Kubota BX series ridiculous transmission

[robertm]

I am fortunate enough to not have this issue with my BX2660, but in trying to help out a bit a thought occured to me that maybe could help while this issue is being fittered out (or waiting for a fix)...

Remember those hand shifters you could buy to mount on the ATV automatic tranny shift pedals? It was a long stick with a ball knob on the end. The only purpose was for keeping your feet up in deep mud and water, while still being able to shift by hand. Is there any chance to mount a "hand shifter" to the pedal so that when backing up you could modulate the speed and contro it really well by hand? I'm sure a few tries and the "feel" would become second nature. With the power steering, you really don't need two hads to steer, so the other hand could easily "shift" the reverse "quantity and quality" if you know what I mean.

I know it's not THE fix, but I was hoping to help out some fellow BX'ers.

Another thought is modifying the treadal pedal to mimmic the old fashioned early pedals that were one piece. Maybe installing a pieve of bent metal to bridge between the forward and reverse pedal would allow the operator to position thier foot directly in the middle and thus use the toe and heel to control the pedal - no lifting whith the heel.

 

[TripleR]

This thread cracks me up. As far as the tractor safety? I mow in shorts and sandals, have for years! Start PTO when your on tractor, stop before you get off. Seems simple to me???

Anyway, back to the subject. I looked hard at the BX1850 and BX2350 before getting my JD 2305. I THANK everyone on TBN for suggesting I try the reverse and pretend I was mowing. I am not sure if all of them are the same, but the 1850 I test drove was HORRIBLE! I laughed and walked off after letting off the reverse petal. The 2350 was a little better but still not like any other HST tranny tractor I have ever drove.

My JD 2305 tractor I can be in high gear mowing and let off the reverse petal and it stops but does not jerk at all. Smoothe as can be front and back.....

I bought a BX2200 new in 2003 and used it without any problems for years. When it came time to replace a John Deere mower at our other place last year, no Kubotas were available in this area, so we looked at and bought a John Deere 2305; thought maybe I might like it better. It is a good machine and like you mentioned, smooth in both forward and reverse. After using it for about a year while still using my BX2200 at home, I decided to get another BX for the cruise control, better seat and easier FEL attachment. I got a new BX2660 and prefer it to the John Deere; just fits me better. The stopping and starting are comparable on both. My wife actually complained a little initially because it didn't stop any quicker, but prefers it now as well as the split HST pedal. Things I don't like about the John Deere are the left foot brake, the narrow belt on the deck to the blades, blade engagement system and composite deck. Everyone likes different things I suppose.

 

[whatever1]

How do we get the moderator to make this a sticky to see how many really think this is a problem not a feature....

Who built this tractor Microsoft ??

 

[radioman]

Who built this tractor Microsoft ??

now that's funny!!

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

two years from now we'll have a transmission that stops slowly and then we'll have posts about people crashing though the garage walls because the darn tractor did not stop... (actually we've two customers do that.). You just can't win.

 

[johnny_law]

I seem to be one of the few people that find the abrut stopping in reverse a minor anoyance instead of a major problem, but if Kubota offered a fix, I'd probably jump on it.

I'll say it again, if you lift up with the forward pedal to back up, it seems much easier to control. I use the back of my foot near the ankle, otherwise it hurts my foot. Someone else offered this suggestion, but I haven't heard of anybody else trying it other than me.

I do that all the time and have since I bought the machine in December. I agree the reverese stop is very annoying but in low gear it doesn't snap my head back like it does in high gear. My bet is the engineers at Kubota were trying to fix a problem when redesigning the transmission.

BX22, BX23 or BX25 owners, does your machine roll backwards if stopped on a steep incline going up hill without setting the parking brake? I know my BX 24 doesn't it sits there as if the brake is on. Just curious. As that could be a serious safety problem as well.

If they had a fix for this I would be interested too.

 

[kevinj]

two years from now we'll have a transmission that stops slowly and then we'll have posts about people crashing though the garage walls because the darn tractor did not stop... (actually we've two customers do that.). You just can't win.

Once people have a hydro they to forget that it is not the brake. The brake is another pedal for stopping and parking.

There is no way to idiot proof a machine.

 

[shrekbelly]

ok neil,

i get your post . . . and as you know i respect your dealer experience and the "real" contributions you make to our beloved little websight. i just have one question for you . . . knowing there are no perfect machines, just good, to **** good to great, are you glad that the 50 series trannies will be in your rear view mirror in the future?
regards, shrekbelly

p.s. i don't half expect a response - as i recognize it's below you to reply

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

oh come on, I'll reply! In all seriousness, of all the machines we've sold we've only traded one from a 50 to a 60 because of the jerkyness. This (and the jerky 3pts on the standard L's) seem to be one of those problems that does not exist much beyond TBN.

Do I agree that the BX-60 is better? of course I do. I just think people get too hung up on these things somtimes.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

oh come on, I'll reply! In all seriousness, of all the machines we've sold we've only traded one from a 50 to a 60 because of the jerkyness. This (and the jerky 3pts on the standard L's) seem to be one of those problems that does not exist much beyond TBN.

Do I agree that the BX-60 is better? of course I do. I just think people get too hung up on these things somtimes.

Are one time buyers frequent users of TBN or are most TBN users more than one machine buyers and more into their Kubota as being more than a glorified mower. How many buyers of Kubota tractors know and utilize TBN? 5%, 7%, 1%? Do you agree that the BX2200 is better? The BX1500? Had both plus a B7800, L3240 and B3200. None of them jerk like my BX2350. Your right Neil. Some times people do get hung up on these types of things. Especially when "people " have bought several Kubotas and only one has this "issue" that Kubota changed the next year with the 60 series. Wonder why? Don't you? If I were selling Kubotas instead of buying them I would feel the same way you do. Car sales people feel the same way when their product has a "issue" that some of their customers that have bought several of the same models find their "new" one doesn't work as good as the older one. I have a BX2350 and I'm trading. Mark me down as one of the people that you have heard of that traded. I've bought 8 Kubotas in the past almost 6 years and as a customer I dislike it enough that I'm paying the price to rid myself of it. That's at least $2000. Now that's how much it bothers me especially since I know how a Kubota tractor should go back and forward without the jerk. I mow several acres of hillside property and it's the pits if I try and rush it as the Kubota should be able to do with no issues. I can feather the pedal to where it doesn't act to bad but it slows the work down and shouldn't have to be done that way. I tried the BX2660 and it doesn't jerk, wonder why. I've watched your responses and contributions and your response to this one has me now watching your responses from the side of my eye. My neighbor has a BX2350 and he doesn't have a problem with it because he doesn't know all Kubotas don't jerk like his. Wait till he trys a JD one day or another Kubota and notices the "issue". I know on this forum we have the Kubota dealers, commercial users and as the Kubota rep told me the majority of buyers are large residential lot owner/buyers. Each has a different perspective and I respect each perspective but I feel more in tune with the residential large acreage user, being one myself and we are the majority of Kubota buyers.