1st service?

Bearcatrp

Active member

Equipment
BX1880
Mar 28, 2023
364
185
43
Minnesota
Since I’m new to owning a tractor, thinking of letting the dealer do my 50 hour service. By the time next service is due, I’ll know more about my tractor. Anyone else do this?
 

jyoutz

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
2,478
1,579
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
Before you haul it to a dealer, read up on the 50 hour service. It’s pretty easy. The hardest thing I encountered was getting the filters broke loose. It seems like all of the original filters are very tight.
 
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lynnmor

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Equipment
B2601-1
May 3, 2021
1,314
1,030
113
Red Lion
There are Youtube videos to help you, no need to let the most inexperienced guy at the dealership mess with your tractor.
 
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PaulL

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Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,122
1,124
113
NZ
1. Not that hard to do it yourself
2. On my new B2601, I did exactly as you suggest, even though it meant towing it 2.5 hours back to dealership (I was heading that way anyway). I wanted them to eyeball everything. I did the 200 hour service myself, and it wasn't hard.....but that first one was a step too far.
 
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Grindstone

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Equipment
B2601, FEL, BH, MMM
Mar 10, 2022
170
107
43
CT
I agree with watching youtube videos and then deciding if it something you think you could tackle yourself. It may look daunting but it really isn't that bad. Just get everything you need beforehand, have it laid out, and take your time.
 

ve9aa

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Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
Apr 11, 2021
1,202
974
113
NB, Canada
I am sure I saved myself many hundreds of dollars doing it myself.
I read the manual, watched a few youtube videos.

If you've ever changed oil in a car, you can do the 50hr service.

Only you can answer if it can be done or not.

On mine, I had to buy a funky sized socket for the hydraulic oil drain plug and I found using oil filter pliers much easier than a conventional strap wrench due to the angles involved.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
9,848
4,027
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
The deal I made for the BX23S 5 years ago , it included the 50hr service. That is the most important one,so if THEY screwed it up, they'd owe me a new tractor,
I just did the 1,000hr. Getting it 'off the ground' was easy, found a 1" wrench for the drain(betting 25mm ?), needed 4 gallon bucket. 'fun' part was removing the HST fan guard. The 'cheat' was to remove the 2 front screws, loosen the back two and let it angle down to get great access to the filter.
The hardest chore was removing the 'screen' behind the left read wheel,. Even with the wheel off, the screen didn't easily pull out and needed some 'help'. Need to make a special tool for that,getting too ld and stiff to be crawling around tractors,especially with bifocals.....
 

rc51stierhoff

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650, MX6000, (BX sold)
Sep 13, 2021
1,969
2,176
113
Ohio
Since I’m new to owning a tractor, thinking of letting the dealer do my 50 hour service. By the time next service is due, I’ll know more about my tractor. Anyone else do this?
I am not sure it matters whether individual or dealer does service, but either way, if you have not already, I’d encourage you to read the manual, find all the grease zerks, check all your fluids/filters (maybe think about a put a date on with paint marker), check tire pressure and wheel lug nut torque (and maybe even paint mark your lugs). I dont believe dealer or manufacturer / dealer take any responsibility for wheel lugs torque after leaving their place…anyway it’s worth checking. Even if you choose to have dealer do the service, I’d recommend you become familiar with how those items look when nothing wrong so you have a reference if / when some trouble. Also if you don’t check those items, how will you know dealer did? I would also say that dealers see way more of the units / service bulletins and they should check to see any items out there for your vin/serial #.
 

ve9aa

Well-known member

Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
Apr 11, 2021
1,202
974
113
NB, Canada
The deal I made for the BX23S 5 years ago , it included the 50hr service. That is the most important one,so if THEY screwed it up, they'd owe me a new tractor,
I just did the 1,000hr. Getting it 'off the ground' was easy, found a 1" wrench for the drain(betting 25mm ?), needed 4 gallon bucket. 'fun' part was removing the HST fan guard. The 'cheat' was to remove the 2 front screws, loosen the back two and let it angle down to get great access to the filter.
The hardest chore was removing the 'screen' behind the left read wheel,. Even with the wheel off, the screen didn't easily pull out and needed some 'help'. Need to make a special tool for that,getting too ld and stiff to be crawling around tractors,especially with bifocals.....
Hey J

I think your 23S is different than my 2380. The (hydraulic drain plug socket size was 1&1/16ths* which made it also a 26.9mm I believe. ((I wish I could recall exactly, which socket I used for the OP))...I just know it was not 1".....I am glad I did a test fit before actual go time. A quick trip to town got me the right sized one.

