Quarter Inching..

[BrierPatch]

First, we are all wishing Chuck the very best health!!!

Second, I asked Chuck if he'd review this on a thread, again, because the 1/4" gets a ton of negative press here on TBN. I'm also convinced that an OEM like Kubota would not have developed and installed a system that is totally garbage as some like to call it. I'd like to believe it is a system that intended for small subcut and cuts to WORK. No, it isn't draft control, but how does it work best? I, for one, need these kinds of threads.

That said, the history of this system shows clearly that everyone from Kubota in their training and manuals right down through their dealership networks are quite ill-informed about the system. Thus, the consumer is adrift and left with a anti-Kubota gripe.

I thank Chuck for once again reviewing this much needed information. Hopefully, more and more owners will come to better understand the system and how to use it effectively, such as it is.

I have to agree. I am really surprised that the manual and dealers do not cover this better. Even the stops aren't the best. When I loosen them up to adjust them they don't seem to have a positive tab to line up with the lever slot and therefore may not stick out enough to engage the 3pt lever and almost makes them non exsistant.

Definetly required reading for any new owner of a B2x20. :thumbsup:

 

[snpower]

I'm sure it does. Did you look under the right rear wheel fender to see if you have adjustable stops? You have to pull the 3PH lever in toward the seat while you raise/lower it to engage the stops. Check it out.

Ok I believe I see the stops but even if I pull the lever IN towards the seat while also moving it in either direction I don't get a change in speed.

Now I learned thanks to this thread that if I push/pull the lever and release it will move the 3PH up or down in increments. Is there something else I am missing?

 

[TripleR]

Ok I believe I see the stops but even if I pull the lever IN towards the seat while also moving it in either direction I don't get a change in speed.

Now I learned thanks to this thread that if I push/pull the lever and release it will move the 3PH up or down in increments. Is there something else I am missing?

On my BX2660, "bumping" it against the stops gets the 1/4" increments. I don't believe the BX is as adjustable as the B Series. I control how much it goes up or down by how far I move the lever and once it gets to the desired point, I return it to the center position.

Actually now when I need precision, I just go get another tractor, but I have done it with the BX2660. The 1/4" system is much better than that on my old BX2200 or our John Deere 2305.

 

[snpower]

I wonder if I need to adjust those stops so that the lever comes in solid contact with them?

 

[SPYDERLK]

On my BX2660, "bumping" it against the stops gets the 1/4" increments. I don't believe the BX is as adjustable as the B Series. I control how much it goes up or down by how far I move the lever and once it gets to the desired point, I return it to the center position.

Actually now when I need precision, I just go get another tractor, but I have done it with the BX2660. The 1/4" system is much better than that on my old BX2200 or our John Deere 2305.

Does it go down the same regardless of implement weight? Perhaps the adjustment just limits the time the valve is operated per flick?
larry

 

[ChuckinNH]

There are some variables, and some good issues to consider that have been mentioned here. What I found on my B2620 was that the further I moved those stepped stops towards the top / rear of the fender, the longer, and faster the implement moved until it got to the point it was when I received it, and there was no difference when using the inside, or outside slot. As I moved that stop closer to the center of the slot, the speed the implement raised, and lowered, and the amount it moved got both slower, and smaller. I used it for quite a while when the implement would only move a quarter inch or so with each movement of the handle, or raise / lower very slowly with the lever in that inside slot. Movement in the outside slot didn't seem to change with these adjustments. It would be best if each purchaser would be given this training / demonstration when he buys the tractor.

 

[oldballs]

:thumbsup:Thanks, Chuck. I never did understand the QIV thing. So I just reviewed the owner manual and per this thread looked under the right fender where those "stops" are installed. They don't look like they would "stop" anything as manufactured. But now I'm going to experiment. When grading a gravel drive, keeping the blade where I want it takes a constant eye over one's shoulder as to where the rear blade is cutting in while I work the hydraulic control. Up to now, it's just been a hit and miss operation. Thanks again for initiating this discussion.

 

[TripleR]

Does it go down the same regardless of implement weight? Perhaps the adjustment just limits the time the valve is operated per flick?
larry

On mine weight of the implement does matter, heavier, further, but I lower mine incrementally without using quarter inching which works better for me.

I really only now use quarter inching when hooking up to implements which is nice.

As mentioned in previous threads, since my wife retired and I bought another tractor, I rarely use "her" BX.

 

[CHDinCT]

I wonder if I need to adjust those stops so that the lever comes in solid contact with them?

On the BX, the stops stick out so little it can be hard to make sure the lever contacts them. I think I bent them a little on my first BX to get the lever to engage them better. Also, like Chuck outlined, if the stops are too close to neutral, the hitch won't move. If that's your case, adjust them out more until you get the desired result. I still need to adjust them on my BX25, but the backhoe is on most of the time.

 

[ChuckinNH]

One of these days maybe I'll run a "real" tractor and get a good feel for how much more I could do with one. I've had my share of muscle cars, and drove another one yesterday (Bullit 350 Mustang........numbered edition). That brought back many memories, but these days doing things on my land when I have precice control of more power seems more fitting, and rewarding. I know a Grand L wouldn't fit in many places on my trails, an L just might, and a larger B would. I have come to a section now that is going to be difficult to navigate with my B, and it will feel small, and light in that giant's marble playground.

 

[TripleR]

One of these days maybe I'll run a "real" tractor and get a good feel for how much more I could do with one. I've had my share of muscle cars, and drove another one yesterday (Bandit 350 Mustang........numbered edition). That brought back many memories, but these days doing things on my land when I have precice control of more power seems more fitting, and rewarding. I know a Grand L wouldn't fit in many places on my trails, an L just might, and a larger B would. I have come to a section now that is going to be difficult to navigate with my B, and it will feel small, and light in that giant's marble playground.

