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Cutter - I've used Amsoil ATH in a number of Kubota tractors, with excellent results, including my current L4310HST with, obviously, an HST transmission. Switching to the Amsoil lowered the transmission temperatures and made the transmission a lot quieter, particularly in cold weather. Others have told me they noticed similar results.

MarkC

Synthetic Oil
Parts and Repair
Replies 18 Post by MChalkley

No, it will not void your warranty. Your dealer's not in the know on this one. Suggest to him that he contact Kubota's warranty department for a little education.

Mark

HST and cold weather
New Holland Tractors
Replies 33 Post by MChalkley

I think one of the best all-around loader/backhoe combinations (especially if you need 3-point versatility too) is the L4310HST and Bradco 609, but that's only because that's what I bought. ;>)

looking for the best
Loaders Back Hoes
Replies 7 Post by MChalkley

Reginald, yes I did. I made a mock-up out of wood first just to make sure it would work. My L4310HST has 3 top-link holes, so I use the center hole for the top link connected to the Freedom Hitch tractor section, and put the digger boom in the top hole. Then I made a connector plate that allowed me to connect the top of the Freedom Hitch implement section to the top of the yoke. Because of the reduced clearance under the implement section I also had to put an extension on the PTO shaft coming out of the tractor. Then I broke the Bush Hog auger I adapted to work, got a much heavier duty Danuser unit and now I have to start all over again... At least I know it can be done. Almost the biggest advantage to doing it is that you don't have to take the tractor section off. It's still the hardest implement to attach and detach, but it's easier than it was.

Freedom Hitch
Operating and Attachments
Replies 18 Post by MChalkley

PaulB, I wasn't trying to scare you off. It's very easy to _not_ get hurt with an auger, too - just make sure you always follow _all_ the safety instructions that come with it, and never ever for any reason ignore even one of them. And especially never ever let anyone else within 10 feet (most of the manuals say 25') of the auger when you're using it. Frankly, I suspect more "real tractor guys" get injured (or injure someone else) with an auger than "rookies". It's when we think we're good that we're the most dangerous, as with so many things. Not because we know less, but because we pay less attention and ignore the safety rules.

Post hole digger advice tips
Operating and Attachments
Replies 10 Post by MChalkley

All tire manfuacturers provide load inflation tables for their tires. The trick is getting hold of them. If you can get the manufacturer's tire data book, it will have all the info you need. A good estimate is to take 65% of the total weight of the tractor including the load in the bucket and the on the three-point hitch and devide it by 2 (tires). This figure will be a little high, especially if some of the total is on the three-point hitch (which it certainly should), but if you inflate the tires enough to handle this amount of weight, it'll safely keep you from overloading the tires.

Tire pressure
John Deere Tractors
Replies 8 Post by MChalkley

That's not just machine weight. That's weight including a full load in the front bucket, backhoe on the back, ballast in tires/on wheels, subframes, etc. That's the maximum weight I use when figuring tire requireents, inflation pressures, etc.

Tires for boggy ground
Parts and Repair
Replies 9 Post by MChalkley

Roger, I always seem to get in pretty deep. People are always telling me so. When I start describing something, they say "Boy, it sure is getting deep." Anyway, Titan is the OEM wheel provider for Kubota and, I think, JD. They don't sell direct, so you have to buy them through an afiliate company, OTR. If you want info on the specific salesman in the GA office I get them through, email me. I don't know if it's appropriate for me to post his name and number online without permission. One of the best things you could do is get your hands on the Michelin and Firestone tire data books. They're a gold mine of info. They give RC's, acceptable wheel widths, ballast capacities, etc. It's true that mounted circumference does vary with wheel width. But rolling circumference doesn't vary appreciably, according to the engineers at Michelin and Firestone that I've talked to, with bias ply tires and not at all with radials. I can't emphasize enough the benefits of radials vs. bias, if you start playing with tires. Incredible improvements in ride and traction. Radials seem to generally work better with narrower wheels than bias tires, for a given section width. Thus, the wheels for my original 17.5L24's were just barely on the narrow side, but perfectly acceptable, for the 19.5R24's I've got now.

DIFFERENT TIRE SIZE
John Deere Tractors
Replies 16 Post by MChalkley

I guess what's really 'useless' is comparing the numbers on loaders using these different rating methodologies without realizing the difference and compensating for it. It has been said (whether correctly or not, I don't know) that Kubota has changed the rating for the new loader on the L4610 to the 'at the pins' figure because JD's use of this method made their loaders appear stronger. Some would, of course, insinuate that this was deliberate, but it appears JD had a very intelligent reason (not related to 'out-specing' Kubota) for doing so, and maybe that's the best way for them to be rated. It would be nice for all of them to do it the same way. Maybe Kubota is coming around to JD's way of thinking...

