L4150 Repair Restore

[CiscoRanger]

Howdy from Texas everyone,

First time user here, and first-time kubota owner as well.

I ended up with a Kubota L4150DT / BF900 Tractor / Loader that apparently has a sordid past. Long story short, my neighbor owned it, it quit on him. He got frustrated with it and gave it to his friend. Over the course of about 6 years, his friend couldn't get the repair guy to fix it...it just sat there and sat there and sat there, so he brought it back to the neighbor. Neighbor told me if I wanted it it was mine - he didn't want to see it anymore.

I'm fairly mechanically inclined. I've worked on my own vehicles, my own skid steer, etc etc, but haven't been around tractors much...so I'm hoping someone can just point me in a direction to get started.

Current status - Tractor Engine runs great. Breathe on the key and it cranks and runs well. Currently, there is no hydraulic fluid in it, so it doesn't drive, nor does the loader operate. The one thing that was pointed out to me, when I was told that there was no hydraulic fluid, is that there are open ports on what I am assuming is the transmission. Pics below. This is on the right-hand side of the tractor, just below and forward of the transmission/hydraulic fluid fill, just even with the right foot platform. Can someone tell me what these might route to, or what they are, so I can start investigating? I did come with a service manual, but I haven't found those in that yet...or I missed it. My guess is this is the first thing I have to address before I add hyd fluid and see what else might be going on.

Thanks in Advance!

 

[TheOldHokie]

Howdy from Texas everyone,

First time user here, and first-time kubota owner as well.

I ended up with a Kubota L4150DT / BF900 Tractor / Loader that apparently has a sordid past. Long story short, my neighbor owned it, it quit on him. He got frustrated with it and gave it to his friend. Over the course of about 6 years, his friend couldn't get the repair guy to fix it...it just sat there and sat there and sat there, so he brought it back to the neighbor. Neighbor told me if I wanted it it was mine - he didn't want to see it anymore.

I'm fairly mechanically inclined. I've worked on my own vehicles, my own skid steer, etc etc, but haven't been around tractors much...so I'm hoping someone can just point me in a direction to get started.

Current status - Tractor Engine runs great. Breathe on the key and it cranks and runs well. Currently, there is no hydraulic fluid in it, so it doesn't drive, nor does the loader operate. The one thing that was pointed out to me, when I was told that there was no hydraulic fluid, is that there are open ports on what I am assuming is the transmission. Pics below. This is on the right-hand side of the tractor, just below and forward of the transmission/hydraulic fluid fill, just even with the right foot platform. Can someone tell me what these might route to, or what they are, so I can start investigating? I did come with a service manual, but I haven't found those in that yet...or I missed it. My guess is this is the first thing I have to address before I add hyd fluid and see what else might be going on.

Thanks in Advance!

One things for sure - price was right

I know zilch about that tractor so this is a total WAG. Looks like the tractor could be purchased with hydraulic shuttle shift and those ports are oil lines for the shuttle valve plumbing. Kubota parts drawing below. If that is correct it probably does not bode well for an easy (or inexpensive) return to service.

Dan

 

[CiscoRanger]

One things for sure - price was right

I know zilch about that tractor so this is a total WAG. Looks like the tractor could be purchased with hydraulic shuttle shift and those ports are oil lines for the shuttle valve plumbing. Kubota parts drawing below. If that is correct it probably does not bode well for an easy (or inexpensive) return to service.

Dan

View attachment 88109

Thanks Dan. I bet that is exactly what it is. I traced the one oil line and it is going up under the front cowling, along with that (assumiing) low pressure return hose. This helps tremendously, thank you.

You're right about the price - glad I didnt give any $ for it. no telling what all might be going on with it. I'll have to get the cowling off to see what I'm working with, and hopefully that shuttle valve isnt missing also! Thanks again.

 

[Nicksacco]

Wow, interesting.
Curious to see what's next.
Goodluck with it!

 

[GeoHorn]

Subscribed

(One of my very First paying flying jobs was pipeline patrol. Every week in 1972 I’d inspect a Gulf line from Ft.Worth to Midland which passed right thru Ranger/Cisco/Eastland. Fond memories.)

 

[CiscoRanger]

Subscribed View attachment 88177

(One of my very First paying flying jobs was pipeline patrol. Every week in 1972 I’d inspect a Gulf line from Ft.Worth to Midland which passed right thru Ranger/Cisco/Eastland. Fond memories.)

