Hydraulic fluid

[Popo]

I have a L4060 7 years old, 1500 hours. Thinking of getting away from Kubota UDT Hydraulic fluid to a more reasonable priced product. I went with Tractor Supply Traveler ISO 46 with my previous L2900 and never had any issues. What say you guys? Thanks

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I have a L4060 7 years old, 1500 hours. Thinking of getting away from Kubota UDT Hydraulic fluid to a more reasonable priced product. I went with Tractor Supply Traveler ISO 46 with my previous L2900 and never had any issues. What say you guys? Thanks

This has been hashed a jillion times here, but I think the majority agree, more or less: if you have an older gear drive tractor a quality universal tractor fluid is fine. If you have hydrostat, GlideShift, or generally any model using hydraulic controls SUDT2 is called for. SUDT or UDT was specified in the owners manual of some of the older models so it's ok in those, or SUDT2 can be substituted.

SUDT2 is a synthetic product, and the price is not out of line with other synthetics. I remember 10 years ago the owner of a timber crew bemoaning breaking a line on his JD feller-buncher and having to drive 40 miles to pick up an $1100 drum of fluid to refill it.

 

[D2Cat]

Many look at the price per gallon of the fluid required, and make a decision. Part of the equation is often left out. The product you may choose to buy based on cost/gal has a different factor when you: 1. Determine how often the fluid needs to be changed, 2. What is the cost if the fluid doesn't function as desired?

Popo, how many times have you changed the fluid in the 1500 Hrs? What is the value of the tractor?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

It’s a strange equation for me……..

The General Lee gets Kubota hydraulic fluid and filters…..no exceptions/substitutes. However he now gets Rotella T-6 engine oil, but I still use Kubota oil filters only…..

The Yamaha, 300 hp “Beast” on my boat, gets ONLY Yamaha Synthetic oil and ONLY Yamaha filters….No exceptions, no substitutes.

My wifes Caravan, gets the cheapest full synthetic oil available and Wally World filters…..

My truck has nearly 300K and has been feed a steady diet of Rotella T-3 until I recently switched to T-6 and Wix filters...


In my “heart of hearts’ I know that there are oils/fluids/filters that would probably be OK…..but on/in certain machines, I simply can’t justify the savings.

It probably amounts to “pennies” of savings if you look at it “per day” or perhaps “per hour”……And I realize that I am clearly being hypocritical, especially when compared to my “other machines”….


Wish I had a better/clearer reasoning/justification…...

My head is a “crowded work area”…..

 

[ItBmine]

It’s a strange equation for me……..

The General Lee gets Kubota hydraulic fluid and filters…..no exceptions/substitutes. However he now gets Rotella T-6 engine oil, but I still use Kubota oil filters only…..

The Yamaha, 300 hp “Beast” on my boat, gets ONLY Yamaha Synthetic oil and ONLY Yamaha filters….No exceptions, no substitutes.

My wifes Caravan, gets the cheapest full synthetic oil available and Wally World filters…..

My Truck has nearly 300K and has been feed a steady diet of Rotella T-3 until I recently switched to T-6 and Wix filters...


In my “heart of hearts’ I know that there are oils/fluids/filters that would probably be OK…..but on/in certain machines, I simply can’t justify the savings.

It probably amounts to “pennies” of savings if you look at it “per day” or perhaps “per hour”……And I realize that I am clearly being hypoctical, especially when compared to my “other machines”….


Wish I had a better/clearer reasoning/justification…...

My head is a “crowded work area”…..

Kinda like me. I never deviate from manufacturers filters but I'm comfortable using Rotella T/Petro Canada Duron/Chevron Delo in my engines. Simply because I used to oil sample them through Caterpillar's SOS program and the results proved they were better than most others.
But as far as hydraulic drive oils, I stick to the Super (Premium in Canada) UDT in my Kubota's simply because I have no test data for those oils in this application. So I have no idea of what additives one brand uses over another. But I do use Petro Canada synthetic oils in the transmissions and axles of my old antique tractors. But for the new hydrostatics, I stick to what Kubota recommends.

 

[ItBmine]

Also why I like using my little B2620 as my primary work tractor around my property versus a bigger tractor. It only takes one 5 gallon pail to service it, so no big deal buying a pail every season. I don't even go the 200 hours, just do it seasonal.

