G1800-S brake and misc

[nepotomus]

Hi folks, first post noob here.

Very nice forums, I've already benefitted by following some very good guidance.

I stumbled onto a 3 cyl diesel with 500 hrs from the original owner. It has the 54" deck and the awesome blower bagger. Picked it up for 2k with some spare parts and all manuals including oem workshop. I just went through the whole rig, every grease point, all fluids and filters. Old fluids looked beautiful, but I flushed everything even coolant. New tires, went one size wider at 9.5s and love them. Not sure why they went to narrow 8.5" as stock, plenty of clearance one size up and appears 10.5s could even fit. New front wheel bearings, adjusted all levers to smooth. Everything went well and works and impressed with my first orange tractor. I completed all checks in the manual and everything easy to understand.

TLDR - ***brakes*** anybody remove the brake pedal? I greased that fitting, but notice a ton of play/wear. Wondering if someone can confirm there is no bushing? I don't see one in the online parts catalog. I'd be surprised if Kubota went steel on steel with nothing serviceable.

***Shut down*** my machine doesn't always stop by the key, so I have to pull this lever thingy. Occasionally it will shut down. Any ideas or first things to check?

***Date?*** I have SN 121xx something or rather, anybody close know their machine mfg date? The air filter might have a date code of "Oct 94", not positive. Curious how old my rig is

Between the four wheel steer and the extreme build quality, I'm just enamored by this machine. Planning for drive shaft rebuild and new enamel for the spring. Already secured a couple critical used spares, and not many needed on this mini-beast.

UPDATE - ***FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS *** local dealer and I looked up the bearings and when I got home noticed there was no snap ring. Found the LATEST part number of #70000-00399, which includes the snap ring. NOTE - you cannot just use the number on the seal of the bearing you take out, that number doesn't include the suffix for snap ring (SR in bearing PN). So actually John Deere used this same size bearing with snap ring in some of their units, local JD dealer had two of these in stock where Kubota dealer had none. I wanted to replaced all four as one was "crunchy". I found 4 bearings to my door next day on amazon listed as John Deere #AM102888. These are the Chinese knockoff version. I found to be great quality, look like the original with snap ring and fit perfectly. Old bearings each came out with 6 taps of a 4lb hammer. See updated pics for bearing details.

Also have:
Massey Ferguson GC TLB 2018 ~200 hrs
John Deere X380 2021 ~ 120 hrs (this one, gonna dump it I think)

 

[number two]

Nice!
I'd buy it also.
Good Luck with it!

 

[Bee-Positive]

Welcome aboard nepotomus

The G1800 was built between 1989 and 2000, so 1994 is a possibility.

The brake pedal is metal-to-metal and lubricated with the zerk you referenced. Check the springs, maybe they need to be replaced.

 

[Bee-Positive]

P.S. You may be able to adjust the brake rod # 40 to take up some slack.

 

[nepotomus]

Welcome aboard nepotomus

The G1800 was built between 1989 and 2000, so 1994 is a possibility.

The brake pedal is metal-to-metal and lubricated with the zerk you referenced. Check the springs, maybe they need to be replaced.


View attachment 180502 View attachment 180503

*** Nuts. That's what I thought. My pedal rocks smoothly front to back, but it also rocks left or right more than 5 degrees when you push it. So I'll have to cross my fingers that the wear is in the exterior pedal journal itself and not the stub shaft. Used brake pedals are available, luckily

 

[Bee-Positive]

***Shut down*** my machine doesn't always stop by the key, so I have to pull this lever thingy. Occasionally it will shut down. Any ideas or first things to check?

The lever thingy is a fuel shut off solenoid, read this post for a description on how it works.

https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/threads/function-of-stop-solenoid.52737/

When the fuel shut off solenoid doesn't close the rack it will not stop running. The shut off solenoid momentarily stops the fuel using a time delay relay built into the Combination Box, then releases, and allows fuel to the rack, for the next time you crank the engine.

Check to see if your fuses and the wire connections are good. This tractor is about 20 years old and the electrical contacts in connectors can get corroded. Closely examine every connector, one may simply be oxidized. If the key switch is bad or has a bad connector on one of the wires it will never apply 12volts so when it is shut off the timer circuit will not start.

IF your key switch is working properly it could be a bad fuel shut off solenoid or a bad relay in the Combination Box. Trace voltages from the key switch to the box to the shutoff solenoid before throwing parts at it. The combination Box is very pricey.

 

[nepotomus]

The lever thingy is a fuel shut off solenoid, read this post for a description on how it works.

https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/threads/function-of-stop-solenoid.52737/

When the fuel shut off solenoid doesn't close the rack it will not stop running. The shut off solenoid momentarily stops the fuel using a time delay relay built into the Combination Box, then releases, and allows fuel to the rack, for the next time you crank the engine.

Check to see if your fuses and the wire connections are good. This tractor is about 20 years old and the electrical contacts in connectors can get corroded. Closely examine every connector, one may simply be oxidized. If the key switch is bad or has a bad connector on one of the wires it will never apply 12volts so when it is shut off the timer circuit will not start.

IF your key switch is working properly it could be a bad fuel shut off solenoid or a bad relay in the Combination Box. Trace voltages from the key switch to the box to the shutoff solenoid before throwing parts at it. The combination Box is very pricey.

That's great detail B-Pos, I will check connections, I know what to look for.

