Buying Advice Many People Seem to Favor Kubota over Deere on TractorByNet.

[SPYDERLK]

BUT... Many, many, many people do not understand the priceless utility of the split brake capability on a tractor. Thats why it has taken many years for the mfgs to respond to the need for them to be opposite the "go pedal(s)"

,,On a gear tractor the clutch is the go pedal. On an HST the treadle is.
larry

With my current tractors I have left side split brakes and right side pedals for forward and reverse. My mowers have the right side F and R pedals and the brake pedal mounted over them. After many years of use I find that brakes on all four of these are rarely used even on steep hills. The only thing I use the mower brake pedal for is to depress and start it and to park it, never need it for traveling and braking. I find the same thing to be true with the compact tractors except I have used the split pedals at row ends for tight turning on occasion. These newer tractors are operated quite differently from the older 2wd gear tractors where split brakes were the normal way of making tight turns. The new compacts with their short wheel base are easily turned around without the need for split braking in most cases. The older 2wd narrow front tractors could turn on a dime but they had other stability issues that outweighed this convenience.

I use the brake pedal on my 3032E for parking and the diff lock feature only. If you let off the hydro pedal it stops real quick. Absolutely no need for independent brakes on these compact tractors

... Here are the 1st two.

 

[xtn]

I don't hardly ever have a need for the brakes on my HST tractor either. In fact I'm annoyed that I've got to set the parking brake to keep from getting beeped at after engine shutoff. But it was fun showing my son what the independent brakes are for!

 

[oldpilgrim]

Deere made a decision some years back that small dealers that couldn't meet their revenue requirements would be phased out, and they were unceremoniously axed/rolled into larger dealerships. It felt that was a defining moment for a company, where customer satisfaction, long-time dealer and customer loyalty, and established relationships were eclipsed by a company demanding a stronger bottom line--they no longer wanted to waste their corporate resources on the lawn and garden crowd if they couldn't generate "x" dollars in revenue. They did their math, they formed a strategy, they focused their efforts where they felt they'd be most profitable. More populated areas that could hit the target on small machines stayed, the smaller ones went.
All companies need to be profitable, but it is the assemblage of customers that make them so. Years ago 'made in the USA' was a strength of JD's business, but as they've outsourced (the rule for companies squeezing tenths of a cent out of each fastener), 'assembled in the USA' is about all you could hope for now. No different than automakers.
They made decisions that opened the door for other lines to get firmly established in that smaller market and earn a reputation--good, bad, or otherwise--and creep up the frame size/hp ladder. Had JD's resources been put into squashing competition early on, the situation would probably be different--they are massive, and market well.

yup exactly.

The local dealer of JD, for over 50 years, was given the axe about 10-15 years ago when JD 'centralized' their sales in a huge one stop dealership in the area. The JD owners in the area had to give up their long time relationships and trusts to a new cold mega shop. The former JD dealers either went away or took on other lines.

The dealer I bought my Mahindra from took on the 'red' line after JD dumped them, and have built up a good following with this brand.

The owner, whom I've known for over 25 years, told me that they are very happy, now, (they weren't then) with the loss of the JD. Sales are better. They are a relatively small family run business and they said they simply couldn't keep up with the repairs need by the JD's.

It seems most companies like JD sooner or later get to the point where they forget that the customer is the reason they got large in the first place.

BTW, most people still think that all JD's are 'Made in USA'.

At my job, I was tasked by the BOD to get a new tractor. It had to be a JD as they wanted an American made machine. I got a Deere but it was made on Germany.

When I had the cellar for my new house dug, I asked the excavator guy how he like his Japanese Deere. He told me it was a Deere and it was American made. I pointed out the plate under the seat that said "Made in Kobe, Japan".

Somehow JD has managed to keep that Made in USA image.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I don't hardly ever have a need for the brakes on my HST tractor either. In fact I'm annoyed that I've got to set the parking brake to keep from getting beeped at after engine shutoff. But it was fun showing my son what the independent brakes are for!

