Kubota LX4020 Already Having Problems

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I went down to take a look at the new Kubota LX4020 yesterday at my local dealer but it seems that Kubota has screwed up again. As soon as I started the test drive the tractor was stuck in Auto throttle mode and couldn't get out of it. I notified the sales person about it but he couldn't get it resolved. Next thing I know they had all the mechanics out there looking at it. It was kind of funny because they were all making excuses, saying there was nothing wrong with it but nobody could get it to stop

I don't know, it seems as if this line of tractors is just cursed lol.

 

[5030]

Auto Throttle.. What the heck is that? You still are procrastinating over a tractor? been a year now at least. Test drive, I never 'test drive' any unit I buy new, I review the specs and order one and that's it and when it comes in, if it has ANY issues, my dealer addresses and fixes it.

Real simple and painless.

Too small for my use anyway. Has to be at least 85 PTO, FWA and R1 tires. and a loader and 3 sets of remotes on the back.

 

[sal2910]

According to Messick's video on the LX4020,

, Auto Throttle, covered at 12:00, is always on.

 

[rScotty]

It may be that the tractor needs to have HST+ in order to have operator panel control over all the optional ways of configuring the throttle response. At least that is how it used to be.

For those who like tractors - and BTW, Cashaba has owned several - anyway, you all owe it to yourself to at least try a Kubota with the HST+ tranny. Nobody else has anything like it and it is a super handy feature. At least give it a try so you can play with those throttle settings.

We've had one with HST+ for 17 years now. Amazing that something so good is still such a secret.

rScotty

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

According to Messick's video on the LX4020,

, Auto Throttle, covered at 12:00, is always on.

OMG that's even worse! Whoever is running the engineering department at Kubota for mid size compacts should be fired! That is the most incredibly dumb thing I have ever seen a manufacturer do.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

It may be that the tractor needs to have HST+ in order to have operator panel control over all the optional ways of configuring the throttle response. At least that is how it used to be.

For those who like tractors - and BTW, Cashaba has owned several - anyway, you all owe it to yourself to at least try a Kubota with the HST+ tranny. Nobody else has anything like it and it is a super handy feature. At least give it a try so you can play with those throttle settings.

We've had one with HST+ for 17 years now. Amazing that something so good is still such a secret.

rScotty

After looking at all of Kubota's compact models I think that is the only one they ever got right.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

OMG that's even worse! Whoever is running the engineering department at Kubota for mid size compacts should be fired! That is the most incredibly dumb thing I have ever seen a manufacturer do.

Just curious on exactly why you consider this to be dumb? It's a mechanical linkage from the pedal to the engine throttle. You can still set the hand throttle for pto work and just use the pedals for motion while the engine rpms stay at pto speed.

My Branson is this same way, except the forward and reverse pedals are linked to the throttle, not just the forward pedal. It is very handy in use, particularly when doing loader work.

 

[Paystar]

So what's wrong with that?? If you don't want the auto throttle, you just pull the throttle lever just like every other tractor and run it at whatever RPM you want.
I don't see any problems with that. Other than running it at low RPM where it is quiet and economical is going to make it regen more.

 

[Paystar]

I like it, but two things keep me from buying it.
1. DPF and regens
2. The cab model is the same price in Canada as what I could have bought a cab Grand L for 2 years ago. And I don't like that feeling of knowing I'm being ripped off, so they can sell them to someone else. LOL

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I'm surprised you gentleman are asking me what is wrong with a tractor that is permanently stuck in Auto Throttle. But since you asked with sincerity I will explain.

Auto Throttle was originally designed as a premium feature for transport scenarios such as quickly traveling from one side of a property to another without having to manually adjust your RPMs. It behaves like a car or golf cart but is not a feature that you would want to use all the time or for PTO work. That particular tractor's biggest selling point is it offers above average PTO hp for that frame size machine. So permanently locking Auto Throttle into the tractor's transmission makes no sense.

Furthermore, from the little bit that I drove that tractor, it is jerky as hell. Having that much torque under a frame that light is already enough to contend with but forcing a tractor to behave like a car when it's supposed to be a tractor does not make for a good experience.

I think the question that you should be asking is why Kubota didn't just simply offer it as a feature that could be turned on and off instead of making it a permanent behavior of the machine.