Tractor Ergonomics

[LBrown59]

I got on my neighbor's Cub Cadet HST...a simple lawn tractor...and the HST pedals were a similar principal to the new BX design. They were probably more comfortable to use in straight forward and reverse, I guess, but efficiently swapping between the two was more difficult because it forces you to shift your foot. I actually had to look down to find reverse, but I'm sure I would get used to it.
.

I have a CC GT2554 tractor with the same HST pedals ; and yes occasionally I hit the wrong one and go the wrong way.
This has never happened with my BX1500 or BX23 with single petals..
== L B ==

 

[66gladiator]

Tip:
To reverse, slide your foot to the right, hook your big toe under the forward pedal, and pull up.

A customer shared that with me and it works like a charm on the BXXX50/BX24.

 

[mswlogo]

Tip:
To reverse, slide your foot to the right, hook your big toe under the forward pedal, and pull up.

A customer shared that with me and it works like a charm on the BXXX50/BX24.

Clever, you could probably add a little boot cup on the pedal to be able to push and lift pedal.

 

[Renob]

Which could be fatal in a teagious situation.



LB,

I am always trying to expand my vocabulary. I tried to find "teagious" in several references, but failed. Could you please provide a definition.

Thanks,

 

[LBrown59]

Which could be fatal in a teagious situation.



LB,

I am always trying to expand my vocabulary. I tried to find "teagious" in several references, but failed. Could you please provide a definition.

Thanks,

delicate / fragile
== L B ==

 

[LBrown59]

Which could be fatal in a teagious situation.
LB,
I am always trying to expand my vocabulary. I tried to find "teagious" in several references, but failed. Could you please provide a definition.
Thanks,

It must be a slang pronunciation just as Ain't is.
Probably why you can't find a reference for it.
Apparently you've never heard the word or the pronunciation or you would have known exactly what I meant without having to quiz me about it.
**
That's one of the disadvantages of the written word you can't hear the audible sound of the word nor can you spell it the way it sounds.

 

[Renob]

It must be a slang pronunciation just as Ain't is.
Probably why you can't find a reference for it.
Apparently you've never heard the word or the pronunciation or you would have known exactly what I meant without having to quiz me about it.
**
.

Thanks for setting me straight on a word that I couldn't find a defintion for in any reference material.

I certainly didn't mean to quiz you on anything.....Must be my "teagious" superciliousness.

 

[Harry c]

It's interesting how differently people look at things. Someone noted that one of the reasons they bought a BX23 instead of the BX24 was their preference for the rocking treadle. I bought the BX24 much because of the seperate pedals. One of my co-workers own a Terramite Loader backhoe. If you're not familiar, its a construction tractor slightly larger than a BX, maybe a little smaller than a B21. Anyway, shortly before I bought the BX24, David was backfilling around the basement of his under-construction new house. It was kinda like the situation LB59 described in an earlier post where he was approaching a serious hole in front of him. The Terramite has an HST with a treadle. Just as he reached the edge of the hole, the tractor hit a bump, David slipped forward on the seat, instinctively caught himself on the treadle and drove right off into the basement. Fortunately, he wasn't seriously injured although he was pretty bruised and had to get a wrecker to fish out the Terramite. With the two pedal design, you keep the foot on the floor and use either the heel or toe to move the pedal. I tried both designs and for me, the 2 pedal system is definitely an improvement.
As a side note, the BX24 brake locks things down pretty well. If I forget to release it when I start to move, I get a big whine from the tranny and no forward progress. I did notice in the parts diagrams that the 23 actually has a seperate brake for each wheel while the 24 has only one brake.

 

[KeithInSpace]

I did notice in the parts diagrams that the 23 actually has a seperate brake for each wheel while the 24 has only one brake.

That's a negatory. One pedal that is 100% ineffective on 2 wheels. Or 4 if you are in 4WD.

If you lock the brake down, you do get some extra whining, but you get plenty of forward progress...enough so that there are many, many stories here about folks leaving them on for extended periods. And I am in that proud clan.

I haven't heard that the BXxx50/24 brake is any better than the BXxx30/23 brake, but it would be a welcome improvement. A 2x4 connected to a lever using bungee cords and rubbing against the back wheels would be more effective than the brake on my tractor.

 

[rdsaustintx]

Tedious.

 

[AceDeuce]

A 2x4 connected to a lever using bungee cords and rubbing against the back wheels would be more effective than the brake on my tractor.

HA! That's a great mental image! You might be a redneck if...