How are loaders rated
Loaders Back Hoes
Replies 8 Post by MChalkley

Art, I hadn't thought about that aspect of tiller operation. My statement was a little broad & sweeping, wasn't it? The tillers I've used generally just hop up and down when they hit really hard stuff, so I don't think it would matter much, plus when I'm going fast and they hit hard stuff, it tends to just 'walk' up and over it. But I'd also forgotten about reverse-till tillers. They would probably benefit a great deal from draft control in difficult conditions.

Draft-Control-
Tractor Projects
Replies 16 Post by MChalkley

I can imagine - I just about herniated myself laughing just now, and I didn't even see it! At least you proved it's tough. But I'll bet you had a little trouble convincing your neighbor that's what you were doing.

Roger Whats so great about Yanmar 336D
Yanmar Tractors
Replies 10 Post by MChalkley

jt, I must be brain-dead, but it didn't occur to me before that Bradco also makes smaller units. I just did as I usually do - went whole hog and got the biggest baddest one that would fit. Check out the link I attached to see some of them and how the specs compare to the Kubota BL4690. One of those might be in the right range for you. I know what you mean about those trackhoes, they're slick. I put a thumb on my Bradco and really like the added versatility. It sure makes it easy to move stumps, logs, rocks, etc.

The Deere 4000 wait
John Deere Tractors
Replies 32 Post by MChalkley

Roger, try the link below for Zimmerer's history of the B series. To go to the M or L series history, replace the 'b' just before '.htm' with 'm' or 'l', respectively.

Kubota B-4200
Kubota Tractors
Replies 5 Post by MChalkley

Does anyone have any experience with heavy duty (probably 'flail' or 'hammer' type, as opposed to 'rotary') brush cutters that have 4" or so capacity? I'm looking for something about 5' wide that I can back into stuff with, not drive over with the tractor first and tear the tractor up. I know the PTO hp on my Kubota L4310HST is a little light for such implements, but I've seen some advertised for a minium of 40 hp and that's real close, especially since, with the HST, I can easily control my speed infinitely. I'm interested in one because I have a lot of woods to clean up, and I want to clear the small saplings and brush, without going the chainsaw and weedeater approach, if possible.

HD brush cutter suggestions
Operating and Attachments
Replies 2 Post by MChalkley

It's true that with diesels you get far less engine braking than with gasoline engines, unless some engine braking enhancement modification is made ('Jake' brake on heavy duty diesels or 'exhaust' brake on medium duty diesels). However, with the gearing arrangement on a tractor, I don't think much can be made of this difference. The engine braking that is available should be quite sufficient to get the job done except, perhaps, in the case of the highest gears, and you're not exactly going to be using them off road on steep hills. For example, in my previous gear transmission Kubotas, letting suddenly off the throttle in 2wd would frequently result in sliding the rear tires slightly, even though they were 17.5-24's ballasted to 75% with water/methanol. In my present L4310HST, even with the tractor fully loaded (about 11,000 lbs), the engine braking is sufficient to bring the tractor to a controlled stop within a few feet on level ground in Low and Medium range and only a little slower in High range. As for slowing descent on very steep hills, High range will allow a fast walking speed, but Low and Medium will only allow much slower speeds, a very slow walk in Medium, a slow crawl in Low. Basically, the engine braking effect is multiplied just as the torque is, which is what allows our puny engines (compared to the really big diesels) to do so much work.

Ballast What s Best For What
Operating and Attachments
Replies 11 Post by MChalkley

Mark, I have seen, but not used, the Delta product. It is very similar in operation to the Freedom Hitch. It's concievable that the Delta Hook is stronger than the Freedom Hitch, but irrelevant as a practical consideration. My main concern with the Delta Hook, other than the fact that it was about 40% more expensive, was the size of the cutout for the PTO shaft. I find that the Freedom Hitch will sometimes rub the PTO shaft when tilling very deep unless I extend the top link somewhat. On the Delta Hook the problem would be much worse because it has even less clearance for the shaft. As for operation, the Freedom Hitch works great. It appears that you have not seen the other posts on this forum or TractorByNet. Try using the search feature on both forums and you'll find out all you could ever want to know about the Freedom Hitch, though info on Delta Hooks is rather sparse here.

