What did you do to or on your Kubota today?

[NCL4701]

Took off the grapple and put on the bucket so I could go deer hunting for the first time this season. Figured if I get everything ready to bring one home, I probably won’t see anything other than groundhogs and squirrels, but last time I got one up with the grapple the horns got tangled up in the gaps between the tines as it was jostling around on the way home. My elderly father, who had shot it, very reasonably wanted the rack. I had a Chinese puzzle consisting of two pieces both too big for me to do much with by myself. This isn’t the hunting and game thread so I won’t go into how the puzzle was solved, but I prefer to avoid a repeat.

Edit: Despite my negativity, started the season with a six point buck. Glad I took the time to put the bucket on.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

With OTT members sharing knowledge the BX 3-point hitch went from four-letter word painful to pretty darn nice and much easier to use than the OEM setup:

After OTT members helped with an education in hydraulics it became even better:

 

[RCW]

I’m ahead of schedule, but you never know…..

 

[Hugo Habicht]

After paint top coat cured I assembled my three point hitch tow bar adapter.

 

[chim]

I’m ahead of schedule, but you never know…..

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Several years ago we had our most disruptive snow in October. It took some big tree limbs (and power lines) down just up the road. These particular lines only fed about 6 houses. There was more widespread damage that the power company concentrated on, so our power was out from Saturday till Wednesday. That's the only time in 35 years here that the power has been off for more than a day.

 

[NCL4701]

Took the loader off, removed coolant, ran a flush, and refilled. First time using a vacuum filler. Not a tool I anticipate using frequently so I cheaped out with a Harbor Freight “Maddox”. It worked perfectly.

I was glad I measured the radiator fill tube opening and overflow tank opening before buying the vacuum filler. Fill tube opening is 31mm, overflow tank 29mm. Several kits I looked at, even some high dollar ones, didn’t have either of those sizes in their array of adapters.

 

[McMXi]

Took the loader off, removed coolant, ran a flush, and refilled. First time using a vacuum filler. Not a tool I anticipate using frequently so I cheaped out with a Harbor Freight “Maddox”. It worked perfectly.

I was glad I measured the radiator fill tube opening and overflow tank opening before buying the vacuum filler. Fill tube opening is 31mm, overflow tank 29mm. Several kits I looked at, even some high dollar ones, didn’t have either of those sizes in their array of adapters.

Nice! Coolant exchanges are so much easier with the aid of a vacuum fill tool. I have the Schwaben kit and it comes with two cone shaped bungs to fit a wide variety of openings as well as an adapter to work with EWK oil extractors. I've used it three times already so well worth the $100 or so. I've used the EWK oil extractor many times now and that's a really useful thing to have around. Interesting that your expansion tank is so low down.

 

[NCL4701]

Nice! Coolant exchanges are so much easier with the aid of a vacuum fill tool. I have the Schwaben kit and it comes with two cone shaped bungs to fit a wide variety of openings as well as an adapter to work with EWK oil extractors. I've used it three times already so well worth the $100 or so. I've used the EWK oil extractor many times now and that's a really useful thing to have around. Interesting that your expansion tank is so low down.

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I think your Schwaben is a step or two above my Maddox.

Read the instructions a few times because it seemed too easy; like I was missing something. But no, it’s really that easy.

Aside from likely not holding up long under routine use by a real mechanic, the only thing I didn’t like about the Maddox was the air line fitting. Instructions say to install the 1/4” quick attach fitting. Thought it a little odd that wasn’t already installed since there was one in the case. First use of anything often involves some one time set up steps, so no problem. At least not until I put it back in the case and realized it doesn’t fit with the quick attach installed in the manifold. So either R/I every time or drill a hole in the case for the air fitting to stick out. Oh well, I knew there was likely to be something jinky about anything from Harbor Freight. At least it wasn’t anything functional.

Thanks for inspiring me to buy this thing.

 

[Shawn T. W]

I just bought the Schwaben kit, mine looks a little different than above, used it yesterday on my pickup ... It also came with a loose, unfitted air line quick connect ... But it fits in the blow molded case still ...

This is what I bought https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/PEL003466SCH01.htm?pn=PEL-003466SCH01&q=pel-003466sch01

 

[McMXi]

I think your Schwaben is a step or two above my Maddox.

Read the instructions a few times because it seemed too easy; like I was missing something. But no, it’s really that easy.

Aside from likely not holding up long under routine use by a real mechanic, the only thing I didn’t like about the Maddox was the air line fitting. Instructions say to install the 1/4” quick attach fitting. Thought it a little odd that wasn’t already installed since there was one in the case. First use of anything often involves some one time set up steps, so no problem. At least not until I put it back in the case and realized it doesn’t fit with the quick attach installed in the manifold. So either R/I every time or drill a hole in the case for the air fitting to stick out. Oh well, I knew there was likely to be something jinky about anything from Harbor Freight. At least it wasn’t anything functional.

Thanks for inspiring me to buy this thing.

I can't take the credit since it was @The Evil Twin who recommended both EWK systems and the Schwaben, which interfaces with the EWK.

I wouldn't say that the Maddox system is cheap, and if it works that's all that matters. Cooling systems are often overlooked, but once you have an easy way to fill the cooling system, and have confidence that there aren't any air pockets, it's more likely that the coolant will be replaced every year or two. I'll be using the Schwaben on my other vehicles too so it's not just for tractors.

The EWK brake bleeding kit is freakin' awesome as well. Those three purchases (thanks to @The Evil Twin) were well worth it.

 

[Blue2Orange]

Just used the grapple to stack some firewood logs. Getting cold. Today's high was just a few degrees below normal, but the windchill was noticeable. One nice thing about the BX2380's "backward" motor is you get a bit of warm air. New tractor. Just broke the 50hr mark. 50hr maintenance has been completed. Just need to test the new snowblower and order some chains for the rear.

 

[Blue2Orange]

I’m ahead of schedule, but you never know…..

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Better to be ahead of schedule than late. Back in IIRC '91 we had a Halloween Lake Effect early dump. ~3 feet at Lake level. Up where the house is over 4ft. Didn't see the ground until the following late Spring.