 

[nbryan]

I have a L4060 7 years old, 1500 hours. Thinking of getting away from Kubota UDT Hydraulic fluid to a more reasonable priced product. I went with Tractor Supply Traveler ISO 46 with my previous L2900 and never had any issues. What say you guys? Thanks

I think it's your machine to risk, not ours. How often are you forking out those few extra dollars to stay OEM on fluids or any other maintenance items? Will your "savings" with cheaper fluid be enough for you to count towards insurance against any premature failures that may occur?
For these modern hydrostatic trans units, for me it's not worth it.
Full disclosure, I use Rotalla T6 5w40 now instead of Kubota diesel oil, but that's after a decade of running t6 through old VW golf diesels and marveling at how well it performed against the oem standard fare. I also noticed performance improvements in my B2650 after switching.
But filters and hydraulic oils stay kubota only.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I have a L4060 7 years old, 1500 hours. Thinking of getting away from Kubota UDT Hydraulic fluid to a more reasonable priced product. I went with Tractor Supply Traveler ISO 46 with my previous L2900 and never had any issues. What say you guys? Thanks

I have no issue with using a non-OEM transmission fluid and I am not but going to rehash my reasons.

But you have made a fundamental mistake and used a fluid that is not formulated for transmissions and final drives.. The correct TSC branded fluid would be Traveler Premium Universal Tractor Transmission fluid. Replace the ISO 46 hydraulic oil with a universal tractor transmission fluid (UTTO) and do it NOW.

Dan

 

[Popo]

Yeah, agree with ya'all. Stupid to pinch pennies on such a nice piece of machinery. Thanks

 

[BT3101]

I have a L4060 7 years old, 1500 hours. Thinking of getting away from Kubota UDT Hydraulic fluid to a more reasonable priced product. I went with Tractor Supply Traveler ISO 46 with my previous L2900 and never had any issues. What say you guys? Thanks

I took the advice on here and went with Mystik for my glide shift L3130. Solved my problem of slow to engage in the Winter. I was running Tractor Supply stuff before that.

 

[RCW]

Yeah, agree with ya'all. Stupid to pinch pennies on such a nice piece of machinery. Thanks

Is your tractor an HST, GST, or other variant?

Can make a difference in answering your question.

That said, we’ve all been “Penny-wise and Pound-foolish” at various times in our lives. I certainly have.

Sometimes the risk doesn’t warrant the reward…..that’s something only you can evaluate.

My little BX gets Kubota SUDT2 and Kubota filters (I really don’t see a significant savings in filters). An HST was about $4k years ago.

$4k buys a lot of fluid….

 

[whitetiger]

I have a L4060 7 years old, 1500 hours. Thinking of getting away from Kubota UDT Hydraulic fluid to a more reasonable priced product. I went with Tractor Supply Traveler ISO 46 with my previous L2900 and never had any issues. What say you guys? Thanks

ISO 46 is NOT compatible with UDT.

 

[GeoHorn]

Penny wise and Pound foolish (using ISO 46 instead of the authorized Kubota product).

Like others have said…. the few bucks ”saved” ….will be very costly if it damages your machine…. but it’s yours, not. mine, …so I have no worries about it at all.

 

[Gaspasser]

This has been hashed a jillion times here, but I think the majority agree, more or less: if you have an older gear drive tractor a quality universal tractor fluid is fine. If you have hydrostat, GlideShift, or generally any model using hydraulic controls SUDT2 is called for. SUDT or UDT was specified in the owners manual of some of the older models so it's ok in those, or SUDT2 can be substituted.

SUDT2 is a synthetic product, and the price is not out of line with other synthetics. I remember 10 years ago the owner of a timber crew bemoaning breaking a line on his JD feller-buncher and having to drive 40 miles to pick up an $1100 drum of fluid to refill it.

How many zeroes in a jillion?

 

[TheOldHokie]

How many zeroes in a jillion?

Three less than in gazillion

Dan

 

[Gaspasser]

Three less than in gazillion

Dan

Well that makes sense since G comes before J in the alphabet.

 

[Trash Panda]

Penny wise and Pound foolish (using ISO 46 instead of the authorized Kubota product).

Like others have said…. the few bucks ”saved” ….will be very costly if it damages your machine…. but it’s yours, not. mine, …so I have no worries about it at all.

I personally am very curious to see how long it runs with ISO46 instead of an actual hydraulic tractor fluid.

I just hope that the results get posted here.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I personally am very curious to see how long it runs with ISO46 instead of an actual hydraulic tractor fluid.

I just hope that the results get posted here.

Probably longer than we want to wait.

Dan