The PRICE of super UDT2 - are you kidding?

RickyBobby

New member

Equipment
L3901
Mar 13, 2021
18
3
3
Virginia
Just paid about $70 for a 2.5 gallon jug. That's about $30 / gallon.
Seems ridiculous.
I have no doubt that my new L3901 NEEDS genuine Kubota super UDT2, and I won't try to save a few bucks and ruin the thing, but I really don't understand why they couldn't engineer the thing to use basic hydraulic oil. Sure, it may not be as efficient, but it's a whole helluva lot more practical, cost effective and user friendly.
Is this a case of engineers pushing technology or just a money grab?
Thoughts?
 

DustyRusty

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23S
Nov 8, 2015
4,956
3,695
113
North East CT
It is the way that the hydraulic pumping system is designed to give long service life. You just spent a bundle of money on a tractor, and to properly maintain it isn't going to be inexpensive. You paid $28 a gallon for the Super UDT. Inexpensive at twice the price, when you think about how often you will need to change it, and how it will extend the service life of the tractor.
 
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torch

Well-known member

Equipment
B7100HSD, B2789, B2550, B4672, 48" cultivator, homemade FEL and Cab
Jun 10, 2016
2,583
831
113
Muskoka, Ont.
I do have to wonder why Kubota does not make UDT2 available elsewhere in the world (like Canada), when there is no difference between the tractors sold in other countries and those sold in the US.
 
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mikester

Well-known member

Equipment
M59 TLB
Oct 21, 2017
3,125
1,609
113
Canada
www.divergentstuff.ca
Have you priced out new equipment lately?

I recently visited my dealer and discovered my 10 year old ZTR is selling for the same price I paid for it 10 years ago.

Think of your maintenance as an investment in an asset that holds its value.
 
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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
9,678
3,931
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
money grab.... plain and simple.. same as $12 studs up here, $100 sheet of plywood.
Yes, it 'could' be engineered for lower cost oil BUT no money in it for 'them'
wnat REAL sitcker shock ?? Price the cost(part and labour) to replace the battery in an F-150 Lightning.....
 

lynnmor

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601-1
May 3, 2021
1,293
998
113
Red Lion
Are there options for buying Kubota oils and parts other than the local dealer, such as online, for a discount price? For example, I can buy genuine parts for a truck for much less than a local dealer charges.
 

Geezer3d

Active member

Equipment
Kubota LX2610SU
Apr 22, 2021
180
161
43
Heart of the Catskills
Are there options for buying Kubota oils and parts other than the local dealer, such as online, for a discount price? For example, I can buy genuine parts for a truck for much less than a local dealer charges.
What I have seen online where you can buy Kubota parts looks like a good deal, but shipping, especially on fluids, increases the price to where you are not saving anything.
 

Sammy3700

Active member

Equipment
L3800HST,524Loader,BH77,Landplane,Disk,Mowers and more
Feb 20, 2012
426
34
28
Red Springs, NC
Maybe cheaper in 5 gallon bucket. I recently bought 2 buckets of super udt2 to service the L3800hst I recently bought it was 103 per bucket at my local dealer filters were also around 12 dollars cheaper than I found on eBay or Amazon for all including the inner air filter
 

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
9,678
3,931
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
I can't buy ANY oil,paint,RTV,etc online and have it delivered....
'hazardous materials'....
Chinese have really screwed up things here in Canada.
 

nbryan

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
Jan 3, 2019
1,161
705
113
Hadashville, Manitoba, Canada
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nbryan

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
Jan 3, 2019
1,161
705
113
Hadashville, Manitoba, Canada
I can't buy ANY oil,paint,RTV,etc online and have it delivered....
'hazardous materials'....
Chinese have really screwed up things here in Canada.
In Canada SUDT2 is called Kubota Premium UDT. I get it from my Kubota dealership, and have also had it delivered by buying online from Nova International. Kubota Parts | Kubota Parts Online | Nova International Ltd (shopnovaintl.com) https://www.shopnovaintl.com/
$29.95 per 5 litre jug is not bad considering FREE DELIVERY IN CANADA.

