For those that hate the treadle pedal on Kubota

[buck12]

I posted this years ago on TBN. My JD GT 235 has two pedals and some brilliant designer also put the brake on the same side. We have a pedal boat in the pond. Someone had pulled the boat on the pond bank on a steep part of the bank, not where I usually keep it. Being lazy (I hate to weed eat), I was trying to drive down the bank beside the boat. The grass was damp and the mower was spinning when I tried to back up. I was trying to rock the mower (forward to reverse) and my boot caught the edge of the forward pedal when I was trying to hit reverse pedal. If the brake had been on the left side this would have been a nonissue but instead the front of the mower went in the pond and sucked in enough water to blow both head gaskets.

This can not happen with my Kubota treadle pedal. Also, the brakes and HST pedals are on opposite sides as they should be. By the way I still have that mower. I really don’t have a problem going back and forth between the dual pedal setup and the treadle pedal. The treadle does seem safer working on hills.

 

[k0ua]

Someone asked about using the split brakes. I use them for several reasons.

1: When stopped on a hill, while it is true you do not need to step on the brake pedals to stop an HST tractor, even going down hill, just letting off of the FWD pedal will stop the tractor, BUT, the tractor will "drift" downhill after it is stopped. You must either apply REV pedal or press on the brake pedals to prevent this movement downhill.

2: When working material up against an close obstacle like a foundation or wall, you need precise and rapid changes in direction that the steering wheel often will not provide. Yes this type of movement is much like a skid steer.

3: when scraping ice and snow off of a driveway that has some slope to it, you have no choice but to use your split brakes as the steering wheel and front tires are useless to keep your line of travel going in the direction you want. Only the split brakes control of your rear tires where your chains will be on will allow directional changes. Of course if you don't have chains on, you are not likely to go anywhere anyway.

4: Getting your temporarily spinning rear wheel to slow down while applying power to the other rear wheel which has traction in a dynamic stuck/unstuck situation. This is superior in my estimation than using differential lock, because it can be applied dynamically while the wheels are spinning without stopping. An example would be traveling in a muddy area where you generally have forward movement on a second by second basis, but some wheel spin is occurring. Just keep a sharp eye on which rear wheel is spinning and apply a small amount of brake pressure as needed to that spinning wheel. Your forward movement will be maintained. It is all about being a better operator, and getting thru things that others would not.

Of course split brakes are useful for other things that I don't do like plowing in the dirt etc. Anytime you need to "slew" the tractor rapidly They are there for you as long as you have them unlocked. NOW you do need to lock them anytime you "road" the tractor, because if you accidental press on just one brake while traveling at speed down the road, you will find yourself in the ditch if the brakes are not locked together.

 

[s219]

I love my Kubota L3430 tractor but hated the treadle pedal. I broke my right foot several years ago and even before it was hard to work the pedal for me.
I am one that has to mod everything and this is what I came up with done it a couple of years ago and it works flawless. Just touch the pedal with the tip of my boot, pivot heel on floor.View attachment 661921

Nice work, both the engineering and fabrication! Well done!

 

[buck12]

NOW you do need to lock them anytime you "road" the tractor, because if you accidental press on just one brake while traveling at speed down the road, you will find yourself in the ditch if the brakes are not locked together.

Yep, I know of a guy that was seriously injured when he hit the brakes running down the road. He did realize the pedals had become unlocked. The tractor wound up on its side.

 

[JWR]

I posted this years ago on TBN. My JD GT 235 has two pedals and some brilliant designer also put the brake on the same side. We have a pedal boat in the pond. Someone had pulled the boat on the pond bank on a steep part of the bank, not where I usually keep it. Being lazy (I hate to weed eat), I was trying to drive down the bank beside the boat. The grass was damp and the mower was spinning when I tried to back up. I was trying to rock the mower (forward to reverse) and my boot caught the edge of the forward pedal when I was trying to hit reverse pedal. If the brake had been on the left side this would have been a nonissue but instead the front of the mower went in the pond and sucked in enough water to blow both head gaskets.

