Parts & Service

TRYING TO SAVE $20 MAY COST YOU $9,000

Hey! My name is Brachen from Kirby Manufacturing. Today I wanted to talk about how trying to save money on a pump filter could end up costing you up to $9,000.

Many dairymen don’t realize that a lot of pressure is created when operating the hydrostat hydraulic pump on a Kirby Mixer. This pressure is constantly looking for somewhere to go, which requires a stronger than normal filter to withstand it.

Paper filters don’t hold up well to the pressures in the lines and can easily break down. That debris can clog the lines and ruin the hydrostat hydraulic pump. We recommend only using fiberglass filters in all our hydrostat equipment. They stand up to the pressures and keep everything out of the lines.

Most Vertical Mixers need three fiberglass filters - two small and one large*. Our Horizontal Mixers use one small and one large fiberglass filter on the truck mount hydrostat system. They’re quick to install and play an important role in extending the life of your Kirby!

When replacing filters, it’s easy to want to save money on parts and go with paper filters over the fiberglass filters designed for the pumps. You might save a few dollars up front, but you’ll end up paying a mixer’s worth of dollars later when your pump is down.

For best performance, filters should first be replaced at 50 hours, then at 500 hours, and every 3 months after that. Our recommendations can be found in your manual. If you’d like a digital copy, contact us at parts@kirbymfg.com and we’ll get one to you.

If you’re interested, we can even set you up on a recurring plan to make sure you have the parts on hand to make your maintenance a breeze!  

Call us today to start getting more done in less time.

* Contact me (or Kirby rep) for specific filter types