[Capp]

Hey everyone, I hope there is a Kubota mechanic on this board that can guide me in the right direction. Here's my problem.....

A few weeks ago I noticed a vibration coming from the rear diff/trans/hyd, part of my tractor. I went to the dealer and got a filter and enough oil to change it. While draining the oil in my catch can, I unscrewed the wire strainer on the left side, when I pull it out there was a lot of metal shaving and cuttings on it. I ran my magnate back into the diff housing and came back with some curlly q cuttings like you get from drilling into metal with a sharp drill bit. I've never been inside a Kubota before, or a HST for that matter, but I've done a lot of machanic work in my lifetime, and wouldn't be afraid to. I'm hoping someone on this board has taken one apart and can give me some details on there project so I can afford some pitfalls whilst taking mine apart.
:thanku:
Mark

 

[Volfandt]

Welcome aboard Mark.
Dissecting an HST is not for the faint of heart.
How many hrs are on your BX2230? Has the screen ever been removed and cleaned before?
I ask these questions as it's not unusual to get shavings in the screen within the 1st 50 hrs of operation. If your screen has never been removed and cleaned this debris could be from breakin.
With the above said, if the HST has been properly maintained thats a bad bad sign to have alot of debris after 50 hrs.

I've been reading of a few carrier bearings going out on high hr HST's. The general cause has been narrowed to operating w/very low hydro oil levels.
The carrier bearings are the bearings the swashplate pivots on. The pivoting of the swashplate is the controller for both speed and direction control of the internal hydraulic motor. To get to it, you have to remove the HST from the tractor and disassemble from the front (the finned pumpkin looking apparatice that the cooling fan directs air over).
Another failure point (also due to running w/low hydro oil levels) is the internal pump starves for oil which then allows it to run dry against the mateing surface and the gears dig into the plate producing debri, such as what your seeing. A defective direction control valve can also starve the pump of oil causing damage.
Bad news is, the general consensus is, if an HST gets contaminated with alot of debris, it's better to totally replace it as opposed to repairing it only to have existing debris continue to circulate and damage/destroy the new parts and or other assemblys. Contamination within an HST is bad bad news.
If one is handy w/a wrench, R&R'ing an HST w/a new one can be done for 1/2 the price of having a dealer do it. Seems I've read where a brand new HST can run anywhere between $1300 & $1600. You can about double it when you add in dealer labor.

I'm no Kubota mechanic but thats what I've been seeing w/HST failures.

Since you've got new fluid and filter on, you could try running it awhile to see if it improves. If not, if you decide to go into it we'll try to help.
Good luck
Dave

 

[Capp]

Thanks Volfandt for your reply.
My tractor has a little over 1400 hours on it. I cleaned this screen out at about 100 hours and found the usual aluminum cuttings that come with the runin, but haven't checked it again until yesterday.

When it started vibrating it was low on hyd oil, but only a quart, but it vibrated terrible, to the point that the dust on the floorboard danced. After I topped it off with oil it settle down a little bit. It was coming up on time to service the rear diff, and that's when I noticed all the debris in the screen/strainer. I'm sure if I had of put new oil in, then it would have calmed down a bit, but those few curly q's I told you about made me get on here and ask some questions.

Sounds like with what you have said and with your knowledge and experience from your own work, plus reading everyone else's problems and fixes, the best bet would be to renue the whole thing. It also makes me think that I might just change the oil and filter, and run it 50 hours and see what happens. If it continues to vibrate then, I'll have to make my decision as to buy a new rear diff, or go into the one I got. I'm not faint of heart, and I've got good skills in the mechanic field on the older tractors, but not on the HST. It would be my first. I need to find a service manual that tells what to take off, and what to look for, and all the torque spec's, things like that.

I'm concerned with what you said about having all the debris inside the diff, sounds like the whole thing would have to taken apart and everything cleaned.

I was hoping there was someone on here that has run into this same
problem.

There's a lot to ponder on for sure. I think I'll call my dealer and see what the back diff would cost.

Thanks a lot and I'll get back with you as soon as I know what I'm going to do.
Mark

 

[Capp]

When it quits raining I'm going to pressure wash my tractor and get her in the garage and tear her down and find out what's causing the vibrations and where the metal shavings have come from. I'll keep you posted of my progress, I'm glad it's winter and won't need her much more until spring. It will probably take a while for me to fix.


:thanku:
Mark

 

[Capp]

I found out what was wrong with my tractor. There's a gear with 2 bearings and a shaft at the top of the transmission call a Gp shaft. One of the bearings wasn't smooth running and it has scored the shaft causing the vibration.
I ordered one and it will be here in 8 days. I did all the work myself and it's not so bad, just a little time consuming.

Hey Volfandt here's a good site that will help a lot of Kubota users, might make a good sticky.
www.kubotabooks.com

It has every kubota tractor on the market. Diagrams and part numbers. I used this to talk to a Kubota dealer to get my parts. Try it and let me know what you think.
Mark

 

[slkpk]

Good luck with your repair and hope it's like new when your done with it. slkpk

 

[Volfandt]

Mark, glad you found the problem and that it's not a bank breaker
We should send a photographer over to take pics whilst you repair it

Actually, there is a sticky on that site: http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=137369
It is a good resource. There have been many times where it apparantly exceeds it's bandwidth and his ISP shuts it down for awhile but I see it's back up again. Also, some of the older manuals are dated and don't have all the model upgrades in them, still it's a great resourse.