Nova International also sells and ships for free all the filters for my B2650, even get a fan belt!
 
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RickyBobby

New member

Equipment
L3901
Mar 13, 2021
18
3
3
Virginia
It is the way that the hydraulic pumping system is designed to give long service life. You just spent a bundle of money on a tractor, and to properly maintain it isn't going to be inexpensive. You paid $28 a gallon for the Super UDT. Inexpensive at twice the price, when you think about how often you will need to change it, and how it will extend the service life of the tractor.
That would be well and good if it wasn't currently LEAKING out of my tractor through no fault of my own. It's like watching dollar bills drip out onto my fields and lawn. It's one thing to pay a bit more when things go right, but...

But that's really not the point of my question. My point is whether it is POSSIBLE to engineer a trans/hydraulic system that uses cheaper oil. And based on the fact that Deere is still requiring Hygard, (at about half the price), I'd say it is.... unless Deere transmissions all go to crap after 10 years - and maybe they do. I don't know, do they?

If not, then we have a problem. Either the engineers were not talking to the bean counters (or customers) and decided to unnecessarily give us the "latest and greatest" at great cost to the consumer.
or-
The bean counters WERE talking to the engineers and decided to make hydraulic oil a new profit center for Kubota.
 
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torch

Well-known member

Equipment
B7100HSD, B2789, B2550, B4672, 48" cultivator, homemade FEL and Cab
Jun 10, 2016
2,583
831
113
Muskoka, Ont.
In Canada SUDT2 is called Kubota Premium UDT.
It's not the same stuff. Premium UDT is a conventional base low-viscosity hydraulic oil made by Shell Canada for Kubota. The specs are more like ATF than hydraulic oil. Gravity degree is 29.3, pour point is claimed -57°C and viscosity @100°C is 7.1 cSt.

SUDT2 is a synthetic or perhaps semi-syn fluid made for Kubota by Valvoline. Gravity degree is 34.5, pour point is -42°C and viscosity @100°C is 8.1 cSt.
 
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DustyRusty

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23S
Nov 8, 2015
4,956
3,695
113
North East CT
That would be well and good if it wasn't currently LEAKING out of my tractor through no fault of my own. It's like watching dollar bills drip out onto my fields and lawn. It's one thing to pay a bit more when things go right, but...

But that's really not the point of my question. My point is whether it is POSSIBLE to engineer a trans/hydraulic system that uses cheaper oil. And based on the fact that Deere is still requiring Hygard, (at about half the price), I'd say it is.... unless Deere transmissions all go to crap after 10 years - and maybe they do. I don't know, do they?

If not, then we have a problem. Either the engineers were not talking to the bean counters (or customers) and decided to unnecessarily give us the "latest and greatest" at great cost to the consumer.
or-
The bean counters WERE talking to the engineers and decided to make hydraulic oil a new profit center for Kubota.
You ought to consider having the leak repaired, instead of complaining about it. It is your tractor, use it any way that you want. You are ultimately responsible for your own actions, or lack there of. You are going to be paying for it one way or the other. Cut your losses now, and trade it in on a green & yellow machine.
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,284
3,873
113
Chenango County, NY
My old Yardman lawn tractor was green & yellow. Not sure I can recommend that approach! 😂
MTD product, as I recall?.....most stuff is MTD now and disposable. Hard to get away from it.

Kind of like Whirlpool and household appliances. I find WP to be less than superior quality....but what's the option?

We have a Viking Commercial -style range-top in the kitchen. Heard they're out of business now.....geez...

Definitely a tangent from the OP's question and SUDT2....I'm not going to answer that anyway....done it 476 times already on OTT..... 🥴

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming..... :cool:
 

RickyBobby

New member

Equipment
L3901
Mar 13, 2021
18
3
3
Virginia
You ought to consider having the leak repaired, instead of complaining about it. It is your tractor, use it any way that you want. You are ultimately responsible for your own actions, or lack there of. You are going to be paying for it one way or the other. Cut your losses now, and trade it in on a green & yellow machine.
You make a lot of assumptions and add very little value.