The GENERAL

Thanks...

Yeah, I think it sat outside just too long before I got to it.  Things got brittle and cracked.  I may get to it again, but not too soon.

Bummer about the leaks.

FWIW… just take a look and see what you can find. Could be something simple, worst probable case scenario, steering cylinder needs repacked. Can usually do that for a less’n a benjamin on these little
ones.

If I had to throw money out on something, I’d say you’ve got a hose out or two.

Little wash on the underside and a look-see can tell you a fair amount

I know where the leak is this time.  It gushing out the hydraulic cylinder for the steering.  Right out the end.  Hoses are good.

Out where the chrome piston goes in on this part.
https://www.messicks.com/parts/kubota/k2063-16500

There is a possible rebuild kit out there for like $150 bucks.

Unfortunately, it looks like surpluscenter has nothing cheap that small with internal threads.  They did have one that looks about right, but, it was almost $300.00 and 1.5" rod.

I bet a local shop could rebuild it a lot cheaper then $150 because it looks like it takes a standard 1" rod.

Generally listed under Double Acting Double Rod Hydraulic Steering Cylinders.

An example seal Kit For 2.00 Bore Steering Cylinders

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydraulics/Hydraulic-Parts-Accessories/Repair-Kits/Seal-Kit-For-2-00-Bore-Steering-Cylinders-9-6886.axd

If the Kubota is $300 it makes me wonder what the one costs on my scrap JD 335 ...

Power steering always sounds awesome on the LT/GT stuff, until you have to pay for new parts!

The comments on the new cyl had a lot of useful tips.

JB_4x4 wrote:

Unfortunately, it looks like surpluscenter has nothing cheap that small with internal threads.  They did have one that looks about right, but, it was almost $300.00 and 1.5" rod.

I bet a local shop could rebuild it a lot cheaper then $150 because it looks like it takes a standard 1" rod.

Generally listed under Double Acting Double Rod Hydraulic Steering Cylinders.

An example seal Kit For 2.00 Bore Steering Cylinders

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydraulics/Hydraulic-Parts-Accessories/Repair-Kits/Seal-Kit-For-2-00-Bore-Steering-Cylinders-9-6886.axd

If the Kubota is $300 it makes me wonder what the one costs on my scrap JD 335 ...

Power steering always sounds awesome on the LT/GT stuff, until you have to pay for new parts!

The comments on the new cyl had a lot of useful tips.

Agreed wholeheartedly. Watch Wes Work has a video working on a Case 580C with a lot of good info on these hydraulic cylinder rebuilds.
Any good hydraulic shop can get universal seals and packs and rebuild that cylinder for ya. Or, pull the barrel off and take them the parts and they can get the appropriate seals for you.

Ya know the saying… Kubota is orange because “orange ya glad you aren’t paying the green for that Deere”

I think right now, I am going to just sit on it.  There are other issues like, the mower blades stops turning when I turn left kind of deal.  Could be related.  Not sure.

@MightyRaze my mom used to have a car every time you turned left it would honk Lol

ranch king pro 08 wrote:

@MightyRaze my mom used to have a car every time you turned left it would honk Lol

T'would be from the contacts in the turn signal switch. When the wheel is turned just right, the horn contact would ground most likely to the metal surface on the back of the wheel, and complete the circuit to the horn. I've dealt with this kind of nonsense before.....

Thread derailment alert!

> the mower blades stops turning when I turn left kind of deal.

If the blades are spun by a hydraulic motor, it could be loss of pressure or they are being by passed, because of excessive pressure, directly to the tank.

MightyRaze wrote:

I think right now, I am going to just sit on it.  There are other issues like, the mower blades stops turning when I turn left kind of deal.  Could be related.  Not sure.

I understand- sometimes I need to take a step back too.

Just thinking about the issue- I wonder if maybe there’s a short somewhere, and it’s throwing a safety switch as the components move and contact the wire. Not terrible familiar with these Kubotas- wish we were all closer cause I’d have a blast tinkering on ‘er!

