Had any problems with your BX2350?

[AndyinIowa]

When you bought from this dealer was he your local dealer?

Yeah, I used my local dealer. I've also been trying to get a replacement seat, but the parts department keeps saying there are "24,000 on backorder in the United States" without offerring to put my name on a list or contact me when they get some in stock.

Unfortunately, I'm thinking I'm stuck with a not so excellent dealer.

 

[randyvl]

Where in Iowa did you buy. I also am in Iowa and am looking at getting a 3030, but want to avoid your dealer

 

[Roverlab]

Dropped it off last Friday for teh issue with the HST. Both the service manager and a mechanic rode around in the parking lot with me-not all at once!- and experienced exactly what I am concerned about.
I'll post an update as soon as I hear back from them.
By the way, they were very receptive to my concerns and treated me kindly with what I believe to be a true desire to fix this problem.

 

[Zick]

I also have the forward drag after letting off but not nearly as bad as yours sounds. Mine will just barely creep forward unless I tap on the reverse pedal then it will stop.
Reverse still sucks, hopefully they find a fix for that!

 

[Roverlab]

Got it back and it's definetly better, but not quite right. Reverse is very abrupt when you let off the pedal (bet it would lift the wheels if the loader wasn't on)and in certain conditions, like 2500+ rpm and gradual slow release while travelling forward, will still allow the tractor to travel. Sometimes it will stop or slow considerably, other times it keeps going at more than walking pace.
So what do I do? Do lemon laws apply to garden tractors? How many more visits should I put up with before getting angry? (We're at 4 now for the same issue-1 house call that I was charged for and three times I've trailered it in.)
Oh, and the service manager tells me that the shop manual states that the tractor can take up to 9 ft. to stop. (I forgot to ask for a copy of that text.)
9ft!
Time to trade it on a Deere? I mean, after all, it does have 37 hours on it.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Once something like that starts to bug you, sometimes it is hard to make peace with it. I had a truck like that once, and I think I almost became over sensitized to the problem. I know that it bothered me every time it acted up although the district rep said the problem was just on the edge of normal. I did trade that truck off much earlier than I usually do, and never missed it. I guess you will have to judge for yourself how to best deal with it. It sure is frustrating though when you pay a lot of money for something ( the truck was the first new one I had been able to pay cash for), and then have something drive you a little nuts about it. Sure hope it all works out for you.

 

[steverichmond]

I also have the forward drag after letting off but not nearly as bad as yours sounds. Mine will just barely creep forward unless I tap on the reverse pedal then it will stop.
Reverse still sucks, hopefully they find a fix for that!

Mine does the same thing. I looked the pedal over and could not find anything wrong, then I read this thread. Right now mine is very slight does not really bother me. I hope I stay this way with it.

 

[Roverlab]

Chuck, you've probably hit the nail on the head as far as anticipation of an issue versus sensitivity. But I've hit stuff-barn doors, chicken coops, kids toys, but fortunately not customer's Rovers as a result of not being able to control the forward motion. Sometimes, the brakes strain very hard-hydraulic noises heard when hard on the brakes-to stop her.
The last time I loaded her on the trailer, she drove her self up the ramps and on to the deck!
Anybody around Central PA willing to let me have a ride on there 'Bota?

K-fan, nice positive spin!

 

[Roverlab]

Got a call this morning from the dealer and they came over right away to pick-up my bota! Apparently, the regional rep wants to see the issue for himself and implement some ideas.
The last go round resulted in adjustments being made into areas that are out of the specified range.
I'm still pleased with the effort that the dealer is putting into trying to resolve this. I wish them luck!

 

[Zick]

Just keep us up to date if they find a fix.
Good luck

 

[Roverlab]

Well, today the dealer asked me to come by again and demonstrate to them what it's doing as the bota doesn't want to act up.
I don't think I ever asked the question to the board: If you are running your 23hp at 2500-3000 rpm, in high or low range, up to temperature, and trying to modulate the HST somewhere between full on forward and full off, will the pedal quickly return to "off" and the tractor stopping moving when you'd expect it to?
Do you EVER have to hit reverse slightly or even get on the brake pedal to cease forward motion?
On the flat or even uphill?
If I "jump" off the pedal, the rear end locks up which is going to be really good for the lawn.
Keep in mind that this hasn't always been an issue. It didn't start until I had almost a whopping 8 hours on her.

 

[FullBucket]

I have noticed several times that my 2350 has run forward for 6-8 feet after I took my foot of the forward pedal. I haven't found out how far it would really go because I invariably tap reverse to keep under control. While travelling in reverse, letting off on the pedal in any manner less than a very gradual withdrawal stops the tractor abruptly every time. Too abruptly for my taste. Good luck on your resolution. I hope this is something easily attended to. I think we have a lot of company with this problem.

