Coloring Hydraulic Fluid

[Roadworthy]

I've seen conversations on this site regarding difficulty of checking Kubota fluid level through the sight glass. I asked my local Kubota mechanic about using John Deere dye in the hydraulic system. He didn't know so I checked with Kubota. Today I got a response and learned warranty will not cover any damages caused by dye in the hydraulic fluid. That tells me nothing as it's unlikely anyone could prove the dye was the root cause of any problem encountered. That strikes me as more of a way of saying they can weasel out of any warranty repair of any system with a trace of the dye in it. Use the dye at your own risk but be aware of possible consequences - like losing warranty coverage. The exact wording: "Kubota warranty will not stand behind any damages caused by the use of this chemical. "

 

[85Hokie]

AS much as it does not make any sense whatsoever ......
I do understand where they are coming from....

Same kinda thing with ROPS - a guy wants to drill a couple of holes in the ROPS for lights - hell, it wont hurt a thing, right? Then when he tips over, the ROPS collapses, kills him and someone mentions lawyer..... case closed.

Will that DYE hurt anything? Nope - but I do understand their legal weaslery!

Funny how JD can place it in theirs and be ok ..... but K cannot .....

In my opinion - big K should make their SUDT2 in a light orange color, a new selling point - you can see this clear sht that is dyed ORANGE now!!!!

 

[Nicfin36]

I have not really had a problem with seeing the fluid in the sight window. As long as you realize the background is a bright white, the fluid level is easy to recognize. I shine a light on the window when I check it.

My biggest issue with the sight glass is that the tractor has to be absolutely level or fluid levels can be all over the place.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: AS much as it does not make any sense whatsoever ......

well it does to me..
consider...
Unless the 'chemical' used in the dye is KNOWN and properly tested withing the Kubots HST/ hydraulic system, you can't prove whether the 'dye' can or cannot 'harm' any component within the 'system'.
Say it's 'fine' today...... K changes some internal part,maybe an O-ring or ???. NOW the dye chemical attacks the new part,causes a failure.......in this case NOT K's fault, yours for adding the dye.

If you want to go after someone, go after the gas companies,tree huggers and guvs for putting ethonal into 'gas' ! 'm tired of replacing carbs due to water damage,... water sucked out of the air by the ethonal and destroying carbs...

 

[GeoHorn]

re: AS much as it does not make any sense whatsoever ......

well it does to me..
consider...
Unless the 'chemical' used in the dye is KNOWN and properly tested withing the Kubots HST/ hydraulic system, you can't prove whether the 'dye' can or cannot 'harm' any component within the 'system'.
Say it's 'fine' today...... K changes some internal part,maybe an O-ring or ???. NOW the dye chemical attacks the new part,causes a failure.......in this case NOT K's fault, yours for adding the dye.

If you want to go after someone, go after the gas companies,tree huggers and guvs for putting ethonal into 'gas' ! 'm tired of replacing carbs due to water damage,... water sucked out of the air by the ethonal and destroying carbs...

I believe the most REASONABLE way to view this concern is NOT to require Kubota to warranty the effects of a John Deere product.... but to ask JOHN DEERE IF THEY WILL WARRANT THEIR DYE NOT TO HARM your hydrualic system.

How THIS curiosity is related to the GreensvileJay ethanol rant is beyond any logic at all.

 

[SidecarFlip]

AS much as it does not make any sense whatsoever ......
I do understand where they are coming from....

Same kinda thing with ROPS - a guy wants to drill a couple of holes in the ROPS for lights - hell, it wont hurt a thing, right? Then when he tips over, the ROPS collapses, kills him and someone mentions lawyer..... case closed.

Will that DYE hurt anything? Nope - but I do understand their legal weaslery!

Funny how JD can place it in theirs and be ok ..... but K cannot .....

In my opinion - big K should make their SUDT2 in a light orange color, a new selling point - you can see this clear sht that is dyed ORANGE now!!!!

Maybe Chevron won't allow that. I've use Chevron all Weather THC Synthetic hydraulic oil for at least 15 years now and it's always been orange. Works well and excellent cold flow ability in Michigan winters.

Big K don't 'make' their SUDT or any lubricants, Valvoline makes them under license.

 

[lugbolt]

good posts

I asked the kubota rep about using dye in the oil and he said he didn't see no problem, BUT was not aware of it's chemical properties and what it would do to the fluid and/or internals of the transmission/hst/hyd systems (basically you are on your own)

i suggested to him to figure out how to make super udt2 "colored" so that it easier to see it on the stick and/or sight glass. After some discussion I learned that the fluid is sourced from a company (which I won't say who....everything on this forum is WRONG!), and that Kubota only gives that company a set of parameters for their fluid, that company makes the fluid and labels it in a kubota bucket, and nowhere on the bucket does it have any sort of specification that some other fluid might "meet or exceed".....so when a cheap fluid says 'meets kubota specification', it is untrue because kubota nor the manufacturer of the fluid ever gave out any specification...period. Only way it could have ever "gotten out" is if someone working in the factory gave out the specifications....which is unlikely due to how restrictive the factories are

similarly, I am currently working for a company who, when hiring new employees, makes them sign a legal document that makes the employee swear that anything that they see/do once you set foot on the premises is property of the company only, not to be distributed, talked about, written about, or anything outside of "work"....

 

[Orange1forme]

good posts

I asked the kubota rep about using dye in the oil and he said he didn't see no problem, BUT was not aware of it's chemical properties and what it would do to the fluid and/or internals of the transmission/hst/hyd systems (basically you are on your own)

i suggested to him to figure out how to make super udt2 "colored" so that it easier to see it on the stick and/or sight glass. After some discussion I learned that the fluid is sourced from a company (which I won't say who....everything on this forum is WRONG!), and that Kubota only gives that company a set of parameters for their fluid, that company makes the fluid and labels it in a kubota bucket, and nowhere on the bucket does it have any sort of specification that some other fluid might "meet or exceed".....so when a cheap fluid says 'meets kubota specification', it is untrue because kubota nor the manufacturer of the fluid ever gave out any specification...period. Only way it could have ever "gotten out" is if someone working in the factory gave out the specifications....which is unlikely due to how restrictive the factories are

similarly, I am currently working for a company who, when hiring new employees, makes them sign a legal document that makes the employee swear that anything that they see/do once you set foot on the premises is property of the company only, not to be distributed, talked about, written about, or anything outside of "work"....

Ever think that the make up of the product could be reverse engineered or figured out by analysis rather than "stolen"?

I worked for a company that had a clause that anything I came up with while working for them was all theirs. I became a robot and never tried to improve anything for them.
Depending on the company/scope of work it may be understandable. In my case, it was f****** ridiculous!!!