This can not happen with my Kubota treadle pedal. Also, the brakes and HST pedals are on opposite sides as they should be. By the way I still have that mower. I really don稚 have a problem going back and forth between the dual pedal setup and the treadle pedal. The treadle does seem safer working on hills.

The smaller BX series like my BX2200 has what I consider the worst brake pedal position that ever existed on a "tractor." The brakes are rather useless and do not work well on these machines to start with. The brake pedal position is hideously about 2 inches above the Forward part of the treadle HST pedal. So of course in an emergency or sudden uptake of some sort you try to jamb on the brakes and very often get the Forward pedal instead. Such a design is so stupid it should be illegal. And, Yes, it has put me over a steep tall river bank stopped only by the FEL hitting a debris pile in exactly that circumstance.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I guess its old Ford or Chevrolet thing.... and I am fine with that.
Sometimes its what you first learn on old habits are hard to change.
Thanks for all the kind words, I pride myself on doing nice work. But sometimes I take forever to get it done.
Here is a photo of the back side.View attachment 662187

How about working up something to move the brakes to the left side. I could go for that. I have no problem with the treadle and prefer it to the dual pedals like my brother-in-law's New Holland.

 

[Smokeydog]

We don’t have any problems with the treadles. Not all Kubota tractor treadles are the same. My dad briefly had a two peddle JD. I only drove it a few times. I wasn’t overly impressed. He hit or ran over a bunch of stuff before trading for a Kubota shuttle shift.

The OP has good pictures of his conversion for anyone wanting the same. Clean, clever engineering and fabrication. SS or aluminum tread plate for the arrows would look nice.

 

[Frankenkubota]

2 pedals foe me

 

[Frankenkubota]

Many thx, you should write owner/operators manuals!

 

[TBone]

Nice work, both the engineering and fabrication! Well done!

I'm impressed with the mod but like some others I have not only gotten accustomed to the pedal on my L2501, I actually like it and wouldn't change it to a two pedal system if I could.

 

[rScotty]

I'm impressed with the mod but like some others I have not only gotten accustomed to the pedal on my L2501, I actually like it and wouldn't change it to a two pedal system if I could.

I feel the same way. At first I liked the two pedal system, but that has a real disadvantage for us bigfoots who can hit the wrong pedal or worse yet hit both at the same time. With a treadle it is impossible to engage fwd & rev. simultaneously. And that's good.

I have no idea how people use the heel of their foot to move the treadle in reverse. The way I use the treadle is that my heel stays on the floor and I slide my foot so as to use my toe on either the fwd or rev. part of the treadle.

Not sure how to interpret the comment about not using brakes and HST at the same time. I use both at the same time a lot when working on a side slope, or in close to a wall, or anytime it helps to steer with the brakes.

I gotta say that steering with the brakes is a bit weird with both brake pedals on the right side next to the HST treadle. Using the brakes requires either sitting sideways in the seat with both legs to the right of the steering column or growing a second right leg. Why in the world Kubota doesn't just put the brakes over on the left with the clutch like the rest of the world is a mystery. Maybe they really don't want us to use the HST and brakes at the same time.....
Although in that case they could have simply have said something in the manual.

I used to go to great lengths to modify mechanical things to fit my own preferences. But anymore I just accept them.
rScotty

 

[Complete Turf Care]

The OP's modification is very nice. I'm sure it works well for him and will probably do well for others that may copy it.

Here is a video of me in my 2 Kubota tractors showing how I use the treadle pedal and some of my thoughts on them. Enjoy....

YouTube

 

[Fallon]

I feel the same way. At first I liked the two pedal system, but that has a real disadvantage for us bigfoots who can hit the wrong pedal or worse yet hit both at the same time. With a treadle it is impossible to engage fwd & rev. simultaneously. And that's good.

I have no idea how people use the heel of their foot to move the treadle in reverse. The way I use the treadle is that my heel stays on the floor and I slide my foot so as to use my toe on either the fwd or rev. part of the treadle.

Not sure how to interpret the comment about not using brakes and HST at the same time. I use both at the same time a lot when working on a side slope, or in close to a wall, or anytime it helps to steer with the brakes.