Rustbucket Garage wrote:

MightyRaze wrote:

I think right now, I am going to just sit on it.  There are other issues like, the mower blades stops turning when I turn left kind of deal.  Could be related.  Not sure.

I understand- sometimes I need to take a step back too.

Just thinking about the issue- I wonder if maybe there’s a short somewhere, and it’s throwing a safety switch as the components move and contact the wire. Not terrible familiar with these Kubotas- wish we were all closer cause I’d have a blast tinkering on ‘er!

No short. I'm pretty sure @JB_4x4 is correct. I think there is either a loss or gain of pressure against the system causing the pump to bog down or something.

Did a little more reading on this- no idea why but this tractor really has me interested for some reason.

Apparently they have hydrostatic steering that controls cables that sort of act like wheel brakes on a big tractor. Supposedly if the cable breaks or the brackets bend it goes all wonky. Something about it automatically disengaging 4WD.

If it makes you feel any better, seems this model tends to do strange things with the transaxle sometimes. Almost wonder if swapping in a 2600 peerless could help.

Just a ramble I guess. Lol. Hope things work out ok for ya.

This thing has a drive shaft that goes from the engine to the transaxle, then another driveshaft from the transaxle to the front axle. A second shaft from the transaxle front facing PTO to the mower deck.

MightyRaze wrote:

This thing has a drive shaft that goes from the engine to the transaxle, then another driveshaft from the transaxle to the front axle.  A second shaft from the transaxle front facing PTO to the mower deck.

Holy U-joint Batman!

Tellin me. The more research I do, the more of a lemon or cluster this thing is. Glad I got it free. LOL

Does the 4wd kick out and then turn back on as the wheels are back straight on this model?

I was trying to pull a tree once with it and the front wheels were spinning the whole time. I was trying to walk it a bit turning left and right. I would guess no, they stay active. Funny enough, that time I did discover that the right rear wheel doesn't seem to power the tractor as it should. It never spun and has never spun to my knowledge. I know I can almost turn it on a dime to the right, but not to the left. It will dig the left rear tire in the ground, which is strangely enough the same direction "turning left" when the mower kicks off too. (personally, I think the rear transaxle is shot, I could be wrong. I know I'm not paying 3K for a new one)

Hey, on the bright side you’ve got a diesel 3 cylinder liquid cooled engine that came out of a garden tractor, a pretty beefy front axle that can be driven… I see some pretty neat parts for a build-off tractor

> I know I can almost turn it on a dime to the right, but not to the left

Maybe jack it up and see if you can turn both wheels at once (typical open - one rotates forward, the other backwards) by hand?

Then have all four wheels off the ground and see if all 4 wheels will turn with the motor running.

Maybe you have a sheared key way on a wheel, the shaft is turning, the wheel is not. There might be enough friction and weight to turn a wheel off the ground. Not to power it. I know this probably has 4 or 5 lug wheels, but, the hub itself might be turning on the shaft.

Looking through your pictures, it appears this is a portal axle. It would be interesting to see what the hubs look like with the wheels off. It does not look like a ring with pinions type of setup where you have a direct mechanical connection between the left and right side with a shaft.

Your water cooled diesel is a $10,000+ engine NIB. You could surely flip it for much more then you paid for it ($0.00) :-D

When I got it, (there isn't a hydro release for this tractor) right rear would freely turn where the left rear would not. Rear axle stub is held on by a nut. Not sure of any keyways.

According to the specs, it's splined.

Look at this mess of a differential..



And here is the axles and hubs.

Looks a whole lot like an automatic transmission. Kinda neat.

So, the big gears #010 near the wheels that drive the hub, get driven by the little #010 gears on the shaft and the clutch packs #080/100? I guess #170 180 lock into 020 to engage and lock #120 which is spring loaded 040?

I surely would not disassemble this without video and a big long table, not exactly a "hold my beer while I crack this open" transaxle.

I guess the front and rear will always be matched sets along with their own specific sized tires because I can't see ever being able to change gear ratios.

Maybe 170/180 is not pressing inward enough to engage?

Man, I know they are only 3/4" axles, but, I have taken a liken to MST 205 and MST 206s for a reason :-D