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 | Frank R Taylor
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2001-02-12 24141
I recently had a flat on my Kubota B2400. Luckily it was on the front so it wasn't a problem to get the wheel off but I got to looking and if it had been a rear tire that had gone flat, I couldn't see a convenient jacking point or any way to raise the rear because of the guards etc. Perhaps Bird or one of you other small Kubota users could answer my question, "What is the easiest way to raise the back end so you can get a wheel off in order to fix a flat?"
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962 
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2001-02-12 24143
Frank, fortunately I've never had a flat on the rear of my Kubotas, although I have fixed some on the rear of much bigger tractors. And of course, I jacked up the rear of my B2710 to take the weight off the wheels when I put the water and anti-freeze in the rear tires. They really don't seem to think about having a good place for a jack when they design these things. I have both a bottle jack and a floor jack and jack stands, so I wouldn't have a real problem getting a jack under the rear axle housing and picking up the tractor, but of course, it can get quite dangerous if you're not careful. If you lift the back end, be sure the front wheels are solidly chocked, and with a big enough jack, you can put it under the center of the rear axle if you keep in mind that if the weight is not exactly centered the tractor is going to tilt to one side or the other when you lift. I'm sorry, but I probably couldn't help you much without being able to see the tractor and the jack you intend to use. Maybe someone else can help more. ....
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| KenB
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-13 24177
Unless the 2400 is very different, you should be able to lift the rear the way I do on my 1750: using the scissors jack from my pickup under the rear axle. You could also use a floor jack or a bottle jack on a block of wood. Good advice about chocking the wheels has already been given. My safety tip is that you should always use solid wood for chocking and blocking up, since it will not crack or crumble unexpectedly like brick or concrete block can. ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada 
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2001-02-13 24182
The comment about blocking the wheels is excellent advice. If you want to make life even easier (and safer) engage the parking brake VERY firmly, and engage the 4wd (if so equipped) and engage the diff. lock BEFORE jacking the tractor up, this will do two things. First the whell will not spin when trying to loosen the lug nuts, even if you have 'broken' them loose before jacking, friction between stud & nut will cause the wheel to spin. Secondly, it will help keep the tractor steady since the wheels on the ground will resisit rolling, even if your wheel chocks should move. Best of luck. ....
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| Frank R Taylor
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-13 24186
Thanks guys. I just wondered if I was missing something. I have 3 jacks at the house but there was no place to use the Hi-Lift and the 2 bottle jacks were just a fraction too short. I didn't try my 4x4 truck jack. That should be high enough to handle it. It was just that in my younger (and stupider) days I had a vehicle come off the jack and one jack slowly disappear into the soft ground even though it was on a piece of wood so I like to be careful when when changing wheels these days. Engaging the 4-wheel drive is a good idea Murf, I never thought of that one. Anyway, thanks for the advice. When it happens I'll be ready. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2001-02-13 24187
I forgot to mention the other easy way to change tires without even using a jack at all, as long as you have a compressor nearby. Inflate the offending tire to normal pressure then place blocks under the axle just behind leaky tire, fully deflate tire and remove, after flat is fixed, deflate (if already inlflated, say by tire shop) replace tire and re-inflate and renmove blocking. This method while slow is very safe, especially if large blocks are used since tractor sits on a large stable surface usually. Best of luck. ....
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| Todd
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-13 24190
You may not need a compressor. You can buy a portable 5 or 10 gallon canister at most auto or hardware stores, or sears and carry it to the tractor. I'm probably going to get one via Harbor Freight next time they list one. I'm also considering "Slime". The 5gallon container lists for a few hundred dollars, but a local store will sell it to me for 150. Given the hassle everyone is telling me about flats and loading, wheel weights and slime are looking like a better and better deal!! Slime is thickened food grade polyethyline glycol and rubber shavings from what I understand. Won't freeze up on me, not toxic, and lasts a few years.
Any thoughts on it?? ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2001-02-13 24194
Todd, like most things that sound too easy...... it is. From experience I can tell you that a 10 gallon air tank would barely put a dent in a flat tire of the size normally encountered on the business side of a tractor. While I have never done an exact calc. I can tell you that the 60 gal. tank (pressurized to 120 psi)on my compressor will not completely fill a 355/80R20 turf tire on my machines, the compressor must be started to finish the job. Again, too good to be true, but excellent for very small punctures, Slime works ok, but, God forbid, you ever get something serious enough to require a 'boot' type repair, all of the Slime must be removed and the inside of the casing cleaned thoroughly, definitely NOT a $10 repair. Best of luck. ....
