Kubota BX series ridiculous transmission

[shrekbelly]

guys,
kubota has told my dealer that there "is no fix for the 50 series tranny."
live with it or trade up-in.
i took a hit and traded to a 60 series bx tractor.
regards, shrekbelly

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

guys,
kubota has told my dealer that there "is no fix for the 50 series tranny."
live with it or trade up-in.
i took a hit and traded to a 60 series bx tractor.
regards, shrekbelly

Did you receive any type of discount or consideration on your trade because of the 50 series "problem"?

 

[manonthehill]

I bought a new BX2350 eleven months ago. From the beginning I noticed the abrupt stopping problem in high range when coming out of reverse. This is not a problem in low range.

I've mentioned this in other threads on this subject, so this is a repeat. I began a discussion August 2008 with my dealer and eventually with an area rep. I am given to understand that there are only eight internal parts that differ between the 50-series and the 60-series HST, and the external linkage differs, also. The area rep authorized changing the external linkage. This occurred last fall. My subjective view is that the problem was corrected by half or more, but not wholly.

I have asked my salesman to provide me with a list of the parts with part numbers so that I could share them with others. I have not as yet obtained that information (for those of you who have asked, I'm not avoiding my responsibility to other BX 50-series owners, I just haven't heard back as yet).

This thread is about the HST, but the video of the BX1850 backing down a hill with weight on the back and no counter-weight on the front and then jumping to a stop feeds into what I perceive is a distorted view of the issue. How about a video on level ground with proper weighting and counter-weighting?

While some on TBN have traded away from 50-series units, I am not aware of any collapse in the value of the 50-series. And I am not aware of any hard numbers to support the idea that a significant number of owners have traded or are planning to.

I have about 65 hours on mine just now. Most of those hours are mowing, but I am finding a lot of uses for the loader. I simply pay attention to coming out of reverse in high range, feathering it with little or no problem. I have used it with a BushHog 3ph tiller and a Kodiak landscape rake (both in low range -- no problems at all). Where I live we got over 220 inches of snow last year (that is not a misprint), so two months ago I bought a used 48" 3ph Loftness snow thrower (next winter I'll use it of course in low range, so no problem).

My BX2350 is a workhorse. It delivers everything I could ask for. I support every responsible effort to address this systemic issue with Kubota, but I do not support amplifying the issue our of proportion to reality. To overdo is to undo.

Doug

You are right, this tread is about the HST. The video show a BX1850 in standard configuration that is sanctioned by Kubota. It is being used in a typical fashion.

As for the market value, the 50 series BX tractors have some very well know problems
- A transmission with an uncontrollable reverse
- Hydraulics that don稚 work at low RPM
- Very poor fit on all plastic parts
I could accept these issues on a cheap Chinese tractor, but Kubota did have a good reputation. I feel that痴 slipping as fast of the BX values. The JD guys must be loving this. I know my local JD deal bought a BX2350 to help them sell their sub compacts. It痴 a great idea. I should have listened!

With all these issues and the dealer buy-back, I can see the market falling. I知 working on selling mine, but it痴 not looking good. Would you buy it?

 

[Doug in NNY]

manonthehill wrote:
"You are right, this tread is about the HST. The video show a BX1850 in standard configuration that is sanctioned by Kubota. It is being used in a typical fashion.

As for the market value, the 50 series BX tractors have some very well know problems
- A transmission with an uncontrollable reverse
- Hydraulics that don稚 work at low RPM
- Very poor fit on all plastic parts
I could accept these issues on a cheap Chinese tractor, but Kubota did have a good reputation. I feel that痴 slipping as fast of the BX values. The JD guys must be loving this. I know my local JD deal bought a BX2350 to help them sell their sub compacts. It痴 a great idea. I should have listened!

With all these issues and the dealer buy-back, I can see the market falling. I知 working on selling mine, but it痴 not looking good. Would you buy it?"

Doug's reply:
Good judgment suggests that if extra weight is added to the rear of a BX1850, extra weight should be added to the front, especially on hills. That is common sense. One would hope that Kubota is not held responsible for the presence or absence of common sense in BX owners.

You over-state the severity of what you call "very well known problems." Reverse is not "uncontrollable." And hydraulics that "don't work" at low RPM? The relationship between working RPM and how the hydraulic system functions on the 50-series was covered by my dealer when I was looking a year ago. "Very poor fit on ALL plastic parts" (my emphasis) is not an issue with my BX2350. Never was.

Me, I wouldn't buy from a dealer who bought competitor's units just to trash them.

You said " . . . slipping as fast of [sic] the BX values." Other than your own opinion, please share with us some hard evidence for decline in BX value that can be attributed to the problems you cite.

There is a Mr. Brown on TBN with three BXs. I'm happy enough with only one. I bought mine from a great dealer and it does what I need it to do. The abrupt reverse stop (high range) is a known issue. Some on this list have traded to a 60-series. My guess, however, is that most 50-series owners are doing well enough. (Does anyone know how many 50-series are actually out there?) Time will tell if the story is as dire as you say it is. I am not convinced that your recourse to extravagant language is justified just yet.

