BX25 50 hour service due and I want to do it myself. Advice

If I'm not mistaken, all you have to do is change the engine oil & oil filter, change the hydraulic filter and remove and clean out the HST screen. Used to be that Kubota required that the hydro fluid be changed but they don't anymore, it should be stated in the maintenance requirements in your owners manual.

The engine oil & filter change is a piece of cake, changeing the hydro filter and removing and cleaning the screen without draining the hydro fluid will pose you problem. But having said that theres been a few industrious posters share a couple tricks of the trade to accomplish them with minimal loss of hydro fluid.
The hardest part of the engine oil & filter change is the R&R of the MMM. You can get at the filter without removing the MMM by it'll get messy if it stays on when you change the oil (unless you come up with some industrious channelling Having the MMM off will give you the opportunity to visually inspect the underside, making sure the fan has all it's blades and everything looks good & tight.

It's been posted that theres not much HST fluid loss on the HST filter change. Alot relies on the system remaining "closed" during the procedure. Closed meaning that the dip stick remains in an the HST and the oil fill cap also remain tight. This supposedly creats a partial vaccum which aids in keeping the fluid in. Be prepared that the original HST filter is reported to have been installed by a very strong individual and that it will take some grunt to get it off. It's not a backwards thread so just be prepared to put the muscle to it. Once off you'll want to have the new one at the ready to immediately spin on. Tighten it just like you do your cars engine oil filter, no more, no less and you should be GTG. You'll probably loose about an ounce or so of fluid but be prepared for the worst. FYI, I've never replaced my HST filter with fluid still in the HST so I'm just reposting what I've read from those that have done it.
Now the strainer will be alittle more complicated and requies a special tool. Actually 2 depending upon the method you want to implement.

Procedure 1: this requires either a cork or rubber stopper to immediately insert into the hole where the strainer comes out of. Using a knife or similar, taper one end of a 1" cork or rubber stopper down to approx 3/4" and the tapered end is what seals in the hole. Keeping in mind that you want to try to maintain that partial vaccum you can expect to loose an ounce or two. With the strainer out look for any slivers of metal/aluminum and don't be overly concerned should there be some in it. It's all probably left over from the casting process and besides, thats what breakin does and the strainer done it's job to keep it from circulating back in to the HST.
Clean it w/brake cleaner or kerosene, blow dry then reinstall it, quickly

Procedure 2. I've seen where a couple posters actually used a shop vac held over the dipstick or oil fill opening to "create" a more powerful vaccum in the HST while they R&R'ed the filter and screen. They had to enlist the services of another to hold the vaccum over the hole while they R&R'ed the filter & screen.Expect a similar amount of fluid loss as #1. One fellow said a bikini clad young lady is the best assistant but I would be afraid that your concentration may not be where it should be
As w/procedure 1, clean and reinstall.

Why not puchase the material from your local dealer?
If you do want to mail order it, you may wwant to try one of our sponsors, www.messicks.com as they do alot of shipping & internet business. If you go to their site, they also have a pic & video section where they detail these maintenance procedures. I'm not sure about the HST tricks but they do cover the engine procedures.

edited to include a link to Messicks 50hr instructions
http://www.messicks.com/Articles/KubotaBX-Service.aspx

I've done all my own maintenance since new and if you can change the oil & filter on your car your BX will be much easier. The 50 hr for my BX23 called for an HST fluid change also so I just R&R'ed the filter & screen after the HST was drained so I haven't tried those HST tricks. All subsequent HST oil changes will require a fuid change to so it'll be much easier for them.

Your owners manual will detail all thats required at each maintenance interval and I've followed mine pretty much to the "T".
Good luck
Dave

Cabinet,
This is my first post. I have both a BX25 and B3030, so I figured that I should join this group.
I have and plan on doing all the routine maintenance on my tractors. And believe me, I'm no big-time wrench.
I would tell you to go slow, read the manual, and don't worry--it's only money if you mess up.
On my BX25 at 50 hours: I cleaned the hst screen, changed the oil and hst filters and the engine oil and hst fluid. Also be sure to grease the fitting for the hst pedal. Look for a little tab on the floor mat by it and pull it up--there you will see the fitting. They recommend you grease this every 50hrs, in addition to your other fittings, which you grease at every 10 hours.
I would only use Kubota filters and Super UDT for my BX. I use Rotella oil for the engine.
I also found that a 65mm cap style filter wrench works perfectly for removing the engine oil filter. Put that puppy on a 3/8" rachet extension and you can get right in.
For hst fluid, I used 3 gallons; for the engine oil, I used about 3 quarts and 13oz.
This fact was told to me by hydraulic lift dealer whose machines had Kubota engines. The filters on your machine coming from the factory are black. The replacement ones are white. This lets the dealer know if you ever serviced your tractor.
Good luck with your BX.
And remember, when your own a Kubota, your neighbors will never have to buy one.

Forgot pictures of my babies.

Volfandt said:

Welcome aboard AStanton.
Good maintenance tips.
Thats a nice combination of tractors. I could see similar at my humble abode one of these days
How do you like that B3030HSDC?

Dave

Click to expand...