3-pt quick hitches Delta Hook vs Freedom Hitch
Operating and Attachments
Replies 3 Post by MChalkley

A regenerative circuit is one where both ends of the cylinder are pressurized at the same time. It doesn't sound at first like this would work, but what happens is this: When both ends are pressurized, the pressures in both ends of the cylinder are high, but the blind end of the cylinder, the one without the rod in it, generates more force, so the cylinder moves in that direction, i.e. it lengthens. The fluid coming out of the rod end is then regenerated back into the blind end, causing the total fluid flow rate to be greater than the maximum generated by the pump (or, technically, the amount allowed to the cylinder by the valve) by the amount displaced by the difference in force generated by the pressure in both sides, typically 40% or so. So, the net effect is that your dump cycle is about 40% faster than the roll-back time. This is one way to tell if your loader has such a regenerative valve, if your manual doesn't say. The trade-off is that the force generated in the dump cycle is significantly reduced, but this usually isn't a problem, since the valve is really

4 in 1 bucket on a compact
Other Tractor Brands
Replies 4 Post by MChalkley

My experiences are very similar, and I won't bore everyone with the bandwidth detailing the half-dozen or so I could relate that I feel

But there is a test that almost everyone can try and always tells anyone with any mechanical ability whatsoever something very important. You may have to borrow an infra-red non-contact thermometer from someone, but they'Ve come down in price so much and are so handy to have around, that you might just go buy one after borrowing it (and no, I don't make them or sell them). Anyway, just measure the temperature of your favorite device someplace where the oil is freshly returned from doing its job after working it a little in a reproducible fashion. Do this when you're running petroleum oil and then switch over to synthetic and repeat the measurement in the exact same conditions. You will be amazed, unless you're already convinced of the superior properties of synthetics. And I don't think you need to be a physics major to know that the heat is produced by friction, and friction results in wear, and reduced friction means less wear, and less wear means longer life, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Not to mention the benefits of reduced thermal shock, expansion & contraction, etc.
One of my favorite places to measure is on a hydrostatic transmission where the oil comes out of the motor on its way to the cooler, but other transmissions and engines produce similar results, only not usually as dramatic, mostly because it's difficult to get to a good spot to measure the oil temp before surrounding metal siphons off the heat.
But please, folks, don't take anybody's word for it, try it yourself. If you'd believe me, you'd just as easily believe somebody who said petroleum is better. You can find out for yourself, if you just want to. Then you would know, and you could just smile when all the hooey is bandied about between folks who don't. "> synthetic oil
Parts and Repair
Replies 10 Post by MChalkley

I would be very cautious about draining them completely unless you have experience with the tractor or one similar on your terrain. One thing that might help a lot is to keep them half full, certainly no more than 3/4, as another poster said. If water comes out with the stem at the 12 o'clock position, there's your problem. Try jacking it up in the center until both rear wheels are off the ground, putting the stems at about 11 or 1 o'clock, or even 10 or 2, then draining whatever water water will come out. Then repressurize the tire to the minimum it needs to support the maximum load you're carrying. Contact a local dealer or the manufacturer of the tire for a load/pressure table, then figure out what the maximum rear axle weight will be including the heaviest implement you carry, devide by two, and pressurize the tire for that load. That's about the best you'll be able to do on that end. Everything else you can do will have to be on the seat/suspension end. (Unless you need new tires and are willing to look at the additional expense of radials.)

How do quot loaded quot tires affect ride
Parts and Repair
Replies 5 Post by MChalkley

The complete name for the powder traditionally used for ballast in tires is calcium chloride, which is why some have heard it called calcium, others chloride.<br>It can only safely be used in tires with tubes. Calcium chloride will corrode rims otherwise. Calcium chloride is not environmentally friendly -- it will sterilize soil if it leaks. It's advantages are lower expense (as long as you don't factor in replacing your rims or the cost of tubes) and weight (a very real advantage, but one you can get around with lower weight liquid ballast and the addition of wheel weights, which have the advantage of being removeable).<br>When most places say they use antifreeze in tires, they really mean methanol. Methanol keeps the water in the tire from freezing, but it doesn't weigh nearly as much as water plus calcium chloride. It's not nearly as toxic as either regular antifreeze or calcium chloride, and it evaporates quickly if spilled. One disadvantage of methanol is that you may not live to use that added weight if you smoke around the methanol before it's mixed with the water...<br>Hope this helps.

Calcium
Other Tractor Brands
Replies 6 Post by MChalkley