Let us know how it goes and thanks for the update.
Dave

 

[Capp]

Sorry guys for not updating my work on my BX2230.
I took off the seat, rops, fenders, floor panel, transmission & rear diff, drive shaft, front diff. My transmission had a bad GP Shaft and bearings in it. I've been about a month on that, waiting for parts was most of it. I'd order some parts one day then get them in and find something else I needed, and over againg. I got it all back together and tried it out and it worked fine. I brought it back into my shop, and saw I had a rubber boot that had a hole in it that went on my drive shaft that comes from the motor to the Hydrostatic transmission fan. I ordered 2 of them, they only cost about $9.00, finally got them in yesterday. I went out today and took the shaft loose from the HST fan. I had to raised up the brake locking mechanism rod that goes over top of the drive shaft, so I could get it up enough to take apart. When I took it apart I found there were 4 ball bearings fitting into the big part that bolts on to the fan mechanism, and there use to be grease in this, but it was just cached with dirt and very little grease. I got to looking and the ball bearings had worn a slot into main housing they go into, plus the part the ball bearing go in as well. My gut told me to take the whole shaft out and check the front, and low and behold it's a wreck, completely worn out. I had to order all this stuff today and it came to over $350. 00. I've also renewed my front diff, with all new seals and o-rings. I also put new bushings and a pin in it as well. That cost me over $200, buying all the stuff I used on the transmission came to about $140.
Everyone should keep a check on these rubber boots that go on the drive shaft and make sure they are not cracked, there inexpensive to replace and all you have to do is take off the floor panel, a really and easy fix. You might could take it out the bottom, I don't know. I already have my floor pan off so this how I did it. It took me probably 15 minutes to get it out.
I have a lot of pictures as soon as I can figure out how to up load them I will. Hope this helps out someone.
I don't get on here all that often, so if any body needs any help in how to take all this apart just send me an email. I check that everyday.
See ya
Mark

 

[hodge]

Mark, don't be a stranger. There is more to offer and recieve on here than just tractor info. It is good to fellowship with like-minded people.
Mark

 

[Volfandt]

Mark, glad to see you got it fixed up. Thats not a job for squeemish folk
We'd definitely like to see pics and perhaps your step by step progression through the repair.
You could start a new thread and title it for the repair. Each post can contain up to 6 pics and you can post as many replys as needed.

let us know how we can help
Dave

 

[Capp]

Hi again, when Santa Clause brings me my Christmas present (drive shaft), and I get it in I'll do my level best to put all this on the board, and explain how I did it. You might have to help with getting the pictures up and running.

 

[CHDinCT]

Capp, very interesting in your pic's and procedures, especially for removing the floor board. It would be much easier to service the drive shaft from the top side I would imagine. It's interesting that Kubota does not provide a grease zerk for either end of the drive shaft whereas many of the JD SCUTS/CUTS do, though I've read JD doesn't tell you to service them in the owners manual.

 

[Capp]

Hi guys it's been a while since I posted, the reason being my new camera that I took over 50 pictures to show how I fixed my tractor, was a brand new Kodak piece of junk. When I started to download the pictures off the memory card, it wouldn't do anything. I tried again and it told me my mem card was empty and needed reformatting.:crybaby: I started to drown this new camera in my pond but getting my money back after it had swam with my catfish prolly wouldn't be a good idea. I took it back and got my money back.
I will gladly help anyone with this problem, it's not really that big of a deal if your mechanically inclined at all.
I would again tell everyone that they need to take there drive shaft out and clean and regrease it at least every 2 years depending on how many hours you put on it. It's and expense fix and for just a little preventive maintenance it would save you a lot of time and money.
Once again, I'm sorry for not being able to post the pic's, but again if you all need my help, just ask or send me an email.:sorry1:
Capp

 

[Capp]

Capp, very interesting in your pic's and procedures, especially for removing the floor board. It would be much easier to service the drive shaft from the top side I would imagine.

You have to take it out from the top, there's a heavy frame rail under it making it all but impossible to take it out from the bottom.
I had already put everything back together except the floor pan, while waiting on the parts to fix the drive shaft, after I got everything back together this is how I put the pan back on. (I'll start like I'm just taking it off for the first time) You have to take off the cover to where the battery is, then take the little piece of floor pan that's connected with black plastic connectors off (you can't get the floor pan off without taking this little piece of metal off). Unbolt the fenders from the pan, take the Diff lock pedal off and out of the way. You might have to loosen both fenders, I didn't but it prolly would make it easier, try it first before doing this. Take the break rubber off the pedal, this will give you a little more leverage to get the pan off. Next take the rubber control handles off the right hand side, then take the black plastic guide off the fender. Now take the pan off, you will have to twist it counter clockwise until the break pedal will go down through the little hole, (this is where taking off the rubber on the break pedal will help tremendously). Just remember each and every angle you had to put it in to get it off, so you can go back the same exact way. You will then have to take your brake pedal off to get to the drive shaft. Just unbolt it from the front and back, squeeze it together just a bit, and you have it in your hand ready to take to the work bench. Over hauling it is not hard either. I was amazed at how they manufactured this, with o-rings and ball bearings, you'll see once you get it apart. Oh I forgot there is a C clip you have to take off to get each end off the shaft.
Hope this helps.
I've already been working my tractor and she's running really sweet.
See ya
Capp