L6060 ROPS

[SDT]

My dealer delivered my new L6060 ROPS tractor yesterday, and I spent New Year's evening reading the operator's manuals.

The manual states to engage the front wheel drive "with the tractor stopped." Certainly, Kubota did not incorporate a mechanical dog clutch to engage the FWA??? I will be quite disappointed if this is so and one must stop to engage. Such is 1950s technology.

Can any of you current owners provide any guidance. My dealer will not reopen until January 4.

Thanks in advance.

SDT

 

[lungdoc]

Definitely stop to engage MFWD. Is same on our JD 4720 as our L6060 HSTCC. Not sure why it would be a problem, either engage ahead of time if going to be needed or if slipping you are usually stopped anyway. I personally prefer to engage ahead for loader work, and any loose surface work. Just don't leave engaged on pavement. I leave it engaged pretty much all winter.

 

[Jaeger]

Pretty sure they haven't changed it from my 5030. You stop and then engage the 4wd.

I've never had a need to shift on the fly on the tractor. you usually can tell whether you need the 4wd or not, and if you get stuck you engage and lock the rear axle.

 

[TripleR]

I stop to engage/disengage on my 5740, but not on our M8540.

 

[SDT]

I stop to engage/disengage on my 5740, but not on our M8540.

Interesting. I also own an M9960HSD12. I need not stop to engage FWA on this tractor nor did I with the MF 2635 that I bought the 9960 to replace.

Being required to stop to engage/disengage FWA defeats at least some of the advantages of buying a hydrostat tractor to replace what I have been using and is, indeed, a problem for my purposes. Considering that the L6060 is the "super deluxe" CUT with all of the bells and whistles, I simply did not consider that this might be the case.

SDT

 

[lungdoc]

Can you explain what you do where this is a requirement? I'm genuinely curious, not saying it isn't.

 

[TripleR]

Interesting. I also own an M9960HSD12. I need not stop to engage FWA on this tractor nor did I with the MF 2635 that I bought the 9960 to replace.

Being required to stop to engage/disengage FWA defeats at least some of the advantages of buying a hydrostat tractor to replace what I have been using and is, indeed, a problem for my purposes. Considering that the L6060 is the "super deluxe" CUT with all of the bells and whistles, I simply did not consider that this might be the case.

SDT

I was surprised as well as we have had much older tractors I could engage.\/disengage on the go, very handy in our hills.

 

[SDT]

Can you explain what you do where this is a requirement? I'm genuinely curious, not saying it isn't.

I have not said that engaging/disengaging FWA on the move is a "requirement" but being unable to do this is a serious inconvenience.

I will use my L6060 mostly for mowing. Some of my parcels are very steep, all are irregularly shaped and some have many obstacles.

Being an engineer and lifetime mechanic, as well as one who is particular about my ground cover, I do not engage FWA unless needed. FWA is often needed for braking on some of my steep parcels. It is also sometimes needed to help prevent the tractor from sliding sideways on steep slopes (don't worry, I'm an expert) or otherwise to assist with steering. As a result, I routinely engage/disengage FWA while mowing. I do this currently with my MF 2635 and my 1994 Kubota B1750HST/MMM, used to cut my lawn. Of course, the B1750 does use a dog clutch but I have sufficient common sense so as to not engage FWA when turning tightly, etc. Of course, the FWA system on the L6060 may be similar to that on the B1750HST, allowing knowledgeable engagement/disengagement on the move.If this is so, I will have no serious issue. I have not yet even started my 6060.

By way of comparison, I once owned a 2008 NH T4050 Deluxe. Like the L6060, the Deluxe version of the T4050 was the top of the line model with all of the bells and whistles. It had electric over hydraulic FWA as well as both front and rear electric over hydraulic differential lock. Any/all could be engaged/disengaged regardless of conditions. Indeed, all could be put under the control of the computer such that any/all were automitically engaged/disengaged.

Before buying the L6060, I was well aware that it did not have computer controlled electric over hydraulic FWA (let alone differential lock (either F or R)) but it did not occur to me that the FWA might require a full stop to engage/disengage. Such requirement negates at least some of the advantagegs of a hydrostatic transmission for my purposes.

SDT

 

[TripleR]

FWIW, I "can" engage/disengage at a slow roll just like on our BX, but the lever is such a bear for me to use (bad left arm), I just stop anyway. My manual says I have to use the clutch also, but I don't. Let us know once you get the chance to use yours.

 

[TSO]

I have never heard of a compact tractor with FWA (4x4) that allows for a synchronized shift into FWA. If you're mowing and you are worried about traction in a particular area, just engage the FWA and leave it there... finish that area... then pause for a moment to take it back out of FWA. Seems pretty simple.