I know what you mean Chuck, I have owned a couple of muscle cars SS396 and Olds 442 with 455 engine, but my brother in law brought his new Corvette over the other day and about a month ago my son in law bought a special edition Camaro and neither did much for me; prefer my tractor.:thumbsup:

As to tractors remember the old saying, "Bigger isn't always better, sometimes it is just bigger."

 

[snpower]

On the BX, the stops stick out so little it can be hard to make sure the lever contacts them. I think I bent them a little on my first BX to get the lever to engage them better. Also, like Chuck outlined, if the stops are too close to neutral, the hitch won't move. If that's your case, adjust them out more until you get the desired result. I still need to adjust them on my BX25, but the backhoe is on most of the time.

I'll give this a whirl! Thanks.

 

[skspurling]

I've played with the setup myself, and had some success.
My main beef is that I can't get the lever to flick in the downward direction. If I try to flick it to the stop, the 3PH just stars dropping at a slower speed. It doesn't return to the middle like it does when I flick it to raise an increment.
I'd like to be able to flick it down, like I can in the upwards direction, so can control my box blade a touch better when I find that it is just a tad high while grading.
Once I got it adjusted and the upward motion started working it was like night and day. Still not perfect, because of the downward issue, but very usable. I think I would prefer this to a position control for a lot of things of it were adjusted properly at delivery. Why don't dealers ever set this up. I would think that this little bit of adjustment would earn them some very faithful customers. These are the kinds of intangibles that don't cost much in labor, but could pay off big in satisfaction. I remember a few years back when things were starting to go sour with the economy, my employer asked what types of things that didn't have monetary value they could supply instead of the money for raises they didn't have. Same idea here. There is some cost related to the labor to do adjustments, but they already have to setup and check out the equipment. Take the extra time and make it shine.

 

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

I wonder if I need to adjust those stops so that the lever comes in solid contact with them?

What I did with my Bx2350 and I would suggest others do the same was simply to take the QIV stops off and bend them towards the wheel perhaps twenty or so degrees so that they stick out a little further, it's no big deal as they are made of the typical gold kubota tin and are really easy to bend. Do this and you QIV problems are pretty much over and it takes less than ten minutes.

Why Kubota makes them straight is beyond me but then again Kubota does a lot of stuff like this. I guess it's let the owner do the R&D, saves them big bucks and they don't have to think.

 

[snpower]

What I did with my Bx2350 and I would suggest others do the same was simply to take the QIV stops off and bend them towards the wheel perhaps twenty or so degrees so that they stick out a little further, it's no big deal as they are made of the typical gold kubota tin and are really easy to bend. Do this and you QIV problems are pretty much over and it takes less than ten minutes.

Why Kubota makes them straight is beyond me but then again Kubota does a lot of stuff like this. I guess it's let the owner do the R&D, saves them big bucks and they don't have to think.

I'll do this tomorrow; thanks!

 

[ChuckinNH]

I've played with the setup myself, and had some success.
My main beef is that I can't get the lever to flick in the downward direction. If I try to flick it to the stop, the 3PH just stars dropping at a slower speed. It doesn't return to the middle like it does when I flick it to raise an increment.
I'd like to be able to flick it down, like I can in the upwards direction, so can control my box blade a touch better when I find that it is just a tad high while grading.
Once I got it adjusted and the upward motion started working it was like night and day. Still not perfect, because of the downward issue, but very usable. I think I would prefer this to a position control for a lot of things of it were adjusted properly at delivery. Why don't dealers ever set this up. I would think that this little bit of adjustment would earn them some very faithful customers. These are the kinds of intangibles that don't cost much in labor, but could pay off big in satisfaction. I remember a few years back when things were starting to go sour with the economy, my employer asked what types of things that didn't have monetary value they could supply instead of the money for raises they didn't have. Same idea here. There is some cost related to the labor to do adjustments, but they already have to setup and check out the equipment. Take the extra time and make it shine.

Did you try to adjust the bottom stop so it is closer to the middle of the length of the slot. Also, there are some springs on the adjustment rod that controls the lower limit stop, and those may help return the lever to the middle when adjusted right too.

 

[skspurling]

Did you try to adjust the bottom stop so it is closer to the middle of the length of the slot. Also, there are some springs on the adjustment rod that controls the lower limit stop, and those may help return the lever to the middle when adjusted right too.

There are? I have the spring for up, but not for down... didn't think there would have been one. It would interefere with the float position (all the way forward).

 

[ChuckinNH]

There are? I have the spring for up, but not for down... didn't think there would have been one. It would interefere with the float position (all the way forward).

You are right on those springs....... my bad. I was thinking of something else when I wrote that. I'll check mine later to see how it does return, though I do know that it will stay all the way forward in the outer slot for the float as you suggest.

 

[snpower]

I bent the stops out and now the lever can make contact. When it does, the 3PH moves down ever so slowly and precisely. Is this what I am looking for?

 

[CHDinCT]

I bent the stops out and now the lever can make contact. When it does, the 3PH moves down ever so slowly and precisely. Is this what I am looking for?

Almost. The way it was demonstrated to me is to rapidly pull or push the lever to the stop and back to neutral. Each quick pull and release will move the hitch about a quarter inch. Try doing that in rapid fire fashion and see if your hitch moves in small increments. That's how the quarter inching feature is suppose to work, though I guess it's good too for slow movement if you hold it at the stops.