Hi Tom.
I'm a former downeastah (Portland) and a Kubota newbie myself- just did my 50 hour service on Bessie II, my B2601.
I can't speak to your situation, of course, but I found doing my own filter/fluid changes was very useful in getting to know my girl hands-on and greasy! Unless it's required by your warranty or you have a contract for this service with your dealer, consider rolling up your sleeves and tackling this basic job yourself.
First, absolutely get the right tools for the job. I have an Innovant Adjustable 3 Jaw Oil Filter Wrench. The triple jaws adapt from 2 1/8 to 4 1/2 inch diameter filters and, most importantly, drive from the end of the filter, along the axis of rotation. You'll never get a traditional strap filter wrench into the tight spaces under your tractor.
Pair this with a beefy ½ inch drive socket wrench and a 12 inch extension and grabbing all the filters is a breeze. The tool comes with a 3/8 to ½ adapter, too.
The jaws need constant pressure to stay gripped, so get a thick, wide rubber band, like they use on produce, to keep the jaws tight as you ratchet up.
As part of my "learning curve" I changed the factory engine oil for some 10W-30 I had on hand, neglecting to see the note that said For Gasoline Engines. The great guys here on the forum assured me it wasnt the end of the world, but advised to swap it out sooner rather than later. So I got double practice on draining the crankcase and reading labels. Now I use Shell Rotella (sounds like a pasta...)
As far as the hydraulics for the 50 hour, if the transmission juice is clean and amber-brown you can drain it into a totally clean, dedicated pan, set it aside and swap out the transmission and implement "suction" filters, then reinstall the fluid. No skimping or substitutions here. This is the lifeblood of your machine! Use only Kubota SUDT2. It's warranty friendly!
There's a trick of putting the suction hose of a shop vac alongside the transmission fill port and using a partial vacuum to hold the fluid in rather than draining it when changing the filters, but it's more trouble than its worth for me.
Drain and replace the front axles' 80-90 gear oil, too.
I also swapped out the fuel filter. Try to have the fuel tank less than half full or the pressure/weight of the diesel will make it flow out the disconnected hose. I use a K&N41 hose pinch off pliers, but they're a bit large. There are plastic clamps for smaller diameter hoses that will work.
Use the French cooking technique of mise en place: get all tools and materials ready, work organized and area clean and swapping out your fluids and filters should be a downright pleasant learning experience.
Welcome to the Orange Nation!