 

[rpoage]

We own tractors (the real world already thinks we ARE all red necks)

I think the brake responses on the BX series is interesting with a lot of people finding them to be fine and a lot of people finding them worth less. When I got my BX I thought the pedal is way too high and I gave a lot of thought to getting the cutting torch and welder out and take about 2 inches out of the pedal shaft. After reading on here "TBN" that I should use the HST for my slowing and stopping, I retrained myself and the only time I use the brake pedal now is to park the tractor.

When I first borrowed a Kubota from my neighbors it was a older BX 23 with a rocker style HST and I got the hang of it quickly. When I got my own BX2350 I had to adapt to the two pedal HST system and it now is very comfortable to me now. I think a little seat time will make most of the ergonomics issues go away.

 

[Volfandt]

Originally Posted by Harry c
I did notice in the parts diagrams that the 23 actually has a seperate brake for each wheel while the 24 has only one brake.

You are correct on the BX23.
There was a post a little while ago where a poster (don't recall his moniker) asked if anyone had fab'ed up turning brakes on the older BX's, which got me to researching and sure enough to my surprise, my BX23 has separate brake assemblies, one on each axle side with separate linkages connected up to a single rockshaft about midways between the single brake pedal & the HST. In other words, a single brake pedal actuates dual brake assemblies.....

It appears Kubota MAY have had thoughts on equipping the older BX's with turning brakes but when they discovered that these brakes were just about worthless they must have decided against it

On a more serious note, I may play with my brake(s) some this winter to see if the BX23 brakes can infact be made useful. I rarely iof ever use them for brakeing but it'll be something to occupy my gray matter whilst cabin fever sets in
It seems theres way too much play in the pedal assembly which may lessen the applied braking pressure at the brakes(s).

Didin't mean to drift off topic here, but that happens around here

 

[LBrown59]

We own tractors (the real world already thinks we ARE all red necks) I think a little seat time will make most of the ergonomics issues go away.

The one I don't think will ever go away is if you ever go to start the tractor on a slope and the tractor goes rolling down the hill when you put it in neutral because you've forgotten to set the brake and once it gets moving there is no way to stop it.
The BX starting procedure is a very dangerous situation in such cases.
You should never be able to put the tractor in neutral when there is nothing to hold tractor in place.
If it hasn't happened already I's a wonder somebody hasn't gotten hurt or killed because of this.
The BX starting method is a ticket to disaster sooner or later!
__________________

 

[Adam23]

What is the starting procedure that you are talking about LB? I have started mine on hills quite a bit with no issue, but I have a "B" series. How does the starting procedure differ?

 

[LBrown59]

What is the starting procedure that you are talking about LB? I have started mine on hills quite a bit with no issue, but I have a "B" series. How does the starting procedure differ?

Since the parking brake is inadequate to hold a BX on a slope the only thing to hold the tractor on a slope is the HST but that only works when the transmission is in gear.
The tractor will only start when the transmission lever is in the neutral position.
Guess what happens the instant you shift the tranny into netural= you guessed it yoy've lost the holding ability of the HST and since the brake isn't sufficient to hold the tractor from coasting away the tractor takes off down the hill without any means to stop it.
This is an extremely dangerous situation.
Any BX will take off down the slope when shifted into neutral to start the engine if you have forgotten to set the brake or if the brake isn't adequate enough to hold the tractor in place on the hill.
Isn't that brilliant out of Kubota to design a tractor that you have to start in neutral with no brakes on a hill?
This set up is an accident waiting to happen .
I'v been lucky so far but the law of averages scares me!

 

[mswlogo]

Yikes !! That is scary.

BX24 will start in gear and the brake will hold (at least currently on a new one) if in neutral.

I don't think you should lump all BX's together becuase there seems to be some significant differences.

 

[Adam23]

Does the BX not have a clutch? I can leave mine in either high or low and start it with the clutch in. You are right - that design sucks

 

[rpoage]

Does the BX not have a clutch? I can leave mine in either high or low and start it with the clutch in. You are right - that design sucks

No clutch on HST as it not required. My experience with the brake is not the same a LBrown. If I step on the HST pedal while the parking brake is on the tractor will stall. I also have had reason to set the brake on a steep slope (15%) on the back for my shop entry and it held fine so if your brake will not hold go get it adjusted as the life you save may be your own.

 

[Harry c]

Among the changes from the BX23 to the BX24: The BX24 will start in gear. There is no need to shift to neutral. Also, the internal brake modification was apparently effective as the BX24 seems to have a perfectly seviceable brake. Mine will slide the wheels on dry pavement.
I was a little disappointed to find that there was a single brake as I had plans to convert the system to turning brakes and to move the two pedals to the left side. That would appear to be fairly easy to do on a BX23 but could be pretty pointless if the brakes really are as bad as described.