B2920 going in reverse?

[xerman]

I brought a new B2920 this fall and love this machine. My first tractor with a FEL and I moved tons of gravel repairing my 600' driveway. Looking forward to using the MMM this spring. My problem is going long distances in reverse. The amount of pressure required to hold down the HST pedal in reverse is unbelievable. I didn't notice it so much when I was just backing up from a pile of gravel. But we had a heavy snow fall and I put on a back blade to plow the driveway. After 2 passes my right knee and hip were all cramped up. The next day my leg felt like I had broken it. Is there some way to adjust the pressure required to hold down the reverse pedal? The speed control lever only works for going forward not reverse. I have looked at the parts break down and it looks like there is a "damper" attached to the pedal that returns it to the neutral position. Is this "damper" adjustable? Maybe it is a defective "damper". Has anyone else noticed this problem? Any ideas on how to adjust the amount of pressure required?

 

[unbidden]

I use two different methods and don't know if there is an actual adjustment you can make. My thinking is Kubota designed it that way as a saftey precaution.

I get the arch of my foot over the rear control pad for more leverage. I also at times cross my left leg over and put the left foot under the forward pad and lift up while still applying downward pressure with the right foot.

 

[sandyc]

I agree, the pedal placement and pressure to use it are a PIA. I think that they could have moved it more away from the dip-stick....when I am moving snow and the platform is loaded with ice I am never sure whether I have the reverse pedal or the dip stick.

 

[Kenonf]

There is a spring that pulls the pedal back to center, that is what you are fighting. The damper is there to slow your acceleration in forward and reverse. Perhaps a spring that is not so stiff, it goes between the footrest and a piece of bar stock that levers the hst pedal. I was going to suggest cruse control but it only works in forward.
Ken

 

[Singalo]

Some people seem to like the rocker pedal design. If we did a poll, I can't help but think that the side by side forward reverse pedals would be the clear winner. At least,,,,, give the consumer a choice, or make a retro fit kit to turn the rocker into a two pedal system. But I was pondering a possible solution to this issue while I have been looking at all these different tractors. It would be pretty simple to bend a handle into the end of a metal rod, and a hook at the other end to latch on the underside of the forward pedal and pull up/back with your hand. No idea how well or not that would work in practice. I also considered having my local welding shop design some kind of retro fit kit in the event the tractor I end up with has a rocker that I can't live with. I don't think there are any really good solutions. But then, the only time it will be a real issue is when I am snow blowing the long driveway.

 

[kevin37b]

Get a plow to hang off the loader , you will never regret it . Your neck and legs will thank you .

 

[Singalo]

Get a plow to hang off the loader , you will never regret it . Your neck and legs will thank you .

I have been plowing with a Moose R4 5' plow on my King which seems to work pretty well for light snow. But it can get pretty hard on the wheeler when the snow gets heavy. Especially on the Long Driveway. I was hoping to get away from pushing snow,,, I considered putting a blower on the front of what ever tractor I finally end up with. But then Id be losing the loader which seems like it could be useful. Ahh,,,, the ins and outs.

 

[Singalo]

My buddy had an interesting take on my "Stove Poker" idea for pulling the pedal back with your hand. He suggested a lever attached to the back of the pedal that you could pull back. That might work out for operations where you have to move long distances in reverse, like snow blowing a long driveway. As long as the lever was made to go on and come off quickly, like with a thumb screw attachment point, it might work. It would not be great to have a lever be bopping back and forth under normal operation. I am sure with a bit of creative engineering, the lever idea might work though.

 

[sandyc]

Been thinking about the rocker pedal and wonder if Kubota separated the pedal and therefore the functions so that the reverse wouldn't be used as a brake. On my 2200 I almost always slammed it in reverse when changing direction. Don't know if that might, over time, cause some unusual ware.
Singalo, you mentioned "loosing" the FEL if you used a blower. I thought that too but to switch out the blower sub frame to the fel is really a couple of minutes. The hardest part is hooking up the hoses with cold/oily hands. I do it all the time now and don't even think about it. I'm just saying!

 

[Verticaltrx]

If it takes that much pressure to operate the pedal something is wrong. Just the weight of your foot should be enough to easily press it down. I can run my B3200 8hrs a day doing loader work and not have any leg trouble.

Things to check:

-grease the zerk on the pedal
-pull the damper off and make sure it moves with only mild resistance in either direction
-check to make sure no sticks, debris, etc is in the linkage
-check the linkage that goes to the cruise control to make sure it isn't binding on the pedal assy.
-follow the linkages all the way back to the transmission, you'll find a cam lever and little roller wheels that move back and forth, make sure all is free and not binding

Hope some of this helps, what you are experiencing isn't normal and should be fairly easy to fix.