That's great! It's a beautiful area. It needs a lot of rain right now, but we like it out here for sure.

I contacted the Mr. Fix-it who didn't Fix-it, to find out if he had the missing oil lines - they're almost $200 a piece. Haven't heard back, yet. Plus due to a family wedding, it will probably be a week or two before I get this tractor naked and see what we are dealing with. Fingers crossed.

 

[TheOldHokie]

That's great! It's a beautiful area. It needs a lot of rain right now, but we like it out here for sure.

I contacted the Mr. Fix-it who didn't Fix-it, to find out if he had the missing oil lines - they're almost $200 a piece. Haven't heard back, yet. Plus due to a family wedding, it will probably be a week or two before I get this tractor naked and see what we are dealing with. Fingers crossed.

You can buy a tubing bender, 37 degree flaring tool, and a lot of tube for that kind of money.....

Dan

 

[GeoHorn]

Yep, make your own tubing. Caution: Do NOT make it out of copper which becomes brittle with vibration and will fail. Make it out of aluminum or steel. (Steel tubing such as is used on brake likes is ideal…possibly sourced locally at the auto parts store.)

 

[TheOldHokie]

Yep, make your own tubing. Caution: Do NOT make it out of copper which becomes brittle with vibration and will fail. Make it out of aluminum or steel. (Steel tubing such as is used on brake likes is ideal…possibly sourced locally at the auto parts store.)

I do not know what the working pressure is in that part of the circuit but I would never use aluminum anywhere in a 2000+ PSI tractor hydraulic system. You should be able to buy SAE J524/J526 carbon steel hydraulic tubing at most hydraulic supply houses. If not you can order it and the end fittings you will need online:

Inch Steel Hydraulic Tubing | HoseandFittings.com

Find 1/8 to 2-inch steel hydraulic tubing online at HoseandFittings.com! We sell quality hydraulic tubing that is suitable for flaring and bending.

shop.hoseandfittings.com

If you need more than 10 feet total you are generally better off buying a whole stick and having it cut into three 7' pieces for shipping.

Dan

 

[CiscoRanger]

Thanks guys. Great suggestions. I'm hoping he still has them and just forgot to throw them in the bucket with the rad cover and loader supports - and that I don't have to buy or bend. But if it comes to it, I'll likely try to bend my own. $100 /foot for an oil line is pretty high.

 

[Nicksacco]

There's a couple of online places I was able to source used lines and some other things.
You may want to check Wengers and Weavers.

Wengers of Myerstown® - Farm Equipment, Heavy Equipment & Parts

Wengers of Myerstown - featuring quality used farm & construction equipment and the largest parts inventory on the east coast. Check out our massive inventory today!

www.wengers.com

Weaver's Compact Tractor Parts & Compact Tractor Salvage

Super low prices compact tractor parts, farm tractor parts, skid loader parts, compact tractor rims, farm tractor rims, skid loader rims, cylinder heads, hitch kits, 3 point hitches... get, new, used, aftermarket, and grey market parts

www.compactractorparts.com

Weavers Compact Tractor

Weaver's Compact Tractor is a leading source of used farm equipment, lawn & garden equipment and parts in the southern PA region.

www.lancasterfarminglocator.com

Best of luck. @GeoHorn please make more popcorn...

 

[woodman55]

Hope this works out for you.

 

[CiscoRanger]

There's a couple of online places I was able to source used lines and some other things.
You may want to check Wengers and Weavers.

Wengers of Myerstown® - Farm Equipment, Heavy Equipment & Parts

Wengers of Myerstown - featuring quality used farm & construction equipment and the largest parts inventory on the east coast. Check out our massive inventory today!

www.wengers.com

Weaver's Compact Tractor Parts & Compact Tractor Salvage

Super low prices compact tractor parts, farm tractor parts, skid loader parts, compact tractor rims, farm tractor rims, skid loader rims, cylinder heads, hitch kits, 3 point hitches... get, new, used, aftermarket, and grey market parts

www.compactractorparts.com

Weavers Compact Tractor

Weaver's Compact Tractor is a leading source of used farm equipment, lawn & garden equipment and parts in the southern PA region.

www.lancasterfarminglocator.com

Best of luck. @GeoHorn please make more popcorn...

This is great, thank you.
As an update I did get the tractor unloaded and the loader removed last night. Couldn’t have done it without my wife. Found one that could run heavy equip and scooped her up. Gonna try and take the panels off today.