Make sure he assimilates the nuances of their utility in all situations of direction and traction control where the basic platform is at its limit.

 

[Ford850]

... Here are the 1st two.

Exactly what I was thinking. It seems like their purpose is not realized, or that maybe since people don't use them they don't know how handy they can be. Or of course maybe others don't find themselves on the brink of getting stuck as often as I do. I especially like the way I can hop left and right around trees as I creep out of a woods pulling logs. Those split brakes are like magic to me.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

BUT... Many, many, many people do not understand the priceless utility of the split brake capability on a tractor. Thats why it has taken many years for the mfgs to respond to the need for them to be opposite the "go pedal(s)"

,,On a gear tractor the clutch is the go pedal. On an HST the treadle is.
larry

The split brakes on the Kioti NX series are on the left side and for HST machine, side-by-side forward and reverse pedals are on the right side. Since I'm doing utility work, rather than row crop work, I keep my brakes linked. Commercial snow plowing using smallish (135hp) crop row tractors I found accidental differential braking to be a bit dangerous on slopes.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Exactly what I was thinking. It seems like their purpose is not realized, or that maybe since people don't use them they don't know how handy they can be. Or of course maybe others don't find themselves on the brink of getting stuck as often as I do. I especially like the way I can hop left and right around trees as I creep out of a woods pulling logs. Those split brakes are like magic to me.

Its a connection that some take to immediately and others have to be forced into - sometimes over and over. I dont know why.

When I was a kid, Dad showed me the split brakes on our JD 2010. The idea for turning and for dealing with unequal drive wheel traction hit home instantly as I recall. ... Some time after, Dad came in on foot from bushogging. He had the tractor stuck on a tree snagged between the right rear wheel and bushog. The tree prevented uncoupling the hog. Dad came for the chain saw and I went with him to help. It was just as he said - nice tree - dangerous cut. I saw the geometry and told Dad to stand on the righthand brake, turn the wheels full right and ease ahead. Done. Dad had taught me but somehow didnt see. :confused3:
,,,larry

 

[oldpilgrim]

My 2wd Ferguson's split brakes got me unstuck more times than I can count. They also kept me going straight while snow plowing every time I did it.

No way can I work the brakes and treadle with one foot on my new tractor, but I haven't needed to with the 4wd.

 

[SPYDERLK]

The split brakes on the Kioti NX series are on the left side and for HST machine, side-by-side forward and reverse pedals are on the right side. Since I'm doing utility work, rather than row crop work, I keep my brakes linked. Commercial snow plowing using smallish (135hp) crop row tractors I found accidental differential braking to be a bit dangerous on slopes.

Thats another 2 problems:

,,1] Ergonomy, where established, has not necessarily been preserved. Hitting the brakes dead center should be natural and favored. Hitting off center should require a conscious yet convenient choice.
,,2] Brakes should not have to be joined for parking. Both pedals should lock. Having to rejoin brakes every time you stop on an incline makes it inconvenient to use the brakes split, and thus prevents becoming familiar with their use.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Thats another 2 problems:

,,1] Ergonomy, where established, has not necessarily been preserved. Hitting the brakes dead center should be natural and favored. Hitting off center should require a conscious yet convenient choice.
,,2] Brakes should not have to be joined for parking. Both pedals should lock. Having to rejoin brakes every time you stop on an incline makes it inconvenient to use the brakes split, and thus prevents becoming familiar with their use.

The prior owner of the Kubotas saw fit to remove the linked brake feature. Linking brakes is not necessary to park either the Kiotis or the Kubotas. The brakes are weak on the 135s and on a slope and when plowing in an environment where everybody is moving around you, operator focus tends to be on not killing anybody in lemming mode and deadset on becoming street pizza by wandering into your path in the mistaken assumption they've developed over their lives, that they have the right of way, always and in every possible circumstance.

The Kubotas are power shuttle, but the pedals are in the same locations as I described on my Kioti, with the exception that to the left of the brakes is the clutch when needed and the gas pedal on the right side works just like in a car.