One hour job takes..... Too long. Like this post.

[Blue2Orange]

49.8hrs. Only averaging 10hrs/month of seat time. Time for the 50hr maintenance. Roller board and I are too thick to slide around under the BX2380. Another "tool" that has lost its usefulness. Purchased ~25 years ago at the local NAPA store. Solid product. Out came some chunks of carpet remnants. My slide board and knee pad.

Drained the oil. Looked at the oil filter. Uggh. Conduit, a hose, frame members surrounding it. Hope I can just hand spin the little bugger off. The old NH had very easy to access filters. Couple hydraulic, the oil, and the fuel filter. Kubota.... Who the heck designed the lay out? No luck hand removing. Out came the real Craftsman "rubber band" filter removals. Usually can squeeze into the tightest space. Bit or a pita with the BX. No go. Inserted a chunk of 80 grit sandpaper between the bands for improved grip. No go. Time for some though or maybe a screwdriver.

Meanwhile removed the BXpand shield to access the HST filter. Could not hand spin it off. Removed two of the four bolts holding the stock fan shield and loosen the other two pivot the shield so I could use the filter wrench. Filter off. New one spun on and hand tightened. Replaced the shield. After thought. No need for the stock shield with the BXpand shield in place. Too late. Cleaned the air filter. Looked at that oil filter. Broke out the old trad style filter tool. Bit of fiddling around to get it into the tight space. Success. The old trad filter removal tool has a handle that pivots 90 degrees. Good thing. The clamping force sort of increases with applied rotational torque. This time enough clamping force to slightly crush the filter. Guessing someone at the plant didn't lube the gasket and used a tool to torque the filter down way too much.

Didn't realize or forgot until today that you only replace the HST filter at 50hrs. Was bit worried about the amount of HST fluid that would come gushing out when pulling the old filter. New filter at hand. Took a deep breath and spun off the old. Not much dribbled down. Nice.

Maybe a time for a new gen filter removal tool? Looked at a handful that use 1/2 drive socket wrench at Amazon. The ones that have two C shaped serrated clamps looked interesting. Have a year before needing to deal with the oil filter again.

 

[dlsmith]

If you lube the gasket on the oil filter and only tighten it !/2 turn or so after it contacts the base, the next time you'll be able to spin it off by hand, or at the worst with the help of a pair of channel locks. Have never needed a tool to remove the one on my BX2230. There is absolutely no reason to over tighten oil filters, there is not so much pressure in the oil system that it could blow out the seal ring.

 

[chim]

Since discovering how slippery printed cardboard is, the TV boxes, etc get saved and the creeper stays tucked away. The cardboard works anywhere.

 

[Blue2Orange]

Almost quarter century of changing tractor oil filters. Once had a "sticky" filter that required a wrench. This is the first filter that required significant torque to remove. Evil thoughts about the dolt that put it on at the factory.

For you newbies. Hand tight is all that is needed. Over torque just means you are compressing the gasket beyond necessary and stressing the threads of the filter and housing. If you forget to lube you might still need a filter wrench. Looks like the wrenches I viewed at amazon are more designed for accessing filters in tight locations. Like the BX2380's. Luckily the hose above it flexed enough to eventually get the filter wrench in. The wire conduit and some sort of guessing sensor that goes into the block was a bit too close for comfort.

Probably add one of those amazon wrenches to an order in the distant future. Or just order if available the K & N brand. Used their oil filters on the NH for a decade or so without issues. They design the filter with a hex shape nut on the top. Socket or wrench if needed.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Several on OTT have commented about the factory filter being "painted" on and a bear to get off. Exactly my experience doing the 50 hr. MUCH easier the second time.

 

[Shawn T. W]

On my little tractor I usually put it up on blocks or ramps to work under it ...

At least it's not quite as stupid location as the oil filter on my 5.7 Hemi ...

 

[airbiscuit]

They get tighter as you pull

 

[Chanceywd]

I have one of the c shaped clamp type I think you are referring to for my Subaru. They like to stick filter where I can't hand grip it easily. If that is the style you are referring too it works great!

 

[chim]

My go-to tools when there's a fight to be won. Either the Channellock 215 Filter Pliers that was on sale somewhere years ago or the Channellock BigAzz. George wanted to pose with them for size reference.

 

[Chanceywd]

My go-to tools when there's a fight to be won. Either the Channellock 215 Filter Pliers that was on sale somewhere years ago or the Channellock BigAzz. George wanted to pose with them for size reference.

I have a pair of them bigazz ones, hanging by the vise of the shop so they are handy, plus a pair of their little brother about 10".

There is a pair that was germany made I bought many years ago that the one handle/jaw goes thru a gap in the other jaw with a push button adjustment that was real handy doing electrical work with emt and all kinds of box connectors.

They were 10 inch and craftsman had them too.

Bill

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Somebody else mentioned it already: hammer a screwdriver through a stubborn filter and use that as a lever. It's going in the bin anyway.

 

[Tractor Gal]

On my BX23D, in order to access the filter, it was necessary to remove the bonnet until I bought one of these. Now, it's a snap. Well, nothing is really quite a snap. With the MMM attached, it's tricky to get a pan to catch the draining oil and the oil from the filter removal. BUT, it's a far cry better than having to take off the other stuff for task. About $20 on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/3061052837...zZv0Ehaok3aWpcZ+Uj2Js4cdJQ==|tkp:BFBM7IbAqbtm

Tractor Gal

 

[Mr Haney]

The manual for my mower gives the following instructions for removing the front step: remove step.

 

[chim]

Here are both ends of the spectrum for me. They have a number of siblings in between. Out of all of them the little guy is so handy that I keep one in the garage and one in the truck.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

If you lube the gasket on the oil filter and only tighten it !/2 turn or so after it contacts the base, the next time you'll be able to spin it off by hand, or at the worst with the help of a pair of channel locks. Have never needed a tool to remove the one on my BX2230. There is absolutely no reason to over tighten oil filters, there is not so much pressure in the oil system that it could blow out the seal ring.

Amen Brother….Words to live by.

I only go 1/4 to 1/3 turn, past contact.

In 40+ years I have never had a filter “fall off”.


I have however, had to use “air chisels” to remove oil filters when some dummkopf, “Gorilla Torqued” them on……