L3830 found a home last Friday! Will it be happy

[sanmigmike]

with us?? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Lee dropped it off on Friday and gave us a quick briefing on how do do things. (He will be back tomorrow for the full expanded course and question and answer session! And drop off the rotary cutter. Hats are on order!!) It was dropped off with 1.4 hours and now has 6.8, not too bad considering all the other things we have had to do! However I think the kids have more time on it than I do with Monster Childe, our almost 18 year old daughter, leading, our 14 year old son in second, me in third and my poor wife is last. However she was the first one to pick up a big log, one big enough to feel the ground move when she dropped it right where we wanted it!

Comments so far, the rocker pedal is taking me some getting used to, I think I still like the two pedal system but will get used to it. Power is good, and so is the lift on the loader even with the Bobcat combination bucket. Hard to figure out just how to grab things but learning, really amazed at what it will lift when you do get a good hold on it!

Foamed tires do have some give so the ride is okay. The R-1's were the right choice so far, it is muddy and Darling Daughter had it in mud deep enough that both front and back wheels were well into it, well past just the tires. I look at the hill she went down and the field she took it through and the ruts and marvel at her and the Kubota, and think God must indeed take care of the young and foolish. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Daughter also had the engine quit twice. Only thing I can figure is bouncing in the seat since she is so light. Son had it quit once but think he was asking a bit too much at a low throttle setting.

Land Pride box, medium grade, and it seems real strong. Learning to use it will be interesting but will post questions about taking care of a gravel road later. Parts of it are a mess!! Horrible. Did hit a root with one of the teeth and came to a sudden stop. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Interesting. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Rotary cutter, well, I guess I get to see it tomorrow. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ahh, so far the kids took it to the public road one time to pick up the paper, the private road is so bad on the neighbor's section that the newspaper guy refuses to drive on it. Guess what the neighbor asked me to do Sunday morning, Friday evening to Sunday morn..... How many hours until a neighbor asked us to do something? I confess that I used it to bring up a 50lb bag of cat litter from the garage. Heck, it was dark, the path steep and wet and muddy and so much easier to use the tractor on the drives and road. Okay, I took the tractor down and daughter took it and the litter back up to the house.

Well, the kids and the wife just love it! Bimbi's comment is that she remembers the "Whoo Hooo!" when she moved the first big log. Rachel claims that she is going to take it to school. And Gregory says "Wayyy coool!" /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Oh, will try to post some pictures tomorrow. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[btolle]

It is really nice to see that the whole family is enjoying it.

You will get used to the rocker pedal pretty quickly. In my case it helps to wear work boots, they are a little longer than the usual shoes and it makes the pedals easier to operate.

Mud is a mess! I got in one of those deals Sunday where I tried to back up a slight incline and the mud was so soupy that I could not back up even using the loader to push myself with. Had to go on about 15 feet forward and knock down some brush and small trees to get out of the mess.

You will learn quickly how to use the loader bucket to push yourself backwards when in a tight spot. I do that at least once a day every day I ride my tractor.

Make sure they are all wearing the seat belt at all times, it will help keep then from bouncing high enough off the seat to kill the engine. More importantly, it might save them from serious consequences in case of a rollover. It is also good to have it on when you hit a root with one of the teeth on the box blade. I have made a lot of sudden stops myself when hitting stumps and roots.

Congratulations and all of you have fun!

Bill Tolle

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

Congratulations on your new tractor! Sounds like your tractor will be very happy! (and you all with it!) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Volfandt]

Congrats on the new tractor!

 

[kybota]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Comments so far, the rocker pedal is taking me some getting used to, I think I still like the two pedal system but will get used to it. )</font>

When I test drove a dozen tractors or so, I liked the two pedal sytem better because I was using the heel and toe on the rocker pedal at the same time. But I saw someone else operating one and realized that if I leave my heel on the deck the rocker pedal is very comfortable to use. Very efficient, even for the loader work I've been doing.
The only time I think you need to use the toe and heel straddling over the entire pedal would be for very very quick reversing, which I don't see as that common for most uses. So rest your heel on the deck and don't try to cover the whole pedal, and I think you'll like it just fine. (By the way, it is designed to be operated either way).

Congrats on the new tractor.

 

[Henro]

I do it like Ky Bota said...

Something that bothered me in the beginning though, was that after the tractor was delivered, for about a month I had trouble backing my van up.

Kept pushing down with my heel and the darn van just kept sitting there... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Yes, this is a true story.... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Perhaps I should be posting this in the DUMMY, DUMMY, DUMMY thread... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[kybota]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I do it like Ky Bota said...

Something that bothered me in the beginning though, was that after the tractor was delivered, for about a month I had trouble backing my van up.

Kept pushing down with my heel and the darn van just kept sitting there... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Yes, this is a true story.... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Perhaps I should be posting this in the DUMMY, DUMMY, DUMMY thread... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

Just curious, but did this happen before or after drinking those two homebrews you are holding in your picture.

Every time I see that photo I get thirsty.

 

[_RaT_]

By resting your heel on the deck, you will find that it is very easy to smooth out the bumps by the minute adjustment you do to the rocker as you feel them hitting the tractor. Kind of hard to explain but perhaps with some time you will get a feel for it and understand what I am saying. I also have a JD with the twin pedals on a mower we have and must say the pedal configuration is not an issue with me even when the Kubota first arrived and I had zero experience on it. The rocker however is easier for me to manipulate on rough terrain then the twin pedal. No question it is designed to be used with your heel or toe on the deck especially when you look at its shape. Only once can I say the rocker was a big help and that happend as I had my L48 Kubota cleaning out around a culvert when suddenly the front end dropped through a soft spot like and rock and I could not hold myself with the tires spinning and the tractor going down. I was on the reverse instantly but the tires would not hold but slowed my descent long enough to allow me to get the loader/bucket down and anchor myself. I had zero time to think much less look at the pedal to find reverse. On the rocker, there is little chance of mistaking forward for reverse. RaT...

 

[Theowegian]

Good comments on the rocker pedal.

It has taken me a little time to get used to the rocker pedal system. I confess that Ive never used a JD, two pedal system, tho. But I do like the Kubota treadle pedal system.

RaT is correct, in that there is a interesting sensation about using the treadle pedal over rough terrain that I like. He is correct, Ive noticed the effect he was talking about. Maybe others have notice too. I just thought it was related to the feather feature (same foot pressure throughout the hst range)

One thing no one has mentioned here on this particular thread, but with the treadle pedal system, using BIG winter or work boots (esp with rubber overshoes), my feet fit the whole pedal better. I do get a more control with my floppy winter boots on the whole pedal.

However, in the summer, I typically, keep my heel on the floor platform and my toe on the front of the treadle. If I need to reverse, I simply put my toe under the treadle and lift my toe. I cannot do that (easily) with my winter boots on....

Overall, I do like this system. Would I buy it again? Yup. You betcha!

dwight

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> Just curious, but did this happen before or after drinking those two homebrews you are holding in your picture. </font>

Hee, hee, hee... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ... Them were micro brews... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I am not sure it it was mentioned above, but one thing I like about the Kubota setup is that even for me it is difficult to make a directional mistake.

I can't imagine ever going forward when I intend to go backwards, or backwards when I intend to go forward. Directional changes when twisted around and looking backwards are second nature. Not sure if it would be a certain if there were two pedals side-by-side...