Kubota B series Weakness?

[heith]

Yea,a tach would be nice on the BX,but totally not needed,i run mine wide open and tear the ground a new A-HOLE. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Egon]

My B7100 has this very lovely well engineered system of attaching the rear wheel hubs to the axel. I'm at the point where I use shims and duct tape to hold it all together.

The throttle linkage can be activated when applying the brakes.

Can't adjust the creep out of the HST.

Hard to tell what the level is in the fuel tank. Ran out several times because of this.

Now on the bright side: 2000 hours and aside from regular service have replaced the dynamo, two hydraulic hozes and the two front tires [ abuse in sharp rocks ] .

I have no real pressing complaints.

Egon

 

[MJB]

I don't have a B series Kubota, but I did look at them pretty close when I was shopping. I know my opinion will not be real popular with the Kubota guys but here goes. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif To me the biggest "design flaw" I saw was the placement of the turning brakes on the same side as the hydro pedals and the inclusion of a foot clutch on the hydrostatic models. I know many others will chime in that they never use their turning brakes but I use mine all the time on my 4300. When I mow across a side hill I find that lightly riding the brake on the uphill wheel greatly reduces the scuffing of the front wheels which would otherwise need to be turned uphill to keep the tractor heading straight across the slope. The pedal setup looks to be a cost reduction on the part of Kubota. Keeping the clutch and brake setup the same as the gear models requires less design work and fewer parts to make and keep in stock. We do this kind of cost versus benefit type analysis all the time at work. Kubota came down on the side of lower cost. You Kubota guys go easy on me now... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Rick Jay]

MJB,

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You Kubota guys go easy on me now... )</font>

O.K....I'll go easy on you. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I mostly agree. I only occasionally use brake steering, usually while moving snow with the loader when the front wheels don't have enough traction to steer. However, on the B2910, I can use the cruise control lever to control forward speed while using the brake pedals to steer.

Without the cruise control lever, it would be very hard to effectively use the brakes for steering, unless one had 2 right feet. Come to think of it, personally speaking, I'd be better off if all the pedals were on the left side 'cause I've been accused by quite a few ladies that I have 2 left feet! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

~Rick

 

[looch]

I use my brakes for steering when I'm snowblowing (turf tires, 500Lb snowblower, and no weight on the front). It is a bit of an art form. I use my heel to operate the HST pedal while using my toes to brake-steer.

What I don't like isn't Kubota-specific: sheet metal where there should be plate steel and plastic where there should be sheet metal. I miss the old cast frame of my B5100.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color="blue">( I don't have a B series Kubota, but I did look at them pretty close when I was shopping. I know my opinion will not be real popular with the Kubota guys but here goes. To me the biggest "design flaw" I saw was the placement of the turning brakes on the same side as the hydro pedals and the inclusion of a foot clutch on the hydrostatic models. )</font>

Heh, heh. I don't have one either. In fact, the only hydro I own at the moment is a lawn tractor, but when I was planning my tractor purchase, a buddy of mine insisted I drive his older Kubota so that I could "learn" how great a hydro was.

I drove the Kubota and was not impressed. The hydro was jerky, and the brakes were on the same side as the hydro pedals. It made no sense to me, so I asked my buddy how he was supposed to operate the brakes and the hydro pedal at the same time--without having two right feet. He couldn't come up with an answer.

That was several months ago. I saw him again recently and reminded him of the question. I'm still waiting for an answer. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

In all fairness though, I hear the jerkyness has been cured--just not the need for the extra right foot. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SnowRidge

 

[Boone]

The brake should be set up with one on each side like a real John Deere. Then get rid of the wide front and go to the tricycle/row crop front tires. With this you don't even need to touch that steering wheel as you do 180's /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Ok, the wide front is much safer and power steering is nice. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[therrien]

The main problem with using the criuse control is it does not operate when your'e going in reverse.
Backblading using the steering brakes is a great if you can do it

 

[B7500]

"I have one complaint. The parking brake. It is hard to engage and the mechanism feels a little light duty."

GregJ, I agree! After a day's work my thumb hurts. I wish it was a full blown handle that you could use to set the brake. Still, my 'Bota is the (second) love of my life.
-T

 

[mdbarb]

My only complaints with the B21 are mainly ergonomic:
Its awkward to fill the tank
The parking brake handle is wimpy
flipping the seat back and forth from backhoe to driving position
lights are useless down behind the loader
over all just little things....