B26 locking front differential-yes or no

[digger2]

Today after a long wait,i saw my first B26...I like it....ALOT.
No its not a L39 or a L48,but it is just the size machine that i would like.
As i was veiwing it,i was asking the salesman questions about it to see if he knew more about it than i did,as i've been researching these things for months.(thinkin about tradin up from my B7610 w/fel + woods bh)
Anyway,i asked him,"how do you lock the front differential?"
He said he did'nt know it had one,then went back to ask the dealership owner,who also said it has no locking front axle.I pointed out to him in the brochure that it does(according to the brochure).This is the brochure devoted excusively to the B26.It says,and i quote...........
"Combined with the differential lock for the front axle,the B26's
4WD ensures virtually unstoppable performance under difficult conditions or on varying terrain".
He said he thinks its a "typo" and it actually is refering to the rear axle.
This is one of the things that attracted me to this machine.
PLEASE,somebody tell me it does have the locking front diff. and if it does,how do you engage/disengage it.Is it automatic?Tell me the dealer does'nt know what hes talking about!!!
Also,do the L39 and the L48 have the locking front diffs.?
digger2

 

[crbr]

Today after a long wait,i saw my first B26...I like it....ALOT.
No its not a L39 or a L48,but it is just the size machine that i would like.
As i was veiwing it,i was asking the salesman questions about it to see if he knew more about it than i did,as i've been researching these things for months.(thinkin about tradin up from my B7610 w/fel + woods bh)
Anyway,i asked him,"how do you lock the front differential?"
He said he did'nt know it had one,then went back to ask the dealership owner,who also said it has no locking front axle.I pointed out to him in the brochure that it does(according to the brochure).This is the brochure devoted excusively to the B26.It says,and i quote...........
"Combined with the differential lock for the front axle,the B26's
4WD ensures virtually unstoppable performance under difficult conditions or on varying terrain".
He said he thinks its a "typo" and it actually is refering to the rear axle.
This is one of the things that attracted me to this machine.
PLEASE,somebody tell me it does have the locking front diff. and if it does,how do you engage/disengage it.Is it automatic?
Also,do the L39 and the L48 have the locking front diffs.?
digger2

Kubota Tractor Corporation - B26 Series - B 26 Tractor Loader Backhoe Compact Tractors - Kubota B26 Front View

http://www.kubota.com/f/products/B26_features.pdf

PLEASE,somebody tell me it does have the locking front diff.
digger2

Yes, it has a diff-lock on the front axle.

 

[whodat90]

I'd have to go with typo. In the two links posted, the .pdf file shows it having a front diff lock, the website shows it having a rear diff lock, with the same wordage otherwise.
whodat

 

[The Gardener]

I'd have to go with typo. In the two links posted, the .pdf file shows it having a front diff lock, the website shows it having a rear diff lock, with the same wordage otherwise.

I think typo as well.

I always thought diff locks were a rear wheel feature. We had them on our older, 2WD, 25hp tractor. They worked great. As I recall, you couldn't really steer once they were engaged.

I gather AWD is the upgrade to diff locks... ? If anyone can take me past tractor 101 regarding all of this, that'd be most appreciated.

The Gardener

 

[dfkrug]

Clearly an error. My paper brochure says "rear", not "front".
Having no control to engage it is a give-away, too. That Kubota
dealer does know something about CUTs.

Is anyone aware of ANY CUT with locking front diff?

 

[Builder]

The L-39 does not have a locking front diff, just a locking rear diff. You can verify this by looking under the tractor for linkage that goes to the rear axle from the diff lock pedal. If there was for some reason a front locking diff, you'd see a rod going to the front diff. I'd doubt it has one.

My Case 580 Super M doesn't have one, but there's another version called a 580 Super M "+" that does actually have a limited slip front differential. It doesn't actually lock, it just detecs slip and throws some torque over to the side that's not slipping.

 

[The Gardener]

As previously stated, our older, 2WD tractor had a rear diff lock. It was extremely effective at getting the tractor out of issues. I used it far too often.

I am unclear why a 4WD tractor would also need a rear diff lock. We sold our 2WD tractor with plans to replace it with a 4WD tractor. I never expected that we'd see or need a rear diff lock once we acquired 4WD.

Our cars have AWD. It is amazingly effective in all weather and road conditions. It would be ideal if Kubota went with AWD on all of their tractors. Is that too expensive, too difficult to implement, or is it something we will see in all of their future tractor releases?

The Gardener

 

[Builder]

As previously stated, our older, 2WD tractor had a rear diff lock. It was extremely effective at getting the tractor out of issues. I used it far too often.

I am unclear why a 4WD tractor would also need a rear diff lock. We sold our 2WD tractor with plans to replace it with a 4WD tractor. I never expected that we'd see or need a rear diff lock once we acquired 4WD.

Our cars have AWD. It is amazingly effective in all weather and road conditions. It would be ideal if Kubota went with AWD on all of their tractors. Is that too expensive, too difficult to implement, or is it something we will see in all of their future tractor releases?

The Gardener

The reason a 4WD tractor needs a rear diff lock is because you don't always want to run your tractor in 4WD. One (of many reasons) is because when working in mud, the front end tends to "plow" straight instead of steer in the direction you want to go. So, when you wish to work in conditions when 4WD is undesireable, you work in 2WD. When working in 2WD, we still like to have a locking diff so we don't spin-out in mud.

Anytime you use 4WD you wear out your front tires faster, too.

I was working in soft soil in 2WD the past few days and I LIVED on my diff lock button while using the front end loader....can't live without it.

 

[The Gardener]

Thank You!

The Gardener

 

[MarkV]

I vote typo on this one. Don’t think I have heard of any CUT with a front diff lock.

MarkV