Dirt Cheap
Member
Of all things I end up with a Great backhoe. Engine starts right up, doesn't leak. Everything works and works great. Then "BANG" I get hit in the head by a whopper. Being me, I change all fluids and filters when I get a piece of equipment. This was going great and though a little spendy due to the volumes of various fluids and my own "personal favorite" of specifying WIX filters (which cost more than most) but I knew it would cost a few bills and it's worth it in the long run. I finally received the service and operator manuals I ordered for it and finally tracked down the lube to use in the transaxle. Since mine is one of the 580 SE's that has a PIN after 17032504. It says I am to use "CASE Gear Lubricant PN: B17632 and there are no alternates. Okay. I get online and get to a case site to order up the stuff which now has the PN: B17778. Are they for real??? $205.00 - $250.00 For 5 Gallons!!! I need 4 buckets so that's $820.00 - $1000.00. I was shocked!! I'm just a little business guy trying to earn a living and CASE wants to make that a bit harder. Okay, there's an additive in it for the wet brakes, I get that. But it sure as heck ain't platinum, gold, diamonds or anything worth that much. So I cruise the net. Boy someone it seems has made a alternate oil for every application out there, and most have 4 or more alternates. So I figure SOMEONE out there that owns some of these "Special" backhoes with their SPECIAL brakes has said to h*** with that and has used another lubricant in their case 580's that did not destroy the transaxle, the brake components, or ruin the braking performance. It may not seem to be a lot but believe me the 16 -20 gallons at 1000 hr intervals are going to just about close me down. I expect to pay $80.00 or so for trans fluid as it always is the most expensive it seems but that's a minimum $500.00 (and that don't include shipping) at 1000 hrs. Guess what! I live in Arizona where it's very hot and VERY dusty. You can drop that 1000 hours to 500 - maybe up to 800 hours. Is CASE trying to get rid of the small business guy. I thought the taxes and insurance and license fees were supposed to do that job. Please Help. There has to be a sane priced substitute out there that some one used and had no problems. I am beginning to think the SE designation means SPECTACULARLY EXPENSIVE. I'm hoping not.