Greetings all. I'm new to this forum and buying my first tractor later this week. It's a 2018 L3901. Are some model years worst than others? I noticed a new 2021 is much quieter then the 2018 i'm buying. How much quieter will the HST be after using SDUT2? Thanks, Kelly
L3901 HST whine
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My barely 5 month old machine (SUDT2) is more than a little whiney. My major complaint. Getting it in rhe right range and RPM is imperative if you want to save your sanity.
Dan.
I always put ear plugs in and an over ear hearing protector on as well when tractoring. Hearing loss accrues in an imperceptible cumulative fashion according to my physician neighbor. The whine never bothered me. For those in need this approach makes screaming children tolerable also.
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My L3800 came with the sudt2, I believe. It has a whine as well but got a little less annoying once I changed the fluid, for a bit.
How many hours are on the machine? It may be time for a fluid and filter change.
or just do what I do and wear ear plugs or ear buds. Lol.
How many hours are on the machine? It may be time for a fluid and filter change.
or just do what I do and wear ear plugs or ear buds. Lol.
manufacturing tolerance can cause some whine. In other words, we are talking about a few hundred thousandths of an inch tolerance--closer tolerance than most machinery is able to achieve at a mass production level. So one that is .00006" larger than the other, that one might whine a little.
This is why super udt is imperative. Many don't understand how the hst works, and how close the tolerance between the pistons and cylinders are. Remember, oil doesn't just lubricate it also cleans, protects, fills in the gap between moving parts, cools, and it has to flow at the temperatures that the manufacturer wants it to.
lastly the most complaints I ever had with hst noise had to do with two main causes. First one was addressed above and secondly, using high gear for everything when there are two other gears that will reduce the noise and more importantly the heat produced. If you are running a shredder at 5 mph, you can use low gear and have more control over the tractor, reduced heat, and a lot less noise.
With all that said, the L3301/3901/4701 are all considered "standard L series" tractors, which are differentiated from the GRAND L series tractors by a lot of things, one of which is a huge reduction in noise, vibration, and harshness. The GRAND L series costs a lot more, but you get a lot more.
This is why super udt is imperative. Many don't understand how the hst works, and how close the tolerance between the pistons and cylinders are. Remember, oil doesn't just lubricate it also cleans, protects, fills in the gap between moving parts, cools, and it has to flow at the temperatures that the manufacturer wants it to.
lastly the most complaints I ever had with hst noise had to do with two main causes. First one was addressed above and secondly, using high gear for everything when there are two other gears that will reduce the noise and more importantly the heat produced. If you are running a shredder at 5 mph, you can use low gear and have more control over the tractor, reduced heat, and a lot less noise.
With all that said, the L3301/3901/4701 are all considered "standard L series" tractors, which are differentiated from the GRAND L series tractors by a lot of things, one of which is a huge reduction in noise, vibration, and harshness. The GRAND L series costs a lot more, but you get a lot more.
85Hokie
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to add what has already been said ...........
it will be worth the price of the oil - it will quiet it down a good bit - at least 50%
correct gearing will also make it go down too as lugbolt mentioned.
Rops can also magnify the sound too - some have filled the rops with "spray-foam" and that helps the sound too. The ROPS acts like a tuning fork., magnifing the sound.
Along with the other comments, hst transmissions whine. While some are louder than others, due to different conditions, it is a normal condition. Don't assume that something is wrong with the tractor you are purchasing; if you are concerned, the best thing is to listen to another L3901- compare apples to apples.
You did not say if the tractor has a canopy or not... my canopy captures the noise and makes the whine much louder (IMHO).
When I started shopping for a new Kubota I looked at a 3 year old L3901 with 170 hours on it. I was tempted but price was close to new and it was an all cash deal so I went to see what deal I could swing on a new one. Messicks had a brand spankin' new one on the lot and when I started out for a test drive the HST whine was deafening accompanied by a bad shudder and I was aghast - surely something was badly wrong with this machine. Something was indeed very wrong - the parking brake was still set and it was in high range. Got a lot quieter and much like the used one once the brake was off and in low range
Dan
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Kelly - -
Hokie and others nailed that one.
I've changed my BX hydraulic fluid 3 times in 440 hours. 4th may be coming in the next 100.
First two were planned, third was a bent filter, so changed it out. With just 3 gallons of SUDT2, a BX isn't as expensive as a larger tractor to do.
Each time I've changed mine I notice a significant decrease in whine.
Also, proper range and RPM do wonders....
jyoutz
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Perhaps some foam covering on the inside of the canopy could dampen the noise?