B7400/B7500 history

[Bird]

Whew, sounds tough, Roger. I'll have a go at answering a few of your questions. Maybe some others can expand (or correct me if I make a mistake):

<font color=blue>What is the drive mechanism for the MMM on the 7500?</font color=blue>

It's driven by a mid-PTO under the tractor.

<font color=blue>How is the MMM raised and lowered?</font color=blue>

Part of the linkage goes back to the 3-point lower lift arms, so it's raised and lowered hydraulically via the 3-point hitch.

<font color=blue>Does the FEL and the transmission use the same fluid from a common pump.</font color=blue>

Yes.

<font color=blue>name and type of the hydraulic fluid/s use by the Kabota</font color=blue>

Naturally, the manual recommends Kubota UDT or Super UDT, but it's a universal tractor hydraulic oil (in 1995, the manual for my B7100 even listed many other brands by name; Mobil, Shell, - and I don't remember all of them, but there were 7 or 8).

<font color=blue>With the hydrostatic transmission, can the Bota be pushed or towed if the engine is not running?</font color=blue>

Yes, just put the range selector in Neutral and it rolls quite easily. I'll have to admit that I don't know about towing one long distances or at high speeds.

<font color=blue>Is the front axle drive hydrostatic or mechanical?</font color=blue>

Mechanical.

Good luck.



Bird

 

[RPM]

Roger,

The only clarification I'd add to Bird's response is that the MMM is shaft-driven (may not have been obvious). (Bird, thanks for responding - I wouldn't have known all the answers! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)

With regard to rolling the machine - I can push my BX2200 (same weight as the B7500, but smaller) by hand when it's in neutral (just like Bird said) - but am not sure I'd want to tow it that way - having said that I'm not sure you'd have to!

I wouldn't discount the Kubota HST based on your general bad experience with HSTs. Just about everyone reading these posts has one - and I haven't read a single complaint about the kind of fluid leakage you mention. Perhaps the Kubota HST is more heavily engineered - goodness knows there are tales of them being abused on this board without any serious damage. They are also, by all accounts, a 'must have' for FEL work and also reduce mowing time due to maneuverability.

I also have not heard any complaints about the electrical system on any of the Kubotas. There are quite a few on the board who have rigged extra lights and so on - seemingly without any problems.

It certainly sounds like the B7500 (or larger) would be a tremendous step forward from where you are today. These machines are certainly engineered to last.

It's a good testimony to a machine when pretty much all the questions on a discussion board are about 'how can I do more with it' rather than 'how do I fix it'!!

Feel free to ask more questions as they arise ...

Patrick