Buying Advice special needs kid

[thebonepile]

I have a special needs kid, who I would like to get him interested in tractor operating.

I have him drive my hydro drive JD D160 lawn mower around, but he is not real coordinated with his feet, especially right foot

There are so many kubota models (I am a little more familiar with New Holland numbers and history)
Which models would have a gear drive with a left hand reverser with a neutral in the middle - like on the later CaseIH Maxxums

I am not wild about a true HST - hate the whine - and foot operated....... looking for just a drive around tractor - then teach him loader stuff, etc......

Thoughts, suggestions.....
Prob in the 30HP range.....I see kubota has GST models...is that the only ones that I am talking about?

 

[wagne223]

Please don't take anything I'm about to say as disrespectful. I'm just your average non politically correct country boy.
None of us know what level of "special needs" you are referring, so I will only go off what you said about his feet.
In order to safely operate any style tractor, the operator needs very good coordination with all extremities. While a person may be able to move the tractor around with limited use, they may not be able to quickly disengage the clutch, or apply the breaks in an emergency.
All this is assuming he has the mental ability to know how to avoid catastrophe.
Please remember tractors are not toys or for joyriding. They are tools that can be very dangerous.
I know you enjoy your tractor and want your son to feel the same enjoyment, just make sure he can do so safely. There are too many horror stories involving tractors, mowers and farm equipment.

 

[scdeerslayer]

From the literature on their website it looks like the standard L series is like my MX5200, you've got a H-L range selector and F-N-R selector on the left side, and 1-4 selector in the floorboard under the steering wheel. L2501 and L3301 would probably be the ones you want to look at.

Got to ask though, if his feet aren't very coordinated, will he be able to work the clutch and brake pedals?

 

[Sid Post]

Please don't take anything I'm about to say as disrespectful. I'm just your average non politically correct country boy.
None of us know what level of "special needs" you are referring, so I will only go off what you said about his feet.
In order to safely operate any style tractor, the operator needs very good coordination with all extremities. While a person may be able to move the tractor around with limited use, they may not be able to quickly disengage the clutch, or apply the breaks in an emergency.
All this is assuming he has the mental ability to know how to avoid catastrophe.
Please remember tractors are not toys or for joyriding. They are tools that can be very dangerous.
I know you enjoy your tractor and want your son to feel the same enjoyment, just make sure he can do so safely. There are too many horror stories involving tractors, mowers and farm equipment.

People without Special Needs die each year in tractor roll overs and other mishaps. 'Joy riding' a lawn tractor without the mower deck has its hazzards but, they are less than a 'real' tractor where speeds are greater, the CG is higher, and operator demands are higher.

 

[Rustyiron]

I commend you for what your doing. You know your boy and what he's capable of and from what I've seen, if they get interested in something they can/will put all they got into that. Any kid can and will get hurt, and you do what you can to prevent that. To me, sticking a kid in a room with a computer just because it's safe is not right. Converting a hydro to a left pedal operation would not seem to be that difficult if it would help him.:thumbsup:

 

[kthompson]

theboneyard, I agree fully with Rustyiron on all points. Understand the whine of the hydro and also the shuttle shift as I have both but hydro on a 27 hp Kubota. May I suggest ear muffs. With hydro you do not use your brakes near as much as any type of gear transmission. You will still need to use the clutch to shift into a range and possibly the pto.

 

[aczlan]

theboneyard, I agree fully with Rustyiron on all points. Understand the whine of the hydro and also the shuttle shift as I have both but hydro on a 27 hp Kubota. May I suggest ear muffs. With hydro you do not use your brakes near as much as any type of gear transmission. You will still need to use the clutch to shift into a range and possibly the pto.

We have both hydro and GST, I have also driven a gear tractor (the tractor I learned to drive a tractor with)
For someone who is just starting to drive a tractor and is special needs, I wouldn't go with anything but a hydro for the simple reason that if you take your foot off of the forward pedal, it stops. Can't say that about a gear or GST transmission.

Aaron Z

 

[JimP]

Every person with special needs has different skills and abilities, but a special needs child or adult can absolutely run equipment safely if he or she has the skill and training. My son has downs. When he was young he started riding with me when I cut the lawn. Later we put blocks on the John Deere lawn tractor so he could reach the pedals and cut grass. Today he was running the Kubota 5460 by himself picking up logs and branches with a grapple and moving them to a burn pile. He has no problem safely running the 5460 or a 9 ton excavator or a gator or a pickup truck. All of this is hydrostatic or automatic and to me this added a level of safety - let go of the controls and the equipment stops. Not sure how he would do with a standard shift and clutch setup or a clutch and reverser as we haven't tried. Start slow with lots of discussion beforehand and supervision at first and progress at his or her speed. Be patient and good luck. Jim.

 

[tcreeley]

When I learned to drive a tractor as a kid it was on an old ford. Set the throttle. Step on the clutch. Put it in gear. 1st. Let off the clutch. Go forward. Steer. Step on the clutch to stop. Get it out of gear. I went driving all over the pasture.

Take the mower deck off of an old lawn mower tractor and have him drive that around, or get an old go cart - gas, brake, steer.

He might do well with an old ztr minus the mower deck that only requires you to use your hands.

It all builds.

 

[Wagtail]

Is there a way to set up the FWD/REV as some sort of hand control?

Like a self-centring joystick or motorcycle twist-throttle?

 

[Newtocvt]

My ih hydro had forward and reverse hand control with left hand and throttle with right hand. Right pedal was brakes and you almost never need it with the hydro. Left foot is what they call the foot and inch pedal kinda like a clutch.