I gotta say that steering with the brakes is a bit weird with both brake pedals on the right side next to the HST treadle. Using the brakes requires either sitting sideways in the seat with both legs to the right of the steering column or growing a second right leg. Why in the world Kubota doesn't just put the brakes over on the left with the clutch like the rest of the world is a mystery. Maybe they really don't want us to use the HST and brakes at the same time.....
Although in that case they could have simply have said something in the manual.

I used to go to great lengths to modify mechanical things to fit my own preferences. But anymore I just accept them.
rScotty

Same. I prefer the treadle to 2 pedals. But that's some quality craftsmanship to copy for those that don't agree.

Amusingly I rarely if ever have used my toe to lift the go pedal. I put my toe on the floor & push on the back with my heel. Trying to remember if the pedal on my old L3200 had the bit that stick out & was conducive to lifting with your toe or not. At any rate I'm sure that's how I started doing it, so just like tredal vs 2 pedals for most people that's what I prefer just because I've always done it.

The economy Kubotas (including my former L3200) have a clutch on the left & brakes on the right. In order to use steering brakes, you have to ride side saddle. Annoying for short usage, but doable. The 60 series Grands, on the HSTs at least have brakes on the left & no clutch. I assume the logic on the economy machines relates to using the same setup for HST & geared transmissions. You may need both feet for brakes & clutch in a hurry before you could contort into the side saddle position.

 

[Frankenkubota]

Thx for video but my 2019 mx5800 is a little different.

First, hst trans and brakes on left

Second...my treadle pedal is a slightly different shape but.......

The biggest difference is that you can move your foot back far enough to use your toe for rev. On mine, the rear end of the pedal is, imho, too close to the back wall of the seating area.

Many times I find myself trying to push down with my heel only to realize my heel is jammed into the back wall. Like most of you I guess, I wear big bad work boots, hard to feel anything. When my heel finally slips and I hit the rev full force with that tractor at 1800-2000, holy moly. It will scare the poop out of you! I find it dangerous.

Just as soon as I get my house/shop built I知 changing.

 

[true temper]

The OP's modification is very nice. I'm sure it works well for him and will probably do well for others that may copy it.

Here is a video of me in my 2 Kubota tractors showing how I use the treadle pedal and some of my thoughts on them. Enjoy....

YouTube

My treadle was very different than yours. If mine were like the one you have I may have never converted it.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Thx for video but my 2019 mx5800 is a little differentging.

My treadle was very different than yours. If mine were like the one you have I may have never converted it.

I suspected that Kubota had several different style pedals. Mine both seem to work well and are comfortable for me to use. But, many others have posted their complaints about Kubota treadle pedals. That's why I wanted to add the video. So that others can see and compare to what they have.

 

[durf 700]

I guess its old Ford or Chevrolet thing.... and I am fine with that.
Sometimes its what you first learn on old habits are hard to change.
Thanks for all the kind words, I pride myself on doing nice work. But sometimes I take forever to get it done.
Here is a photo of the back side.View attachment 662187

I definitely prefer 2 pedals.. I almost didn't order the Kubota MX 5400 last month because of the treadle pedal.. I am trading out of an older New Holland TC 45D and once I got the 2 pedal design I struggled with going back to the single pedal. the Equine discount for me was the decision maker and so I pulled the trigger on the Kubota. I would definetly purchase that mod shown above that true temper did if he decides to sell if to people.

 

[Mat4644]

After having both I've found when turning body to see to backing up the treadle petal much more convenient in reverse. This conversion design operation looks looks awkward when turning body to see in reverse.

 

[mpsmith60]

I really like the treadle pedal on my L3901. From day one, it has always seemed very natural and was quickly second nature to me.

 

[PILOON]

A friend has a bum ankle so he can't use the treadle pedal.

What he did is weld a 1/2" pipe nipple onto the treadle and he screws in a short pipe so that he can operate the treadle by hand.
(Well actually it's a broomstick that has a pipe end, probably a bit safer as wood would snap in an emergency situation.)

And he has put close to 1000 hrs with his mod.