Doug

 

[Leon Wittner]

This is Kubota Country with a real work horse tractor. (if the picture attaches)

 

[shrekbelly]

response to john thomas

i received a discount / monies from kubota to make my new deal work. it was allegedly called kubota assistance. shrekbelly

 

[harpoonalt]

If you stay on level ground with your tractor, the abrupt stop is a pain. If you do any work on a slope you know that it's dangerous. I live with mine because I don't want to spend any money right now to trade. I mow some banks by driving up and backing down. If it's bumpy or you forget, the abrupt stop will surely wake you up. It's enough to put you over in certain situations so I'm very careful and won't let anyone borrow the tractor. I test drove mine but just rode around the dealers lot and never backed up. It was also my first CUT and first hydro so I thought that was normal. Kubota has never come up with a common fix that works which is why I won't let them open mine up for a maybe fix. Kubota hasn't responded well to my request for trade assistance to compensate for my wanting to trade when I should just be maintaining what I have and be happy. But I bet they don't want to do anything and open up the floodgates of traders when the majority of people are just living with it. I'd be interested if anyone has rolled a tractor due to the abrupt stop. Every manufacturer has some mistakes, but it's how they treat the customer that matters. Kubota is dropping the ball on this one. Blame the bean counters. I'm sure they ran the numbers of mass trade-ins vs. lawsuits and guess who won. Love my tractor, but this nags at me every day.

 

[radioman]

I have ranted on this several times on this board, felt better after rant. I am not sure if I can live with it. I love my BX24, don't want to trade up or down. Can't spend any more money. But I fear of the one day I may live to regret this decision. All it takes is a simple backing up while mowing in the high gear with pedal down halfway and then let go. even trying to feather it, the pedal is not always smooth and the jerk comes. I have to be physically prepared for the jerk so my body doesnt get hurt in the wrong way when looking behind me when backing up. It's murphy's law- if it can happen, it will even if you tell yourself over and over to remember it.

I just want some sort of a add on or fix or tranny replacement and keep the rest of the same tractor.

 

[TheFlatlander]

All feelings aside, I just watched the original post video. and have also had experience with the BXxx50 series tractor. What he is doing in the video as a real world application when mowing and I would not be surprised if the result was similar with out the factory bagger installed. some of these tractors are worse than the others.

My personal experience was calling a dealer to trade up my BX2230 to the BX2350. I was so impressed and happy with the BX2230 and the dealer that sold it to me we worked out a deal over the phone and he delivered the new one. I look back in retrospect that I should of taken the hour plus drive to the show room, but I had no idea something that was an improvement over the previous model could come as such a disappointment. That New BX2350 spent less than 48 hours here before the dealer picked it back up.

Although disappointed, I had already sold my tractor to a friend and was going to learn to live with the plastic parts and the lack of hydraulics at idle. The Hydrostatic drive whine was ear piercing to the point you had to wear hearing protection just to drive. The reverse stop was similar to the video with the FEL and mower deck attached-Neck snapping. Neither of the last two could I just come to terms and live with. There was no fix to the problem. Initially they agreed that this tractor reverse stop was pretty bad and worse than many in stock, the Hydro wine was really bad on all of the remaining BX's that were in stock at this dealer. The rep started with the "They all do this so it must be normal" argument. I countered that with batch quality, that they will all most likely have the same defects. If they were all missing the left headlight bulb from the factory would that make it right? I went to another dealer and checked out his BX's and they had the annoying reverse stop but the hydro noise was alot more tolerable. (Side note the Hydro noise on the BX2230 is very quiet).

Shortening this story up, Tractor was still "New" and local rep allowed dealer to restock and return to floor plan. I was refunded in full with intention of purchase of a new B or BX2660. The BX2660 was just starting to be shipped to the dealers. Ended up with BX2660 but was through another dealer. That's another story not related to the tractor issues the OP is discussing.

I am currently very happy with my BXxx60 series tractor. I feel that this issue is limited to the BXxx50 series. It is really a shame that there was no improvements to correct this issue from Kubota. As more people become exposed to it for the first time new posts will continue to pop up as this has been discussed numerous times before. I even added to it by making this post. I hope in time that this doesn't tarnish the reputation as a series. While there were many design improvements, I feel that this version of the BX series should of never went to market with these issues. The models before and after are very good machines. There are also many that like their BXxx50 series tractor. Over all the BX Series tractor has been a very good tractor for its intended market.

 

[Zick]

I agree w/ the OP that the reverse abrupt stop sucks. I'll also agree with others that what happens in the video could happen to any other tractor setup that way (No front weights, lots of rear weight and on an incline) but the fact still remains that the abrupt reverse stopping is very uncomfortable and possible dangerous in the right situation.
I have a very level yard and just mowing it still gets me and I feather the pedal by lifting underneith with my toes. It helps but sometimes it still happens.
Before I bought mine, I tested out my neighbors BX2200 and obviously he's did not have this issue so I had no reason to believe a newer model would or else I would have tested it out better.