dept Vic]

Dusty-t needs a new tractor to paint and fix up so we can help him hit a 1000 post as well!

[Rusty46]

Happy 2nd Birthday, OTT!

[Service Dept Vic]

I'm happy to report that the picture of the Kubota up there in our new header layout was one our units that Mr K. made me sell a few years ago. I was hiding it in the shop, was a local trade in and I had plans of sneaking it home after Mr. K left for the night, but sadly he found it under a tarp behind the tire bead breaker. Was absolutley showroom condition. Wish I had it back now, but as Mr K is always telling me, " A good Kubota is a sold Kubota"!

[Bulldog]

Hi Vic, we need some more pics of it. It sure does look slick from what's showing. I would love to see a complete picture of some old orange.

[NC Bota]

Happy Birthday OTT!! I've enjoyed the site.

[SpudHauler]

Great job guys! :)

Forums do so much more than they realize for all us fans of the Kubota line-up.

The amount of information one can source from this site is unmeasurable.

Thank you.

[OrangeRidge]

OTT got me into a BX :cool: ; good advice from forum members :D
Here's to the third birthday ........:)

[Eric McCarthy]

Hi Vic, we need some more pics of it. It sure does look slick from what's showing. I would love to see a complete picture of some old orange.

I agree I love seeing some old iron!

[Service Dept Vic]

Ok, here 's a few pics of the very early production 1976 Kubota L175 that you see in our header.

This Kubota was considered 'loaded' as it featured Kubotas factory available front pancake weight, the optional under battery frame weight (ultra rare!!), auxillary front wheel weights, the road ready option group which consisted of a rear view mirror, functional signal lamps, flasher and a single note 12V horn.

The DIESEL decal on the hood is not found on many L-175's and while this one has it on both sides of the hood, I have seen and worked on L-175's with no DIESEL decals on the hood, or only one DIESEL decal on the hood and not always on the same side of the hood.

The fact that this one shows both makes it a pretty rare find and that's why I was trying to hide it from Mr. K!!!!


2086

2087

2088

[Service Dept Vic]

And a few more.

These pictures are of a very early production unit that shipped very early in 1977 and is considered a 1976 model. It's fitted with low profile fender signal lamps that in later serial number units would be deleted as executives at Kubota came to realize that compact tractors in use in North America are not typically driven as a means of "transportation" to and from the field as is common in Japan and Asia. The 'horn' on the dash was also deleted very early on, saving Kubota a few extra dollars on their production costs.

This unit is also fitted with the very rare cartridge style oil filter canister where a normal 'spin on' oil filter would reside. Within a few months of the L-175 landing in North America, Kubota engineers came up with a running production change at serial number 0001304 on the production line to now equip all future Z750A L-175 Kubota's with the new spin on oil filter assembly.

The rear view mirror further complete Kubotas "road ready" option package group that is still common and standard equipment on all JDM Kubota's today.

Notice the very early style 'poor boy' comfort seat. It was history within the first year, replaced with the flip over orange pan seat with black padding and white piping.

2089

2090

2091

2092

2093

[Bulldog]

Thanks for the pics and the info as well. That little nugget is sweet. Looks more like a show tractor instead of a working model. My 7100 had the road runner "beep-beep" horn on it. My uncle work about fall out of his seat laughing when I would cruise my little orange beast past our big 100 hp IH and give a couple of beeps with the horn. That was the good old days for sure.

[Service Dept Vic]

That horn still available!!!

[aquaforce]

I just noticed the other day that you passed 1,000 posts!



:eek: :eek: :eek: Eric is a post ho!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

ROFL.........LOL




Really!!!!!!!!! I didn't know when I found this site it was that new. Guess I didn't read the start up notes and all that stuff.


I can think of it as MY site now............ LOL There is a pic of my tractor at the top!!!!! How cool is that!!!!!!! :D


Mine looks better though............ I don't have so MANY stickers on my paint. :D

[Eric McCarthy]

:eek: :eek: :eek: Eric is a post ho!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

ROFL.........LOL




Really!!!!!!!!! I didn't know when I found this site it was that new. Guess I didn't read the start up notes and all that stuff.


I can think of it as MY site now............ LOL There is a pic of my tractor at the top!!!!! How cool is that!!!!!!! :D


Mine looks better though............ I don't have so MANY stickers on my paint. :D


POST HO! That was funny as hell, gotta be something in life I reckon!!

[aquaforce]

POST HO! That was funny as hell, gotta be something in life I reckon!!



LOL :D :D :D :D :D

An Orange one at that. :D

Perfect. :D

[maximus]

Only 2 Years...!!!

I imagined it to be at least 10. :D

This site is awsome. I've only had my machine for about 8 weeks and have learnt so much from here.

I have carried out a complete Steering Box rebuild, a complete overhaul of the Cooling System, down-loaded Parts and Service Manuals and carried out a rattle-can respray, and sorted out the Diff. Lock!

I would have been completely in the dark without such great help.

My next job is to tap into the hydraulics and build a FEL.

Thanks everyone. :):):):)

[Mr. K]

My next job is to tap into the hydraulics and build a FEL.Speaking of taping into the hydraulics - we actually have an article on that coming down the pipe within the next week or two! Sounds like you have checked a lot off your list already in 8 weeks.

[maximus]

Speaking of taping into the hydraulics - we actually have an article on that coming down the pipe within the next week or two! Sounds like you have checked a lot off your list already in 8 weeks.

Excellent news Mr K.

There have been some really great posts on this already, from the likes of 'TopGear' etc, but I am not absolutely clear on setting up the hoses to a spooler valve and rams, and returning back to the tank. Just need to take this carefully - new pumps look pricey!

Yep - really been working on the machine. I love it. Need to walk with caution though, as the wife's starting to complain about not seeing me much at the mo!!! ;)

[Green Mountain Slim]

Happy Birthday OTT!! My birthday was the 15th of last month and I haven't had much peace since. Why does Fall have to be such a busy time of year??

[cabu]

Speaking of taping into the hydraulics - we actually have an article on that coming down the pipe within the next week or two! Sounds like you have checked a lot off your list already in 8 weeks.

It would be nice if you would do some Video of exchanging a hydraulic-pipe or adding some permanent hydraulic-stuff to a traktor. I believe a lot here think about to ad some more hydraulic-action to their 7000 or other with just the 3ph at the back.

carl

[Service Dept Vic]

Cabu, good to see you chime in again! Mr K will have some video and some reference for hydraulics soon. Hey, you can't get it all done in 2 years.

Well........we probably could, but then who would change the water pump on that L-275 over there, or fix the steering box on that B-7200 that was dropped off on Saturday?

You're right, ME!!

[dusty-t]

Well I have that project Vic and I hope it doesn't take as long as the B7200 or I am gonna be beating my poor little Steiner to death pushing snow. The Steiner is a dynomite machine, tough as nails. But it aint no KUBOTA !!!:D:D Dusty P.S. Thanks for the encouragement.

[Service Dept Vic]

Your projects rock Dusty-t.

[handyman]

That 175 is NICE! dont blame you vic for hiding it. But Mr K found it in the end. Guys THANKS FOR A GREAT SITE. Dusty will hit his 1000 before fall and winter is over GUARANTEED. handy

[kubota l 295 dt]

I am still new on this forum, but i am really learning alot hats off to orange tractor.com ,the info and memers help is awesome, hopefully i can add helpfull info to. { Merry Christmas to all ! }

[buildspacetrains]

Congratulations Gentlemen on an outstanding effort ! I hope I can speak from us in Australia and say 'bring on the next 2 great years of Kubota greatness'.
And yes, Kubota's even work upside down, Down-Under!