Thanks for all the tips you give the members.
Bought the B3030 mainly to do snow removal and have a more bucket capacity and power. I think Kubota tried for more bells and whistles on this model. I like the cruise control better on the BX25, the two-speed tranny, and the 12-volt plug. The B3030 has no plug or interior light. I'm over 6-feet and I think the BX has more leg room or is configured better. When I'm on a hill with my foot on the B3030 brake and dumping the loader, the stick is hitting my knee. This never happens on the BX25. AC works great on the B3030 and if the heat works as well, it will be a real pleasure to move snow this winter. One other negative about the B3030 cab model is adding a back hoe. There is no frame for it; so a sub frame has to be added and I don't think Kubota has a model that would fit. You have to go to an after market. This is why I'm keeping the BX25 for now. If I get $16,000 for the BX25, I have to turn around and buy a $8,000 back hoe for the B3030. So there is only a 8k wash to keep the BX25.
As we are talking maintenance. The B3030 has two oil-drain plugs on the motor, three drain plugs for the hst fluid as well as two hydraulic filters-one for the hydraulics and one for the tranny.

Thanks for the honest review. Its odd to read of a B3030 owner giving a BX props over the big boy
I fit on my BX23 very well and its especially easy to get on and off. Other than that partially folding ROPS, the only other fault I have w/it is the seat is too high in relation to the steering wheel. A tilt steering wheel and/or one of those European BX extended steering wheels would be the ticket I've tried to purchase one but haven't been able to find a British dealer that would sell me one and ship it to me. It's not available here in the N American market.

I got to test drive a B3030HSDC a couple yrs ago and was just about ready to trade for it. I really liked it. I'm also 6' and felt it was alittle tight but then again Im sure I could live with it It was still alot easier to get in and out of than my old TE20. It would be in my shop now if the yr would have worked out better. It's still in my plans tho.
Do you finish mow with it and if so how does it do?

re. backhoe. As I'nm sure you're well aware of, the Woods subframe model BH will bolt right up and not interfere w/the cab. Thing is, when I'm digging I find that I do alot of manuvering it seems it would get old having to climb in & out of the cab and in & out of the BH seat. Almost makes sense to keep a BX TLB for ones BH needs

One additional question, does it really feel like one's tractoring when it's in the 90's outside and one is in air conditioned comfort inside that cab?
Dave

I just finished the 50hr service on my Kubota. It was interesting. It always the little things that people don't tell you that cause the most problems.

Things such as remove the FEL. You can do it with the FEL on, as I discovered, but it is much easier to do with the FEL off. Of course, I did not learn this until after the oil had been drained from the engine and I was trying to get to the oil filter.

So I found the oil filter and learned that I needed to take the engine cowling off. In order to get the engine cowling off, I had to take of the front engine guard. To get the front engine guard off I had to climb over the bucket. Repeatedly. But I got it off, got to the filter, took it off and watched all the oil in the filter run down the inside of the frame. A few paper towels and it is mostly clean.

Next to the hydraulic fluid. First I took the filter off. It came off pretty easily but once the seal broke there was a loud pop, fluid sprayed all over and then ran out of the filter all down my arm. A few more paper towels and all was well, until I took the screen out of the transmission. All I have to say about that is that I am glad I had the foresight to pickup an extra bottle of hydraulic fluid! But the screen was clean, no shavings so all is well.

Onto the fuel filters. Yes, there are two filters on the BX25. The on the engine was easy to reach but I didn't have the wrench is exactly the right position so when the bolt broke lose my finger sliced across the throttle linkage opening up a nice long fairly bloody cut on my finger. A little gauze, some tape and back to work. Replaced the filter on the engine with no further incident and climbed under the tractor to replace the filter underneath. First, cut the cable ties that are on either side of the filter so you have some slack to move the filter around. Having learned a bit from the first filter, I was able to get the bolt lose without causing any more bodily harm. Next, removed the clamps and pulled the filter out of the hoses. This is where I learned that this filter is on the other side of the fuel pump, the gravity feed side. It is not possible to keep your thumb over the open end of the hose while installing the new filter. Diesel fuel ran down my arm and I don't know if I will ever get the smell completely out of mu jacket. *sigh*

Well, I replaced the air filter, the front bumper, checked to make sure all the fluid levels were right and got ready to start it. I held the key in the pre-start position a little longer than normal to make sure the fuel lines were full and then started it. Started right up. Checked the newly installed filters for leaks and they look good.

I learned somethings about my tractor and I really did enjoy doing the work. It is a nice feeling of accomplishment when all is said and done.

I bought the filters and fluids from mu local dealer and it cost me about $90.00. In the future, I will probably not buy their $4.29/quart 10W30 engine oil. Had I taken the tractor in for service it would have sot about $350.00 so the savings were worth the time spent.

I am thinking that at about one year old I will stick a crowbar in my wallet and take it into the dealer just to make sure that everything is good.

Cabinet,
I tried telling you how to do it the easy way.
I told you to use a 65mm cap style oil filter wrench with a 3/8 ratchet extension to remove the oil filter. You would never had to screw with the engine cover if you bought this $4 tool. (By the way, this wrench works on my Polaris ATP and the Kawasaki engine in my lawn tractor.)
Secondly, in my opinion, changing the fuel filters and air cleaner at 50 hours on a new machine is a waste of good money. The fuel filters are good up to 400 hours. I just changed the air cleaner on my BX25 at 240 hours.