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| Todd
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2001-02-13 24213
How big a tire is that Murf, or how big a tractor? Also, I thought we were only trying to pump it up enough to put blocks under the rear axle. You don't think 10gallons at 120psi would do that. If it won't, I won't waste my money on a tank, but my B2710, and a B2400 don't have very big rear tires.
Todd. ....
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962
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2001-02-13 24216
Todd, I have one of the little 7 gallon tanks and at 100 psi, it was plenty to air up a FRONT tire on my B2710 in the field one day so I could drive it back in, but I doubt that that one tank full would air up a rear tire, even on a B2710. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-02-14 24223
Todd, I think a 10-gallon air tank is pretty useful to have irrespective of whether it will fill a tire in one go. I've never had a flat, but I do carry the tank around a lot. It has an air nozzle on it more often than the tire valve. The air nozzle is real handy for blowing grime away for areas that need attention, cleaning parts etc. Don't know how else I'd get dust out of the air filter canister. There are plenty of uses other than the tractor as well. A bigger tank stand-alone tank would be less convenient and probably would mostly sit around waiting for me to get a flat. Of course, I do wish for a decent compressor with tank. Then, I actually could run air tools instead of play at it. ....
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962
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2001-02-14 24224
TomG, I didn't know anyone could by without an air compressor. But since mine is a 60 gallon tank, 230 volt, etc. (not portable), I do much the same as you're saying. I put quick couplers on my little 7 gallon tank (got the 7 gallon instead of 10 because that's what Wal-mart had on sale that day), and can use it for cleaning things as well as airing up tires, occasionally even carry it into the house for something. Of course, I can always run back in the shop building and refill mine. If you have a 10 gallon tank, but no compressor, how do you refill yours? ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2001-02-14 24227
I didn't mean to infer that an air pig wouldn't be a useful thing, quite the contrary I use them constantly. I only meant to point out that a 10 gal air pig on a flat rear tire would be sort of like drinking lots of water in the hopes of being able to put out a fire. From experience I have found (or maybe it's just Murphy's Law) that if you try to fill a tire that way, by the time you get back to the machine with the air tank the second time, the first tankful has leaked back out. The point is to fix the tire, yes, but if you can't get enough air into it to lift it, get out the jack rather than ruining the tire running it flat. As for size, well thats sort of a personal question....kidding.... a 355/80R20 is a pillow block (full) turf, it is about 18" wide and 48" tall. It is the standard turf on the rear of a 40hp class machine. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-02-14 24240
Hi Murf. I was actually making a comment to Todd's reply that about not wasting money on a tank. I think a small tank is money well spent, and maybe a larger tank as well. They aren't very expensive. I think if I had to choose one tank, it would probably be a 10-gallon tank. To me, a small promotes use. I can just grab the tank in one hand and a tool box in the other and off I go. I probably wouldn't take a larger with me as often. Of course, I probably won't be too happy when I eventually get a flat, but in the meantime, the tank gets a lot of use in-between the flats that haven't happened yet. ....
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| Todd
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-02-14 24244
Thanks for all the above commentary. I guess I will buy a tank, I just won't expect it to fill the rear tire or suggest it again. The only time I tried it was when the tire flatted 2¡ to a valve stem leak, and there was probably a lot of air left in that tire. It was also an incredibly slow leak. Took days to drop enough psi to flat, and never broke the bead loose. I only have 10acres and my generator is on a scooter cart with 3x8" wheels, so if I can't jack it, I could always lug the generator and a compressor anywhere on my property I'd have the tractor. But even with wheels, that'd be a lot worse than carrying a little 10gallon tank would have been! Are the rims on my turf tires strong enough that I could pad a farm jack with a towel and place it against the top of the rim's inside? Or would I wind up with an oval wheel? I honestly have no clue how thick that rim is. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2001-02-15 24255
Although I did not mention it earlier, the cheapest solution for a portable tank is from an expired propane or refrigerant tank. All of my portable tanks but one are of this nature, in fact we have several which are expired 100# tanks, about 30 gal. equivalent. Remove the old valve (POL type) BLOW AIR THROUGh to remove any remaining propane, screw in the new valve (from any supply house or jobber, and away you go. I have even seen them with nothing more than a female quick disconnect screwed straight in, no valve at all. Cost, about $20.... value when you need it.... 'nuff said. Best of luck. ....
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