B2601 seat switch ..help!

[JeepHead]

I only have hilly terrain. the property is a series of stone push up benches and the short flats between.

Due to this, I tend to move around on the seat quite a bit to stay centered on the controls.

Today while moving soil to fill some low areas, and on several occasions in the recent past, when "flying by the seat of my pants", the engine on the B2601 has momentarily cut out. This does cause a bit of concern, depending on the actual situation. But a dead engine on a steep down hill with a loaded bucket is not a fun situation to even contemplate.
Now, the engine cutting is very brief. A second or two perhaps, but the mind responds much faster.

I'm thinking it is the operator presence switch, but....Then why does the engine not cut when I leave the operator station? That is, when I dismount?
The seat has both an occupancy presence switch (press button) and a seat tilt up switch that comes into play when operating the PTO un-manned.
I'm not sure what "safety feature" I need to investigate, I just would like the engine to stay solid when I'm already doing something that needs all my attention.

The Hurlimann NEVER does this to me. It must be my friend ;-) I should have just purchased turf tires and wheels for that tractor , but the B2601 is so handy. (unless you are wanting to go backwards, the treadle pedal SUCKS!)

Any way, comments on the cutting out?

On my Kubota, as long as you're not pressing the treadle pedal to move, then you can stand up or get off the tractor and it doesn't kill the engine - you don't need to set the parking brake to do this. If I am pressing on the treadle and try to stand up, it kills it.

 

[pwhite42]

Simply a statement: a jumper used on the seat presence switch may help determine if that's causing the engine shutdown problem.

The reality is risk of rollover in your hilly topography might be a situation needing it most.

This is not legal advice or safety advice and not recommended for anyone to attempt to do.

I used a jumper on the seat switch on a MF2300. I haven't tried it on our new B2601 yet.

 

[SmallChange]

I had to jumper my seat switch. It was way too sensitive, and would kill the engine when I moved too far forward to reach hand controls that were down low. And I like safety features, generally -- I think I've actually NEVER moved the tractor, or started the engine, without wearing the seat belt. And I've ALWAYS had the ROPS up.
The idea of a seat switch is a good one, but the execution can be unusable!

 

[Fxfymn413]

As long as the PTO is engaged the seat switch will kill the engine if the weight is removed from the operator's seat. My BX does the same thing on bumpy ground when I'm mowing so my solution is to drink more beer so I weigh more!

 

[Gord Baker]

I only have hilly terrain. the property is a series of stone push up benches and the short flats between.

Due to this, I tend to move around on the seat quite a bit to stay centered on the controls.

Today while moving soil to fill some low areas, and on several occasions in the recent past, when "flying by the seat of my pants", the engine on the B2601 has momentarily cut out. This does cause a bit of concern, depending on the actual situation. But a dead engine on a steep down hill with a loaded bucket is not a fun situation to even contemplate.
Now, the engine cutting is very brief. A second or two perhaps, but the mind responds much faster.

I'm thinking it is the operator presence switch, but....Then why does the engine not cut when I leave the operator station? That is, when I dismount?
The seat has both an occupancy presence switch (press button) and a seat tilt up switch that comes into play when operating the PTO un-manned.
I'm not sure what "safety feature" I need to investigate, I just would like the engine to stay solid when I'm already doing something that needs all my attention.

The Hurlimann NEVER does this to me. It must be my friend ;-) I should have just purchased turf tires and wheels for that tractor , but the B2601 is so handy. (unless you are wanting to go backwards, the treadle pedal SUCKS!)

Any way, comments on the cutting out?

 

[Gord Baker]

Likely the Seat Switch but you may be momentarily starving the engine for Fuel.
Sounds like a dangerous task that should NOT be done. Why fill low spots on such rough terrain?

 

[Deanes]

Bouncing off the seat indicates you need to slow down....

 

[ScubaJonL]

I had a lawnmower seat switch with multiple wires going to it and never got around to figuring out which ones needed to be shorted because my neighbor showed me a better way.

Just pull the switch out, and electrical tape the button down. No wires were harmed, and it’s 100% restorable.

 

[bearthebruce]

Since this thread has now degraded into every one telling their seat switch stories, allow me to add mine as briefly as I am able:

MF 1533 built in 2005... sat in a garage from 2011 until 2017 when I got her up and running. At that point I was a newb on tractors (even with 400 hours on her, I still consider myself a newb!).

We buy a brush hog. Young colleague and I are out working trails on the property with it. With my fat ass in the seat, all things go well. Skinny colleague climbs up into the seat to move the machine. It won't start.. Now we panic.

Newbs remember?

Mentally, I go through all the reasons for a no crank. Check that its not in gear. Check for no PTO on. Check positions of all the traction controls - basically all possibilities I had learned about by reading the manual (Yes, I am an engineer. I read manuals.) Lifted the seat to look at the connection - all looks good and clean. Wiggled, no change. I'm baffled owing to now my fat ass is in the seat and it will not crank.

While holding the key in the crank position, I squirm - right, the dancing bear did a little seat dance. It cranked and fired...

Rut Oh Houston, we gots us a problem.

Lift the seat and look inside the seat frame. There is this steel wire "thingy" that holds the switch in the proper position for operation. That "thingy" is broken off, seriously bent, and is sitting all the way at the front of the seat near the knee support. I said to the youngin, "That ain't right." We move it to the center of the seat, found a way using sticks to hold it there so we could keep working.

Back at the barn, I made a jumper for the switch contacts, ordered up a new switch because it looked damaged, and let it go for the next time when I had new parts.

I reshaped the "thingy", installed the new switch, and then held it in place with stainless wire ties - ever seen those? Strong!

I surmise that the fail on this was owing to some heavy weight person (no, not this bear) standing in the center of the seat to reach above the tractor.

Note to self: the tractor seat by definition is not a jump stand! Sit in the seat.

My jumper stays on the tractor now. There are times when I don't want the seat safety owing to the work I am doing where I need to lift my bunns to see whats going on out front or out back of the tractor. I then use my jumper. I always pull it at the end of the day putting the safety back in place.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

A zip tie is your friend!

SR