Refurbishing a Kubota W5021 SCC

Munsun

New member

Equipment
W5021
Oct 18, 2020
6
7
3
Tennessee
Hi all. New member and wanted to post some pictures of what I've been trying to bring back to life. Some back-story, I've been looking for one of these for about 3 years and finally found one a few weeks ago. It was not running and looked like it was destined for the scrap yard. Took me a week just to get the cables freed up. So far, I've cleaned up everything I could for now. I got a NOS recoil housing, a new carburetor, and a new air filter. I refurbished the blade brake as much as I could. In the end, I'll have to be on the lookout for a good used blade holder with the brake material, or bite the bullet and get a new one. Cleaned, wire-wheeled, primed, and painted the underside of the deck and rear discharge area.

These things really are commercial grade and very well built. Only bad thing.....replacement parts (when you can find them) and their prices are in the stratosphere, and sometimes that includes EBay.

Would really like to find a bag/frame and/or rear discharge chute. I have a Honda HRA216 that its' discharge chute is a close fit, but not 100%.

It's been really hard to find posts and videos documenting anyone working on these things. I do have a service and owners manual.

Will post more pics in the future. Enjoy!

Kubota W5021 L Front.jpg
Kubota W5021 R Side.jpg
Kubota W5021 New Carb.jpg
Kubota W5021 Rear.jpg
Kubota W5021 Deck.jpg
 
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603g5200

Member

Equipment
Kubota G5200G, G2500 snowblower and a Massey Ferguson MF20 Industrial
Oct 27, 2020
33
11
8
New Hampshire
You did a beautiful job, there is one part that brings down how nice of a job you did. it is your airbox cover. where it has oxidized. If you take a heat gun to the cover you can bring it back to black. You have to heat it up for a minute or so move it around in a circle then work out once you start to see the color change. Good luck with finding the discharge frame and bagger.
 

Munsun

New member

Equipment
W5021
Oct 18, 2020
6
7
3
Tennessee
You did a beautiful job, there is one part that brings down how nice of a job you did. it is your airbox cover. where it has oxidized. If you take a heat gun to the cover you can bring it back to black. You have to heat it up for a minute or so move it around in a circle then work out once you start to see the color change. Good luck with finding the discharge frame and bagger.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll give it a try. I had used some stuff I got from Harley Davidson some years ago called “Pig Spit,” but as you can tell, it goes back to the oxidized look in a few days. I think it was just a silicone spray. I’ll try the heat gun idea and if I can’t get that to work well, I’ll probably find a good plastic paint.
 

Munsun

New member

Equipment
W5021
Oct 18, 2020
6
7
3
Tennessee
Well.....started it up and within about 3 minutes it sounded like a high frequency acoustic weapon had been turned on. I believe the top bearing of the BBC was shot. Took about 2 hours, a lot of PB Blaster, and the use of every puller I had to get the BBC off and broken down. I've got a new bearing coming via ebay.

50099-7c41f3254a0829247d00316812e6cd9c.jpg
 
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Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
Nice restoration! It reminds me of an old Sensation.
 

Munsun

New member

Equipment
W5021
Oct 18, 2020
6
7
3
Tennessee
I got the bearings replaced. In case someone else needs to know...

1. bearing for drive disc is 65601-3526-1, a Koyo 6006RD and cross references to a 6006 2RS, also a Timken 9106PP

2. bearing for the blade holder is 65601-3525-0, a Koyo 6303 2RS, and cross references to a Timken 9103PP

3. Wheel bearings are 08141-06002, a Koyo 6002 2RS, but cross references to a Timken 9102PP
 

Munsun

New member

Equipment
W5021
Oct 18, 2020
6
7
3
Tennessee
I broke out the Honda discharge chute and the Honda grass catcher. Not perfect fits, but they work. The grass catcher, you can't fill to the max, but maybe halfway then you have to empty it.

Kubota with Honda bag 1.jpg
Kubota with Honda bag 2.jpg
Kubota with Honda discharge.jpg
 
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melomalo

New member

Equipment
W5021 Mower
May 29, 2021
3
0
1
Texas Panhandle
I have one of these mowers that was my father's and am wanting to sell it. After he died I had it serviced at the local Kubota dealer and then it sat for several years. My neighbor looked at it and thinks it needs a new carburetor or rebuild. Parts are available if ordered from dealer. I am not mechanically inclined and don't need a mower so wanting to sell it "as is". I live in the Texas Panhandle and looking for suggestions on how to sell and for how much. Thanks!
 

sigh2

New member

Equipment
Kubota W5021-sc
Jul 10, 2021
1
1
1
Cleveland, TN
I have one of these mowers that was my father's and am wanting to sell it. After he died I had it serviced at the local Kubota dealer and then it sat for several years. My neighbor looked at it and thinks it needs a new carburetor or rebuild. Parts are available if ordered from dealer. I am not mechanically inclined and don't need a mower so wanting to sell it "as is". I live in the Texas Panhandle and looking for suggestions on how to sell and for how much. Thanks!
I Saw one listed for $400. You check around. I'd be interested in buying it. I have one that's over 35 years old. I want to give one to my son one day........
 
