Hydraulic filter

mikes1165

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Jul 30, 2015
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Mulga
Just did the 50 hour service on my L3901DT with shuttle shift gear trans. Manual says not necessary to change hydraulic filter until 400 hrs. Seems like a long time till 1st service. Is this ok on the gear trans or would it be a good idea to go ahead and change it just to be sure.
 

85Hokie

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Just did the 50 hour service on my L3901DT with shuttle shift gear trans. Manual says not necessary to change hydraulic filter until 400 hrs. Seems like a long time till 1st service. Is this ok on the gear trans or would it be a good idea to go ahead and change it just to be sure.
You can change it as often as you like ! It will never hurt a thing! At 50 hours - they figure that most of the metal and what not is caught and needs to be tossed out - and for the next 350 hours it should not need to be as bad.

Change it at 200 and then 400 - the cost of the filter and the little oil you lose will be minimal. I know many a person that run synthetic oil in their car, and change the filter AND NOT the oil......for a while!:D:)
 

GWD

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For my tractors, I change the filter with every oil change. But those were the instructions in earlier versions of the Kubota manuals. Plus, I'm old and set in my ways.

Newer manuals don't require a filter change as often and sometimes a filter change and not an oil change. It is too hard to keep track so if one goes...all go for my tractors.

I figure, considering the price of the tractor and/or repairs, oil and filters are cheap.

Never had an oil or filter related repair on any of my mini-fleet.:cool:
 

Bulldog

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Lots of debate on this subject in the past. My opinion the 50 hr service is the most important of the tractors life. In the first 50 hrs every gear, shaft, bearing, shift fork, ect. is meshed together for the first time. All the initial wear is being done and every spec of metal is now in this oil / filter or settled at the drain points.

Now you have 2 choices:
1. Hope the filter caught everything and run it to the 400 hr point.

2. Drain the oil and have the piece of mind knowing you did everything possible to protect the thousands of dollars you just spent on a new tractor.

I'll go with option 2 every single time. $.02

Attached is a page from my M9000 manual, note it says change fluid @50 hrs. Why the newer tractors don't require this is still a mystery to me. :confused:
 

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RCW

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I'm with the others 100%!!

I changed EVERYTHING at 50 hours (38 really), applying Bulldog's theory. Even dumped the front axle. :p

Mine was new, but a discontinued model. It might have sat on a lot for a while, and besides break-in, I was concerned with water/moisture.

Even though I use all synthetics, I still change motor oil/filter spring & fall, and its only a 20 or 30 hour interval. Just the way I was brought up, I guess.:)

Of course, my little BX is much cheaper on oil/fluid/filters than Bulldog's 9000, or even an L-series.
 
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mikes1165

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L3901DT, LA525FL, King Kutter 6' finishing mower, 5' Bush Hog Squealer,Box blade
Jul 30, 2015
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Changed it just for piece of mind. The real surprise to me is that they only say to change engine oil and filter every 400 hrs. Changed it with Kubota oil this time and will change to synthetic at 200 hrs
 

100 td

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What you have to remember is these machines/engines are designed to be worked. 400 hours is 17 days use in the real world where machines are used every shift, or where the engine is driving a genset 24/7. 50 hours is 2 days, it hasn't done anything at all. 400 hours equates to a truck doing 60 mph - 24000 miles, some trucks are changing their engine oil every 100,000 miles or even a lot more now, or just sampling the oil and running it until the additives wear out. 50 hours is simply to pick up bits of crap, and in some cases change out the factory 'run-in" oil. Everybody over services their oil and filters generally, and it's all about making money.
 

RCW

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What you have to remember is these machines/engines are designed to be worked.

Everybody over services their oil and filters generally, and it's all about making money.
I understand completely the commercial application of the equipment. But with all due respect, I imagine the machines of 99% of the folks here are not used in a heavy industrial fashion.

I wouldn't be surprised that the majority of the folks here operate their tractors weekends only, and for only a few hours at a time.

I'm sure you're aware of the dangers associated with intermittent/short-term usage. Proper operating temps might be compromised, moisture not expelled, etc.

In a case like mine, where my tractor is only used periodically, I'll be conservative, and over-service.;)
 

Bulldog

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Engine oil should be changed at least once per year even if synthetic lubricants are being used. Contamination from blow-by, acids ect. naturally gather in the oil and break it down. Even the weekend tractors that may not get but 20 or 30 hrs a year still need to be serviced.
My oil rated for up to 600 hr intervals but it still gets changed once a year regardless of the hrs.
 

mikes1165

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L3901DT, LA525FL, King Kutter 6' finishing mower, 5' Bush Hog Squealer,Box blade
Jul 30, 2015
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Mulga
I agree with changing it more frequently. I've been a mechanic on boats for 30+ years and I've never heard of engine damage from oil that is changed to often or is to clean. Oil and filters are cheap compared to the tractor. I'll change mine every 200 hrs or every year, which ever comes first.