Buying Advice Quarter-inching Valve

[tractorshopper]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and thanks Bird for the link. I've been using the term draft incorrectly for quite a while now.

I won't use much sub soil implement so draft is not an issue at all for what I would need.

For position control, which is my true concern, I have so far only found one small tractor with this feature and that's the cub/yanmar, but I'm not sure it's enough of a big deal to steer me that way. I really like the Kubota's and really like my local dealer.

Seems my biggest problem with qtr inching will be while bush hogging several times per year.

 

[James Loehr]

I have an L3130 with position control and my new BX2360 without. If I would not had the L and just one tractor I would have went with a 2X20 deere with it. For a bush hog there is nothing that will work as nice.

 

[Bird]

I had a 1995 Kubota B7100 without position control. I used a tiller, brush hog, box blade, etc. with it. And of course, I then had a B2710 that did have postion control. I much, much prefer position control, but it's certainly not a real necessity; lots of people use lots of tractors without it.

 

[ChuckinNH]

For bush hogging, you can set the lower limit by moving a stop under the right fender, and that will allow you to go back repeatidly to the same mowing height. It is a bit of a trial, and error to get it set, but it does work. Bird is right, of course that thousands of folks use, and get jobs done with Kubotas that don't have position control. I'm not sure that justifies Kubota leaving it off to save a few bucks though. The 2000 series John Deeres have position control too as do the 1500 series Masseys, the Mahindras, and the Kioti. Kubota is the only one without it on tractors this size, and slightly larger.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I've had a tractor (L3240) with position control and some tractors without, BX1500, B7800, BX2350, B3200, BX2660, BX25, F2680 (not a tractor but raises and lowers deck) and BX2200. I would never consider having or not having position control as a determining factor of buying one tractor brand over another tractor brand. Position control is good/better but as a determining factor, I think not! I do not brush hog but have utilized most of the other listed implements. I had a RFM which has some similiar features/uses as Brush hog/rotary mower.

 

[TripleR]

For bush hogging, you can set the lower limit by moving a stop under the right fender, and that will allow you to go back repeatidly to the same mowing height. It is a bit of a trial, and error to get it set, but it does work. Bird is right, of course that thousands of folks use, and get jobs done with Kubotas that don't have position control. I'm not sure that justifies Kubota leaving it off to save a few bucks though. The 2000 series John Deeres have position control too as do the 1500 series Masseys, the Mahindras, and the Kioti. Kubota is the only one without it on tractors this size, and slightly larger.

Actually only some of the 2000 Series John Deeres have position control; my 2305 does not.

 

[KU Gator]

And with the small Deeres, I think you are giving up the 3 range HST, so there always seems to be trade-offs.

The B2630 has the position control and some recent buyers/posters have said they got discounts which may make them more competitive with the 2X20 series.

John Thomas - RFM's have wheels on all 4 corners of the mower to carry the weight so, you drop it and go. The rotary mower is heavy with usually only 1 wheel in the back, at most two, but none up front, so the weight must be carried by the 3pt hitch. You can set a rough adjustment of the rear wheel and then ideally want the front of the mower just slightly lower than the height of the back of the mower. Easy enough to set, but with the 1/4" valve, it won't stay set at that position. It sags lower as you mow, so you have to make adjustments as you go. If you get lost in the second verse of She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy, you look back and see the front of the mower is on the ground.

 

[Yankee]

I would never consider having or not having position control as a determining factor of buying one tractor brand over another tractor brand. Position control is good/better but as a determining factor, I think not!

Depends on your usage. If I spent most of my tractor time mowing or doing FEL work, no problem at all. The more the usage leans to 3pt ground-engaging implements, the more irritating the lack of position control can be. Grading with the quarter-inching valve is tedious. Set approximate position, then bump, bump, bump. Too high, too low, try again. Lift the implement, say for a turn, start all over again. Combine that with no top/tilt, and it's no wonder people get frustrated.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Depends on your usage. If I spent most of my tractor time mowing or doing FEL work, no problem at all. The more the usage leans to 3pt ground-engaging implements, the more irritating the lack of position control can be. Grading with the quarter-inching valve is tedious. Set approximate position, then bump, bump, bump. Too high, too low, try again. Lift the implement, say for a turn, start all over again. Combine that with no top/tilt, and it's no wonder people get frustrated.

Totally agree. I had position control on a L3240 and combined with the extendable arms was great but my uses are mostly mowing, FEL and ocassional 3PH use. I bought 3ph Quick hitches early on and doubt I'd go without them. For someone to not pay $70 for a QH is beyond me.

 

[red4now]

Depends on your usage. If I spent most of my tractor time mowing or doing FEL work, no problem at all. The more the usage leans to 3pt ground-engaging implements, the more irritating the lack of position control can be. Grading with the quarter-inching valve is tedious. Set approximate position, then bump, bump, bump. Too high, too low, try again. Lift the implement, say for a turn, start all over again. Combine that with no top/tilt, and it's no wonder people get frustrated.

Totally agree - add to that if you come from a background of using position control your whole life and then not have it - very frustrating - and if you regularly jump from one tractor to another and the one does not have it - here again frustrating. And I could not get used to the squeal from the hydraulic system - seems unnecessary.