L285 rear diff fill plug question

hohriver

New member

Equipment
L285
Sep 15, 2022
9
1
3
Washington
New member here and working on an L285-
Pulled the bottom drain to service the hydraulic system and there was no filter present. Was able to find a filter for the engine side hydraulics from messicks. Does anyone know the part number for the filter that goes into the diff case? Also i pulled what looks like a fill plug and it is blocked by another plug?
appreciate anyones experience. this is my first old kubota and the steering box broke loading it into the trailer. seller was not upfront how neglected it was.
 

Russell King

Well-known member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
4,779
1,048
113
Austin, Texas
Okay you need to stop removing things until you’re pretty sure what they are or something inside the transmission will be falling off.

You have engine oil and transmission fluid and front axle fluid and radiator fluid. And fuel. And some oil in the steering box.

The transmission fluid is the rear differential fluid and hydraulic fluid also. All in one large sump.

The engine oil is only in the engine and can be drained out the bottom of the oil pan through two drain plugs, one on each side of the drive shaft to the front wheels. The oil filter may be a spin on (like a car) or a element inside a canister.

The transmission fluid is drained out the plugs in the bottom of the transmission case and drain plugs on the inside vertical wall of the rear wheel drive cases. The fill for the transmission and rear axle is a large plug on top of the transmission between the shifters and the seat. You step over it getting on the tractor.
The transmission filter is where you removed the domed cover in your last picture. The filter is really just a long cylinder of fine mesh screen. You will have to grab it with needle nose pliers and pull it out. You can clean it but I imagine you will need to replace it due to age and neglect. Replace the oring on the cover also. I would also replace all the sealing washers under the drain plugs.

All the drain plugs should look like a car’s drain plug-a hex head bolt with a sealing washer.

There is a plug on the side of the transmission near where your foot is when pressing the clutch down that is the fill level. When filling transmission remove this plug and fill transmission until it runs (a little) out that hole.

The front differential has a drain and fill but I don’t know about those.

No idea what the white fluid is or what it is draining from in the picture with the screwdriver.

Transmission and front axle can use a fluid like Kubota UDT or Tractor Supply Traveler universal hydraulic and transmission fluid. You will probably want to change it a couple of times a few weeks apart to get the water and gunk out.

Does the tractor have a loader?
 

hohriver

New member

Equipment
L285
Sep 15, 2022
9
1
3
Washington
Okay you need to stop removing things until you’re pretty sure what they are or something inside the transmission will be falling off.

You have engine oil and transmission fluid and front axle fluid and radiator fluid. And fuel. And some oil in the steering box.

The transmission fluid is the rear differential fluid and hydraulic fluid also. All in one large sump.

The engine oil is only in the engine and can be drained out the bottom of the oil pan through two drain plugs, one on each side of the drive shaft to the front wheels. The oil filter may be a spin on (like a car) or a element inside a canister.

The transmission fluid is drained out the plugs in the bottom of the transmission case and drain plugs on the inside vertical wall of the rear wheel drive cases. The fill for the transmission and rear axle is a large plug on top of the transmission between the shifters and the seat. You step over it getting on the tractor.
The transmission filter is where you removed the domed cover in your last picture. The filter is really just a long cylinder of fine mesh screen. You will have to grab it with needle nose pliers and pull it out. You can clean it but I imagine you will need to replace it due to age and neglect. Replace the oring on the cover also. I would also replace all the sealing washers under the drain plugs.

All the drain plugs should look like a car’s drain plug-a hex head bolt with a sealing washer.

There is a plug on the side of the transmission near where your foot is when pressing the clutch down that is the fill level. When filling transmission remove this plug and fill transmission until it runs (a little) out that hole.

The front differential has a drain and fill but I don’t know about those.

No idea what the white fluid is or what it is draining from in the picture with the screwdriver.

Transmission and front axle can use a fluid like Kubota UDT or Tractor Supply Traveler universal hydraulic and transmission fluid. You will probably want to change it a couple of times a few weeks apart to get the water and gunk out.

Does the tractor have a loader?
thanks for trying to help-
There wasn’t a filter present so need to find the part number- the filter I got from messicks is too big.
 

Russell King

Well-known member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
4,779
1,048
113
Austin, Texas
There is a Kubotausa.com illustrated parts list here:

Agree with the terms and then type in tractor model like L285, a list of models will come up and select your specific model (L285F, L285DT...)

Then you can look through the various chapters to find the parts you want or need

The filter is probably in the hydraulic section or the transmission section. I may look in a minute and post back.



Adding by edit
When searching for L285 you also get L2850 later model tractor so be careful on that
 
Last edited:

Russell King

Well-known member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
4,779
1,048
113
Austin, Texas
Okay I was wrong about the filter location. Is there something on the right side that looks like a vertical cylinder with a metal tube into the top ? Is the part number you got matching up with this?

7B359463-7457-415B-BF2F-C6DE176B174A.png
 

Russell King

Well-known member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
4,779
1,048
113
Austin, Texas
I had forgotten that on the larger size tractor model that had changed. On my L185F it is where I originally thought your’s Was.

4075068D-18FE-4263-AA35-960578EFD18C.png
 

Russell King

Well-known member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
4,779
1,048
113
Austin, Texas
Guess the l285 doesn’t have a filter in the case, just up by the engine?
The filter I got for the case is too big.
I don’t know what the question or picture is discussing in this post.

There is only one filter on the hydraulic system on my tractor and I imagine your tractor has only one in the canister.
 

Russell King

Well-known member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
4,779
1,048
113
Austin, Texas
I can send you some manuals for your tractor if you want to provide your email but I think that the manual may be on Kubotabooks dot. Com

Type out the dot com of the address to avoid spam bots
 

Pau7220

Well-known member

Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
Aug 1, 2017
785
277
63
Scranton, PA
If you’re taking apart that assembly to replace the filter, replace this hose and the clamps. Looks old and brittle… common cause of suction leaks and fluid aeration.
29E5037E-3E65-4D34-A7F9-87D24098FBBB.jpeg
 

GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,894
3,163
113
Texas
I’m guessing that “white fluid” is water in it.