As an update, went to start today and did not fire at first touch of the key as it usually does. Went all the way through jumping and nothing would just crank. Grabbed manual, read a bit, tried again and it fired. Scratched my head and finished bagging the whole acre. When I went to stop I first opened the hood, and watched the solenoid not extend, so I pulled the lever. See first pic, my unit has like a choke pull on the side of the dash that does the same action as the solenoid. What I noticed is the pull action on that pull lever was sticking pulled open, and that is what held me up from starting. So tonight after I shut it down with the pull, I started it again and watched the solenoid actually work from the key the very next shutdown. Second picture shows the pull wire all the way to the lever where the solenoid works. So I don't think I need to get my meter out just yet. I'll address the 32 year old linkage, lube and check adjustment. Will report back

 

[pigdoc]

Ya, I mowed with a G1800 (straight, no -S) for 6 or 8 years, on a place I was renting. The guy I was renting the house from owned the machine. I loved that machine. When I bought a house, I found a G-1800S with 1200 hrs on it in a live auction, and got it bought for $900. It had been sadly neglected by its PO, especially the deck. So, I totally rebuilt the deck - all new bearings and a belt. Love it.
You were wise to take the seat pan off and clean out under there. Mine was packed full of chaff under there when I bought it. Also, get used to taking that screen off under the steering wheel (I need new screws - the Phillips head is getting worn out on them). The fuse box is kinda stuffed between the rad and the steering shaft, down low in there. And, you want to clean the chaff off that screen regularly. I have had a minor problem with the drag on the throttle lever getting loose, and I have to keep jacking the throttle lever to keep the RPMs where I need them when it gets loose. Well, there is a bolt with a 14mm head under there (behind the screen, up under the dash, on the bottom of the throttle lever mechanism). Just tighten that bolt to increase the drag on the throttle lever so that it will stay where you put it.
Not sure how easy it is to find new bearings for the mower driveshaft. If they're not too loose, I'd just grease them every 10 hours or so and keep using it. Also, keep an eye on the oil level in the mower deck gearbox. You do NOT want to wreck that gearbox by running it out of gear oil (seal tends to get leaky down there). Because, you'll struggle to find another gearbox! If you search my postings, there are a bunch from 2022 on restoring that mower deck. I use mine only for mowing, about 14 hours per season. I take the deck off and do a complete service on it every spring.
Also, Hugo Habicht is a great resource for G1800 info on this list.
Congrats on your fine purchase!
-Paul

 

[nepotomus]

Thanks Paul. Yup I changed both gearbox fluids with fresh gear oil, and left them full enough that cracking the fill plug should leak fluid on later checks. I found my boat outdrive fluid fill pump fit perfectly into both fill holes, to easily pump new fluid in manually.

Yes you are correct that removing the fender was a good idea, as it was packed full of 30+ year old grass and dirt. That fender comes off in under 5 minutes with one 12mm deep well socket. With the fender off is a great time to check the main driveshaft, which I did, and I'll need to rebuild in the spring to stay ahead of it. I'm not afraid of that driveshaft now that I've seen it. Likely is original and my SN points to 1991, right about the time I was kicked out of Mechanical Engineering in college. (now I did rally and got back in to that program, grew the eff up, and graduated in '96 on deans list with 100% scholarship)

 

[pigdoc]

Ya, I've had tremendous difficulty in the past sourcing those very small u-joints. The market doesn't support having those in stock anymore. I actually have NOT attempted to source 'Kubota' u-joints. Messick's is my go-to for Kubota parts. They have traditionally offered 10% off on everything when we get close to Christmas, so keep an eye on that.
Sounds like you're a maintenance hound-dog! So, I will be watching your postings to get some insight on that!

The big gotcha on the mower decks is that they rust out if you don't get the accumulated chaff off there before winter storage. Just take the pulley covers off, and blast the H out of it with a water hose. Do it on a sunny day and park it on a side hill so that it drains and dries. Those deck shells are getting very hard to find anymore. I think the JD decks might be the same (at least the 60-inch). That's something I always watch for at machinery consignment sales. I mow until the trees lose all their leaves. That way, I can blow the leaves to the edge of the yard. My yard is surrounded by mature forest. If I had to rake them up and gather them, it would probably be a 22-yd dumptruck full by the end of November...

Your comment on Chinese bearings hits a chord. It's getting almost impossible to source true "precision" bearings anymore. I put Chinese bearings in my mower deck when I rebuilt it ~60 hours ago, and they absolutely howl when in use. I'm guessing they're not the right steel, or something is a bit off on radiuses...I keep them well-greased and just ignore the noise. There's no sideplay or anything indicating excessive wear. In the meantime, I got some more on hand for next time. Thought I was on to something when I ordered Timkens from a seller in Great Britain. What I got was SKFs, in fake boxes, manufactured in Bulgaria! 6205/C3. Maybe the engineer can tell me if that's the right bearing profile, or not. They were cheap enough. I guess that's the ticket anymore...I like to believe those Bulgarian bearings were produced on machinery salvaged from Schweinfurt...

I thought about replacing the front hubcaps. One was MIA when I bought the tractor, and now, the other one (plastic) is worn so badly that it won't stay on. So, it just sits on the shelf. But, I can't bring myself to spend $100 on PURE bling-bling. They sure do look purty though!

I also wondered about wider tires in the rear but decided against it. I think the narrow tires will work better for maneuvering, which is the whole point of 4-wheel steering. I have a very steep hill that I mow (up and down), and if it's been wet, traction is marginal. I have 6 gallons of beet juice sitting here, left over from when I filled the rear tires on my L2500, and have been meaning to get that installed. It's so tedious to do without making a mess and without the proper equipment...But, I think that will help, a LOT!

I have found that, if you crank the steering wheel as far as you can, the cut radius on the outer edge of the deck is less than 6 inches. More like 3 inches. Never use a weed wacker.

-Paul