Also, I did not remove the rear wheel to do the hyd screen. I also had the QH05 quick hitch on which I may/maynot have hit my head on when I was down there. Just sayin' o_O

* I believe
 
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imnukensc

Well-known member

Equipment
BX2380
Sep 10, 2015
619
512
93
Midlands of SC
Hydraulic drain plug is a 1 1/16 on my 2380. The 2380 and 23S are essentially identical except for the BH on the 23S. Screen was simple to remove without removing rear wheel. No need to remove rear wheel at all. After removing the keeper on the screen, a large flat screwdriver is all that is needed to help pry out the screen. Just did the entire fluid/filter change and deck maintenance the other day---for the second time on mine. If you can change oil in a car, you can do the fluid/filter changes on an 1880.
 
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ve9aa

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Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
Apr 11, 2021
1,202
974
113
NB, Canada
Hydraulic drain plug is a 1 1/16 on my 2380. The 2380 and 23S are essentially identical except for the BH on the 23S. Screen was simple to remove without removing rear wheel. No need to remove rear wheel at all. After removing the keeper on the screen, a large flat screwdriver is all that is needed to help pry out the screen. Just did the entire fluid/filter change and deck maintenance the other day---for the second time on mine. If you can change oil in a car, you can do the fluid/filter changes on an 1880.
:rolleyes:
Thanks for confirming that I am not crazy or have lost all my marbles just yet :)
 

ve9aa

Well-known member

Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
Apr 11, 2021
1,202
974
113
NB, Canada
p.s.- to all this. Good advice given to getting everything ready ahead of time.
I had 2 drain pans I could choose from for the hydraulic oil. One was about 1.5L too small.
(that would've been a BIG mess)
and
the other pan was about 1.5" too wide to fit between the rear tires underneath the tractor.
(even bigger potential mess!@)

Wife gave me some kind of flimsy drain pan and I made it work.

After I was all done,. I took my heat gun and "narrowed up" my best drain pan for next time.

Solved !
 
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RCW

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,362
3,988
113
Chenango County, NY
If you have a mid-mount mower (MMM) on your tractor it will complicate first service. Better take it off beforehand.

Otherwise, it really is quite simple.
 
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GeoHorn

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,683
3,010
113
Texas
17.5 gallon Flexible Buckets (Muck Buckets) sell for $8 at WalMart. I bought a pair at TSC for $20.

My M4700 holds 11 gals of SUDT2 and that was what I used to catch it when I drained it. Poured the old SUDT into the New SUDT containers for future Top-iff use in some other old equipt.

Wife uses them for gardening operations occasionally.

Good to have around.
 

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lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,835
1,588
113
Mid, South, USA
I have done a lot of tractor first service jobs

there are things that good techs do that are beyond what the service manual says to do, like checking loader bolts and such. They never tell you about it because it's just, well, to me anyway--second nature. Check for software updates in the ECU, check for trouble codes that may have been stored, check for applicable service bulletins that might be active (those sometimes can prevent future issues!), on and on and on

but often people will gripe about how much it costs, not knowing exactly what the tech does. "It's just an oil change".... if I had a dime for every time I've heard that.

Another challenge is disposing of the fluids you have drained. Parts stores here won't take more than 5 quarts at a time. On my truck that's 4 trips to/from the store. If I change hydraulic oil, I have to take it elsewhere--they actually buy it and use it for their shop heater, but it's a 20 mile drive. So I save it in buckets til I have a bunch (like a truck bed full) and then haul it out there.

Getting the filters loose is a challenge, or more specifically, it can be if you've never done one.
 

Pawnee

Well-known member

Equipment
L2501
Jul 1, 2021
327
282
63
Ontario Canada
It depends on the mechanic.
My 50 Hr was done free by the dealer at my place.
They sent their crackerjack young mechanic which surprised me.
He knew I was going to do the next service so he gave a few tips as he was working and answered questions.
There is no need to haul the machine back to their shop for the service.
 
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Bri-Guy-GA

Active member

Equipment
Kubota BX1880
Sep 10, 2020
151
93
28
Villa Rica, GA
I would say it depends on how comfortable you are wrenching. I have a BX1880 and have done all of my own servicing, but I am very comfortable working on vehicles.
 

chim

Well-known member

Equipment
L4240HSTC with FEL, Ford 1210
Jan 19, 2013
1,769
858
113
Near Lancaster, PA, USA
It's a DIY project. Unless you plan to watch someone else do the first service there probably isn't much that you'll learn between now and then.

Handiest thing I've found is a large plastic concrete mixing tub from Home Depot. I think mine is a 20 gallon. Big enough to catch the fluids, short enough to fit under everything and be out of the way. Also makes a big target for when the fluids don't go where you might want them to.
 
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