L2501 Loader Leveling

rgOO6

New member

Equipment
Kubota L2501DT
Sep 12, 2021
29
5
3
Villa Rica, GA
I tried searching the forums but did not find anything. I am sure that someone has asked how to level the loader bucket on an L2501, so can someone point me in the right direction?
 

dirtydeed

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
2,854
3,101
113
Wind Gap, PA
Don't quite understand your question. Are you looking for the level indicator option or is your bucket sitting crooked?
 

Pau7220

Well-known member

Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
Aug 1, 2017
785
276
63
Scranton, PA
Step one... make sure your rear tires are aired up evenly.
 
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lugbolt

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,807
1,575
113
Mid, South, USA
I dealt with this somewhat often; frankly too often. Might get long so bear with me. Applies to most tractors (excludes track and wheel loaders, excavators, etc)

First, understand that a tractor is not really going to be perfectly level, by design. To get that you need a dozer with the correct hydraulically operated blade that can vary side to side, and ideally would need GPS capability included.

Let's assume that your bucket edge is not bent or damaged in any way. I have to mention this because, well unfortunately it does happen.

With that, adjust your tire pressures. Make sure they are inflated to operator or service manual specification. In this post (L2501), R4's should be 20 psi in the rears, and 35 psi in the fronts. Or, that's what I was always told (factory training). Then, you have to be on level concrete slab in order to make the rest of the adjustments. You are going to want to verify that your ssqa is not bent, if you have one, and also make 100% certain that the bucket is sitting squarely in the ssqa saddles, and is locked down properly. IF you don't have a ssqa, then there's a lot less stuff to go wrong.

Once verifying that the ssqa (if you have one) is on correctly, not bent, and the tire pressures are correct, you are on level hard surface (concrete slab), set the bucket down as if you are going to scrape--level front to rear (ideally you want the bucket sitting flat, in other words the cutting edge on the concrete, also the rear of the bucket on the concrete). How far out of level is it? If with 1/4", I'd recommend leaving it alone as you will fight with yourself trying to get it any closer. If you are way off, look again at the bucket, the tire pressures, the tire sizes (just in case somebody at the dealer messed up), ssqa, and finally if all that is verified without question, look at your loader arms--it would be really rare but they "could" be bent (I have never seen it, and I have seen tractors come through the shop that have rolled multiple times off of a trailer at 80+ mph).

The last thing you could do is to set the bucket down, then loosen each side frame bolt abougoob at the dealer put two different sizes on),t a turn or so. Once that is done, start the engine and put some slight down pressure on the loader, not enough to lift the wheels up, just enough to take some pressure off of the wheels, that is all that is needed. Then leave the loader joystick in it's neutral position, turn the engine off, remove key, set the park brake, and hang a do not operate tag on the steering wheel....then tighten the side frame bolts back up to the proper torque while the loader is holding downpressure. Check the wsm for the proper torque, I think they're around 140 lb-ft on the 2501's but I could be wrong...double check that! Once tightened back up you can now start the tractor and double check your work. Is it close enough to live with (less than 1/4")? If so you are done. if not, you can put a block of wood under the low side, then loosen the loader side frame bolts again, put some down pressure against the block, and then tighten the bolts whilst holding down pressure. Just like above, but using a block. There is sometimes enough "slop" in the bolt holes, that a tolerance stack-up can cause the loader bucket to be unlevel side to side, and this addresses that. Obviously the larger the tractor the harder (much harder) this is going to be. Welcome to my world.

With all that, it's really easy to chase your tail in doing this. I've heard it said that a body and paint guy is their own worst enemy. Well this kinda follows that thought, if you are being that picky, you can easily drive yourself and possibly the dealer crazy.

a tractor isn't a precision device for grading, that's what a dozer or skid/wheel loader is for. A tractor does a lot of things, but it doesn't really do any one thing perfectly-and this is a prime example.
 
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Pau7220

Well-known member

Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
Aug 1, 2017
785
276
63
Scranton, PA
look at your loader arms--it would be really rare but they "could" be bent
Funny, I never really associated the dent in the hood with the possibility of the PO face planting into it on the day he bent my loader arm..... until now.
See post #4
 
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