[Bill.H]

I've seen Northern #4020 recommended and I'm contemplating adding one. Is it worth it? Seems to me it would be a lot easier to change a filter yearly than drain the system. My one concern is placement - has a suitable location been found on 400 series?

Also, Northern lists the #4021 replacement filter as no longer available, does anyone know of an equivalent from another manufacturer?

 

[Hydriv]

Finding real estate for a filter is tough and it is questionable to bother adding one. I address this in the FAQ's and I offer member Bart's filtering solution for those who have a PTO kit on their tractor.

Northern is not the only game in town for hydraulic components. Grainger, Surplus Center and others will have a filter housing and replacement filters.

There's no question that clean oil is important but I'm sure that there are tractors out there that have never seen an oil change in 30 years of operation unless a line blew or the pump went.

 

[Bill.H]

It was the mention of the filter in the FAQ that got me to thinking this might be something worthwhile doing. I happen to have an empty space (where the old muffler lived before the Kawa engine was installed) that may be suitable. I am going to be doing a complete fluid change in spring anyway, so that would be a convenient time. I also want to shorten both cooler hoses, I think the PO replaced them and they bulge out to the side a bit too much.

So if the system is drained and the hoses are off anyway .... :think:

 

[Hydriv]

The filter should be mounted on the left side of the tractor because the right side is the side that has the lift arm for the blade and the blower on it as well as the chute rotator.

It needs to be out of the way when changing drive belts but has to be mounted solidly so that filters can be tightened and loosened. Ideally, the filter canister should hang down so that the oil is retained when the old filter is removed. It should be plumbed in just before the cooler and in a spot where a filter wrench can be used without interference .

All of that is a pretty tall order. I would also suggest that you install an hour meter if you do not have one already and then create a service log. Changing the filter annually is likely overkill for most owners that put less than 100 hours per year on their tractor. After all, Case called for an oil change only if 500 hours was reached within the 12 month period and that was with no filtration.

Any particulate captured by the filter will stay in the filter whether you leave it there for one year or three years. I think that 3 years or 250 hours, whichever comes first, would be the point at which I would replace the filter.

 

[99flhr]

View my gallery photos for one way to add filtration.
YMMV