 

[CiscoRanger]

Update: I had a couple of meetings cancel today, so I took a long lunch to get the tractor panels off and see what we are dealing with.

Some good news and bad. First the bad...The Rad fan is pretty brittle and will likely have to be replaced.

Also the electrical is a mess, and stop solenoid is probably frozen, but thankfully theres not much to the Harness. Honestly I'm worried least about the Elec.

On to the good news: When I pulled the dash, the shuttle valve is indeed there - along with two open ports (you were correct Dan).

I'm still baffled as to why someone would only pull two of the 3 oil lines. Need to do some looking through the parts diagrams to make sure nothing else is missing. I do see something on the end of the valve that moves back and forth:

This is not where the shifter attaches, this is on the opposite side. Looks like something slips over it and is held by a retaining pin. More...

 

[CiscoRanger]

I also walked away with a few additional things to research...like:

What are these on the dash?

Pretty sure the round thingmight be for glowplugs? It has some decent wire gauge behind it. The triangle is a knob with a stem on the backside that I dont know what it does.

None of the levers have any labels left on them. And I told you guys I've not spent much time around tractors...I know the main functions are 3-pt lift, PTO high and low, dual rear Aux hydraulics, 3-pt lower speed knob...and 2wd/4wd...just not sure which is what...

These two arms seem to actuate a valve...and one is seized...

Gear selection on the bottom and 3pt lift on top?

Pretty sure this is PTO on left and 2wd/4wd on the right

Not sure on this pedal

Anyways...thats where we are at for today. Off to the parts diagrams.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I can't help much. That chrome bezel on the dash is for the glow plug indicator. But the indicator is a nichrome wire that also serves as a voltage drop resistor when the key is in the preheat position. It is wired in series with the glow plugs.

The parts diagram shows that lever on the end of the shuttle valve to be the Orifice 1 Lever. Don't know its purpose, but it's an input, not an output. Maybe to inhibit shuttling under some condition? I'd be looking for a WSM - unfortunately Kubota Books doesn't show one.

 

[GeoHorn]

The pedal is likely a differential Lock. (Don’t activate it with wheels spinning or risk breaking engagement pins. Bring the wheels to stop…engage pedal…then let clutch out and add throttle.)

 

[TheOldHokie]

I also walked away with a few additional things to research...like:

What are these on the dash?

Pretty sure the round thingmight be for glowplugs? It has some decent wire gauge behind it. The triangle is a knob with a stem on the backside that I dont know what it does.

View attachment 88294

View attachment 88295

None of the levers have any labels left on them. And I told you guys I've not spent much time around tractors...I know the main functions are 3-pt lift, PTO high and low, dual rear Aux hydraulics, 3-pt lower speed knob...and 2wd/4wd...just not sure which is what...

These two arms seem to actuate a valve...and one is seized...

View attachment 88296


Gear selection on the bottom and 3pt lift on top?
View attachment 88297


Pretty sure this is PTO on left and 2wd/4wd on the right
View attachment 88298

Not sure on this pedal

View attachment 88299

Anyways...thats where we are at for today. Off to the parts diagrams.

Get an owners manual. Is there any reason you can't use hoses as a replacement for the steel lines.

Dan

 

[CiscoRanger]

Get an owners manual. Is there any reason you can't use hoses as a replacement for the steel lines.

Dan

I have a service manual but need to locate the OM.
Only reason I could think of is the lines originate under the right foot platform, and hoses may not be as rugged or forgiving to sticks and other objects. But my guess is it would work fine. Had considered pulling that 3rd oil line and taking it to my hyd guy to get 2 hoses made up. Service manual indicates there isnt but about 250 psi on those lines.

 

[CiscoRanger]

I can't help much. That chrome bezel on the dash is for the glow plug indicator. But the indicator is a nichrome wire that also serves as a voltage drop resistor when the key is in the preheat position. It is wired in series with the glow plugs.

The parts diagram shows that lever on the end of the shuttle valve to be the Orifice 1 Lever. Don't know its purpose, but it's an input, not an output. Maybe to inhibit shuttling under some condition? I'd be looking for a WSM - unfortunately Kubota Books doesn't show one.

I have the WSM and found where it talks about the rotary oriface. Havent found any linkage info yet tho, although there may not be any. Based on what it says, the oil temperature and pressure may rotate it. ?