Front Axle Oil Level

nbryan

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Equipment
B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
Jan 3, 2019
1,161
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Hadashville, Manitoba, Canada
For the L2501-L4701, both manuals do not mention 80w90. It recommends SUDT2 or SAE 80 - SAE 90 gear oil. Both SAE 80 - SAE 90 are straight weight
Try to find a straight weight 80W or 90W gear oil. Unlikely, as the 80W-90 is all that's generally available does the job. It's 80W when cold and 90W warmed up. That "SAE 80 - SAE 90 gear oil" is likely one of the many interesting manual "typos", I think. Says that in my B2650 operator's manual too. Just use 80W-90 multigrade. Or SUDT2. And don't mix.
 

old and tired

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Equipment
L2800 HST; 2005; R4
If you are low, replacing the oil is not going to be much volume. Open the drain, if it pours out, it's NOT 80w90. I plan to drain mine again just to see what the oil is like (any metal in there?). Such little volume compared to 7.5 gallons of hydraulic oil. Cheap oil change.
 

MSG H

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Equipment
L3901 HST RETIRED MIL.
Dec 20, 2020
45
20
8
VA
Try to find a straight weight 80W or 90W gear oil. Unlikely, as the 80W-90 is all that's generally available does the job. It's 80W when cold and 90W warmed up. That "SAE 80 - SAE 90 gear oil" is likely one of the many interesting manual "typos", I think. Says that in my B2650 operator's manual too. Just use 80W-90 multigrade. Or SUDT2. And don't mix.
Exactly,

Can it be confirmed that the tractors front axle is shipped new with kubota hydraulic oil or gear oil? Full or not.
 

Nicfin36

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Equipment
L2501 HST, BH77 Backhoe, SSQA Loader ZD1011 Mower
Jun 19, 2019
1,014
457
83
Decatur, AL
My salesman said they use UDT fluid in just about everything except engines....and my front axle. :(

I don't think it would matter much if you had 1/2 gear oil and 1/2 UDT. But, many up north say they run UDT/Super UDT in theirs, and those in the south run 80W90, which is what I used.
 

GeoHorn

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M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,570
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Texas
80/90 gear oil is easy to detect.... It smells strongly like garlic. (At least the modern GL5 stuff does, due to the EP additives in it.) It’s a great general purpose gear oil which is why Kubota OK’s it for front axles.

Don’t get hung-up on the literal 80 or 90 wt terminology. 80/90, SAE80W90, etc etc is what is intended and it’s fine.
 

kubotafreak

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Equipment
GRAND l6060, L3560, B6100, gr2100, tg 1860, g1800, g1900, g2160
Sep 20, 2018
1,019
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83
Arkansas, US
Mine had udt2, it was low at the dealer. I had a wrench with me to check it. I don't know how much he added, but it didn't show on the end of the level plug, even after going up the incline of the trailer. (l6060)
 

forky

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Equipment
L2501 HST 4X4 8N
Feb 23, 2021
249
247
43
Wisconsin
Still trying to figure out the front axle. On the backside I have 2 bolts on the corners that are only screwed in halfway. Are these vents for draining?
Also a question on why it doesn't seem a drain is on the very bottom....sorry for being ignorant on this. Any explanation would be appreciated. I would love to check my fluid level with only 1 hour on the tractor. Dealer said I was good to go on fluid levels.... 😉
 

PNWBXer

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BX2380
Feb 24, 2020
134
11
18
Washington
Still trying to figure out the front axle. On the backside I have 2 bolts on the corners that are only screwed in halfway. Are these vents for draining?
Also a question on why it doesn't seem a drain is on the very bottom....sorry for being ignorant on this. Any explanation would be appreciated. I would love to check my fluid level with only 1 hour on the tractor. Dealer said I was good to go on fluid levels.... 😉

I could be wrong but those 2 bolts on the back side might be steering limit screws? At least that's what I think they are (on a BX2380 anyway).....but too lazy to look up in my tired state. The vents are on top of the axle right by each wheel and the drain plugs are on the bottom of the actual axle. Those 2 bolts are on the hub I think? and not on the axle....again for a BX...not an L ...but I assume they are close.
 
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whitetiger

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Kubota tech..BX2370, RCK60, B7100HST, RTV900 w plow, Ford 1100 FWA
Nov 20, 2011
2,542
1,056
113
Kansas City, KS
Still trying to figure out the front axle. On the backside I have 2 bolts on the corners that are only screwed in halfway. Are these vents for draining?
Also a question on why it doesn't seem a drain is on the very bottom....sorry for being ignorant on this. Any explanation would be appreciated. I would love to check my fluid level with only 1 hour on the tractor. Dealer said I was good to go on fluid levels.... 😉
The bolts you are seeing installed halfway are indeed the steering stops, they limit how sharp you can turn.
You have a drain plug just up from the bottom for each knuckle, they take a 14mm socket to remove.
There are no vent plugs on top of the knuckles used on L2501's.
You will have a 14mm head plug on the axle tube to check the oil level and a 26 mm-headed plug to fill through.
 
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ayak

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Lifetime Member

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L3301 HST
Feb 16, 2018
568
719
93
WV
Still trying to figure out the front axle. On the backside I have 2 bolts on the corners that are only screwed in halfway. Are these vents for draining?
Also a question on why it doesn't seem a drain is on the very bottom....sorry for being ignorant on this. Any explanation would be appreciated. I would love to check my fluid level with only 1 hour on the tractor. Dealer said I was good to go on fluid levels.... 😉
If you hadn’t already found it, look for one of these drain plugs (item-30) on each side:
04BA3950-0CC0-400F-85DC-D0CB233E65F8.jpeg
 
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ken erickson

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B7100 hst, 2650 front mount snowblower, L2501 hst qa loader
Nov 21, 2010
974
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Waupaca Wisconsin
From my L2501 owners manual. 1 is the check plug and 2 is the fill plug.
(view, standing in front of tractor looking towards rear.)

Thanks everyone for input on which fluid is used from the factory/dealer!


IMG_6692.JPG
 
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Bmyers

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Grand L3560 with LA805 loader, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, SBX72 BB, LP 1272 mower
May 27, 2019
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Southern Illinois
My L3560 had UDT2 in it and that is what I continue to use in it.
 
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ken erickson

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B7100 hst, 2650 front mount snowblower, L2501 hst qa loader
Nov 21, 2010
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Waupaca Wisconsin
I guess I can join the club with low front axle lubrication levels from the dealer.
Mine was just shy of a quart.
 

forky

Active member

Equipment
L2501 HST 4X4 8N
Feb 23, 2021
249
247
43
Wisconsin
Thanks for all the replies to my questions......cleared up my confusion and understand what's what now. Good folks here!
 

tradosaurus

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Kubota MX5400 HST, Land Pride RCR2660 , EA 60" Xtreme grapple, EA box blade
Mar 7, 2019
98
71
18
Texarkana, Tx, USA
Just checked mine on my new MX5400 and I had to add about 10 oz. I used 80W/90 gear oil since I had it and didn't need a funnel to pour it in the fill hole. The check plug is a 14 mm and the fill plug was a 25 mm (I used a 1 - 1/16" wrench).
 

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kubotafreak

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Equipment
GRAND l6060, L3560, B6100, gr2100, tg 1860, g1800, g1900, g2160
Sep 20, 2018
1,019
372
83
Arkansas, US
Looks like someone needs to confirm miscibility of udt and gear oil now... Whoever does, pictures please!
Foaming would be the issue I would worry about.