 

[TheMan419]

Cars are converted to hand controls for ppl with disabilities. Might look into a conversion reversing hst pedals and brake.

Glad you are taking the time to figure out how your son can safely do it.

 

[daugen]

Cars are converted to hand controls for ppl with disabilities. Might look into a conversion reversing hst pedals and brake.

Glad you are taking the time to figure out how your son can safely do it.

:thumbsup:

that was my thought after reading that the boy/young man(age is a big unknown here) was having problems with
foot coordination on a relatively simple lawn mower. If the coordination skills focus on his upper body why not use hand controls.

Everyone thinking about kids and equipment almost immediately cringes over safety concerns. Desire to protect is way higher than desire
to operate a tractor, which of course is where learning good safety rules is critical. If the boy understands them and can be as safe as any of us, within
his limited abilities and usage of equipment, gosh go for it.

I'm becoming more physically restrictive and who knows what I'll need to keep using a tractor, safely and competently.
Concerns over operation are for both the young and old; the unknowns with special needs is mental competency. Knowing when to drop the bucket on a loader
for example to avoid a rollover. It's of course not just the steering and shifting.

Bonepile you've been a member for a long time here. You shouldn't give out personal information on your son's disability if that is what it is for his own privacy
reasons later on in life. So we don't want to be nosy...just helpful.
If we knew his age and how long he has been operating machinery, and what machinery worked well and what didn't, that might help.

Frankly this is helpful for me "on the way out" while here we are trying to help someone "on the way in".
I hope we can.

 

[daugen]

Hand Control Levers
tractor with hand controls - YouTube

 

[radioman]

well -- the op would NOT be posting here if he felt his level of would be too dangerous to operate machinery . that being said -- i understand about the hst pedal whines - but you got to understand something -- its the most simplest setup you can get for forward and backward driving. i think the kubota style like the bx with rocker hst pedal is the best setup. some like john deere hst they have two hst pedals and you have to switch foot to the right or left for one to other with the foot. its seems all simple to us but can be confusing for some. with the kubota hst its either forward with toes or heel for backup.

 

[dieselcrawler]

I'll stay away from the safety concerns, and touch on the technical aspects of the OP questions. Some brands of hst whine worse than others, even one model in a certain brand more than another. A buddy of mine had a JD, HATED it due to the intense hst whine, traded it in recently, much happier with his new, much quieter JD. In my opinion, Kubota has the quietest HST. Another buddy has a Kubota L4310, and we have discussed adding a left side or hand HST control, to allow effective use of the cutting (individual) brake pedals, which are on the right just above the HST pedal. Makes for some fancy foot work when you REALLY need that cutting action from hitting only one brake and moving... as a competent fabricator, I know I could come up with a solution, if I can, some one near you also can.

OP: Good luck, I hope you can help your son find the tractor operating enjoyment we all here share. The extent to which a parent will go to help a child can't be measured. Good luck, be safe, and happy Father's day!

 

[tcreeley]

I can't use my right leg on my tractor due to my arthritis. I have a gear tracor. I still needed the brake so I set the brakes to work together and bolted a piece of rebar on to the brake lever with 2 u bolts. I drilled a wood top to fit over the handle and bent the rebar so it would be at the right angle to not interfere. I have a usable hand brake. Seems like you could do something of the same for your hydro pedal.
View attachment brak.JPG

 

[lennyzx11]

I can't use my right leg on my tractor due to my arthritis. I have a gear tracor. I still needed the brake so I set the brakes to work together and bolted a piece of rebar on to the brake lever with 2 u bolts. I drilled a wood top to fit over the handle and bent the rebar so it would be at the right angle to not interfere. I have a usable hand brake. Seems like you could do something of the same for your hydro pedal.
View attachment 512802

This is an excellent idea!

Version 2.0 could be a pivot bracket With individual levers mounted above the pedals that when the handle was PULLED, the pedals would be PUSHED.

My 3301hst has the asinine right foot HST treadle and brake pedals also. Near worthless.

 

[daugen]

I hope you all won't think I'm a complete idiot by asking this but are brakes really that critical on a hydrostatic utility tractor. I can honestly say in five years I have not used the brakes on my Kubota except for the parking brake.
That doesn't mean I wouldn't want to have them and I know what they are used for in snow and the dirt; just never had to do that.

My Kubota drives like a car. My Massey is the total opposite, hands and feet flying to keep an all manual tractor moving. I would sure think a physically or even mentally challenged operator would want the simplicity of hydrostatic. Now if Dad needs to earn a living from the tractor and just wants his son to ride, big difference.

fascinating to go on YouTube and see all the handicap tractor conversions. Lifts, arm controls, where there is a will, there is a way.

 

[Wagtail]

I hope you all won't think I'm a complete idiot by asking this but are brakes really that critical on a hydrostatic utility tractor. I can honestly say in five years I have not used the brakes on my Kubota except for the parking brake.
That doesn't mean I wouldn't want to have them and I know what they are used for in snow and the dirt; just never had to do that.

They are extremely important if you are in neutral and on any angle of slope! (definite 'pucker' moment for me once)

They are important if you are in H, (M) or L and driving up/down on any angle of slope... especially in REV.

You're correct that, like you, I don't use my brakes around my own property with its maximum of 2 degrees of slope. But, good LORD, I've come to realise the value of brakes whilst helping to bring in the hay-round harvest in the hills of Pyengana.