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melomalo

New member

Equipment
W5021 Mower
May 29, 2021
3
0
1
Texas Panhandle
I Saw one listed for $400. You check around. I'd be interested in buying it. I have one that's over 35 years old. I want to give one to my son one day........
If you can arrange pickup I'd be interested too. I'll assist. Let me know if you are serious. I also have a copy of the owner's manual, digital shop manual and the insert wedge for mulching and original bag. Here is pic of it not cleaned up.
Kubota Mower.jpg
 

Puppypunter21

New member

Equipment
Kubota W5021
Apr 22, 2022
1
0
1
New mexico
Well.....started it up and within about 3 minutes it sounded like a high frequency acoustic weapon had been turned on. I believe the top bearing of the BBC was shot. Took about 2 hours, a lot of PB Blaster, and the use of every puller I had to get the BBC off and broken down. I've got a new bearing coming via ebay.

View attachment 50407
Hi there I had the same problem you had and replaced both bearings. After I installed the new bearings it is now engaged all the time. So I took it apart to make sure I had the bearings fully seated and the balls were still in place. What would cause this do you think? I would really appreciate a response.thanks!
 

charlesdjones1

New member

Equipment
W5021-SCC
Jan 11, 2016
2
0
1
Clarksville, Tn
I just wanted to say you did an awesome job restoring the Kubota. I've owned a couple of them since 2014, and love them.

Sadly a couple years back I took mine apart to restore it, but never got around to finishing it. While I was out of state for the military, my family moved and my wife was the one who packed up the parts. Well, unfortunately almost all the hardware was missing when I got back, and some $400 later I've managed to replace everything but the brackets that hold the handlebars. Kubota told me those are "backordered" and cost $60 a piece, and the large lug that holds them in place is $80 each!

So yeah, guard those parts with your life because they will literally cost you an arm and a leg to replace. As of right now mine isn't quite ready but the grass is getting taller, so I've decided to search online for used parts.

I also use a Honda discharge chute, I've got a couple of old YouTube videos posted comparing the Kubota and a Honda from around the same era, and another comparing what is now the new Kubota push mower, but in the video it is an Ingersoll, kinda strange how that mower became a Kubota, now that I think about it.
 

simon.farming

New member

Equipment
B8200 Tractor
Mar 17, 2019
6
0
1
Leicester
Hi all. New member and wanted to post some pictures of what I've been trying to bring back to life. Some back-story, I've been looking for one of these for about 3 years and finally found one a few weeks ago. It was not running and looked like it was destined for the scrap yard. Took me a week just to get the cables freed up. So far, I've cleaned up everything I could for now. I got a NOS recoil housing, a new carburetor, and a new air filter. I refurbished the blade brake as much as I could. In the end, I'll have to be on the lookout for a good used blade holder with the brake material, or bite the bullet and get a new one. Cleaned, wire-wheeled, primed, and painted the underside of the deck and rear discharge area.

These things really are commercial grade and very well built. Only bad thing.....replacement parts (when you can find them) and their prices are in the stratosphere, and sometimes that includes EBay.

Would really like to find a bag/frame and/or rear discharge chute. I have a Honda HRA216 that its' discharge chute is a close fit, but not 100%.

It's been really hard to find posts and videos documenting anyone working on these things. I do have a service and owners manual.

Will post more pics in the future. Enjoy!

View attachment 49941 View attachment 49942 View attachment 49943 View attachment 49944 View attachment 49945
Hi, looks a great job. You may be able to help me out. I have one of these but the blade brake cable was missing. I sourced one, but cannot figure out where the cable is clamped beneath the dip stick. If you have a pic that would help a lot.
 

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,807
1,575
113
Mid, South, USA
used to have one. Had to rebuild the bbc exactly as you're doing. The second time it failed, I pulled it off and it sat on the shop floor for a minute. The very next afternoon our parts manager asked me if I wanted a FREE John Deere JX85. I didn't say no. I still have it, on it's 2nd clutch and it now also needs a rope starter since the original is broken. But it runs perfect and cuts perfect; although I only use it for the ditch. Got rid of the W5021, some guy walked into the shop asking if I knew where he could get any parts, so I gave it to him. I didn't want anything for it (free) but he insisted he pay me. He did the same thing, restored his. Still uses it to my knowledge. They are good mowers but I like the JD better and am much more familiar with them since that's what I started out doing in the early 1990's (working on jd mowers).
 

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
9,672
3,919
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
I found WD-40 is real good at making old plastic parts look new again. Air filter covers, shop vacs, etc. Spray it on, walk away, have a coffee,then wipe off the excess,light buff.