 

[Harry c]

I'm a little lost. There is a return spring that is designed to pull the pedal back to the neutral position. Also, a hydraulic damper that moderates the speed of the return when you let off. The damper only works in the forward direction by the way. There are adjustments for how both of these work. I adjusted mine soon after I got the tractor and really haven't had any problem since. I don't remember how the adjustment worked (seems I seldom remember anything for 2 years anymore) but it was described in the owner's manual. Maybe your damper is is bad???

 

[Roverlab]

Thanks for the input, Harry. I was aware of the damper modulating the return rate, but does anyone know if hydraulic pressure, especially in relation to engine speed, have any affect on return rate? I'm sure there has to be a pressure limiting device that would control line pressure (upstream or downstream) of the HST. I wonder if it is adjustable?
This is what a warranty is for, but after 5 visits (one of which I was charged for!), shouldn't the dealer have made some progress? And I would assume (oh, that word) that they would be aware of the adjustment process.
I'm going to pick it up on Tuesday and I'll be pretty disappointed with Messick's if I'm able to fix it myself!

 

[AndyinIowa]

From a troublshooting standpoint, the hystat creates swashplate moments when in stroke. Depending on the valve plate timing, the moments can be substantial. Many direct or manual displacement pumps will naturally stay on stroke without a neutral return mechanism.

That being said, its very likely the Kubotas are biased into forward stroke. This will require a more robust neutral return spring, and additional dampener.

Swashplate moments are a function of system pressure, which is why you'll notice varying response depending on what you are doing.

All this means (in my opinion), Kubota doesn't have a robust neutral return mechanism. Temperature and operating conditions definitely affect the return-to-neutral function on my BX2350.

IowaAndy

 

[Roverlab]

Just to follow up: I went to the dealer and met with the service advisor and a mechanic. Unfortunately I picked a raw, wet day to to this but they were both very patient and waited while I rode around the parking lot. Intially, the adjustment on the return spring was a little to high and the rear wheels would lock up if one jumped off the pedal at "speed". Back inside and made an adjustment to a rate that is acceptable.
I was also given an explanation relating to the function of swashplates, hydraulic pressure and how they can be affected by ambient/opertating temp and rpm/line pressure. It makes sense to me that the nature of the swashplate pressure control beast is that there can be minor delays in responsivness.
I've used the tractor another 5 hours since then and really only noticed 2 episodes that caused me to lightly touch the reverse pedal. Honestly, those two episodes caught me unaware and I don't remember the exact operating conditions,but our overall ambient temp here in Central PA is about 15-20 degrees warmer then when this problem was at it's worst.
So, I'm back to being a satisfied Kubota owner and I'm ready to buy some implements.
Also, they filled my tank and was given a new seat when I picked her up that day!
Thanks to Messick's for helping me work through this and to TBN for the support and advice.

 

[Zick]

Glad to hear they are taking care of you.

 

[Dataway]

Sometimes I think Kubota suffers from the same curse as some Honda products....people assume them to be so dependable and trouble free that they feel they can skip some of the checks that they might perform before selling another product. And sometimes owners confuse low maintainance with NO maintainance. NOT suggesting this is the case at all in this instance since it's a new machine....but I'm betting there are some dealers that consider Kubotas so bullet proof that they aren't as thorough as they should be, and owners that don't "maintain" them until they break.

That said...I have a NH 1715. And while I love both the NH and the Kubota (BX2200)...I think the NH is a considerably tougher machine. Not necessarily in performance capabilities but in durability. But then they are very different machines.

After using the BX, you know...I wish it was a manual transmission. Of course I don't have an FEL on it, I have the larger tractor for that work. I don't mind shifting....and manual gearboxes just seem to last forever. Maybe if I had cruise on the BX I'd feel different. Just seems like so many "behaviour" issues with hydros, every machine seems to have a different personality.

As for the BX's...hey, what else you going to buy? Don't think there's anything out there will similar capabilities in that size. Cept maybe the Cubs? My BX is replacing two vintage cubs (1450 and 125)...that are still going strong but hard to keep in parts and attachments. Talk about over build "lawn mowers"..jeez those old Cadets are built like Iron....literally
JohnnyB

 

[TomC]

FWIW. I had a similar problem with my B7510. When I was backing, the pedal would seem to hang. On several occasions, I almost lost it. Once, backing up over a hill, and again into the garage. After a close inspection, it appeared that a link pin for the mower deck was interfering with the throttle pedal. I reversed the pin and added a washer to minimize the free play in the pin. That seemed to resolve the problem. Good Luck!

 

[AndyinIowa]

Picking up BX2350 from dealer today. The latest two issues:

1. 3PT settled quickly. The o-ring between the control valve and hystat was blown, which let oil bypass.

2. Propel control pedal was sloppy and stuck in stroke. Apparently it wasn't tightened correctly at factory, or had joint torque back-off. They also adjusted neutral.


IowaAndy