Buying Advice Update on Purchase: Kubota M7060

[Reg]

I'd never use chocks. I'm on/off too many times.

With THIS tractor the one time you DON'T do THAT could be the last time you do anything.
How long does it take to set chocks ?
Against implement hook up time it is inconsequential.
OTOH getting rolled over by a 3 ton vehicle VERY SLOWLY would cost Ya and then some.

BTW I have seen an 18 wheeler "roll away" at the pumps, not funny, fortunately nobody was hurt but it took a while to retrieve it.
Too much trouble to actually SET the parking brake ?
Too much trouble to set chocks ? (I think they're required to when refueling commercial trucks)

 

[ovrszd]

With THIS tractor the one time you DON'T do THAT could be the last time you do anything.
How long does it take to set chocks ?
Against implement hook up time it is inconsequential.
OTOH getting rolled over by a 3 ton vehicle VERY SLOWLY would cost Ya and then some.

BTW I have seen an 18 wheeler "roll away" at the pumps, not funny, fortunately nobody was hurt but it took a while to retrieve it.
Too much trouble to actually SET the parking brake ?
Too much trouble to set chocks ? (I think they're required to when refueling commercial trucks)

Yes, too much trouble to set chocks. Until I read this it had never entered my mind to carry chocks ony tractors. :confused3:

 

[Reg]

"Until I read this it had never entered my mind to carry chocks on tractors"

Me too.

 

[inode]

If I can bring attention to this and save just one person from possibly being rolled over, my one post was well worth it. Seeing $40K rolling away and almost meeting your maker will make you take extra precaution. Wheel chocks are not out of the question. It's insane to think you have to cover for a manufacturer's lack of design.

 

[ovrszd]

I think this "need" is dependent on tractor use experience.

 

[Reg]

I think this "need" is dependent on tractor use experience.

Enlighten me, PLEASE !

I cannot jump in the way back machine and spin the dials to go back to 1977, dedicate myself to tractors and pop back tomorrow with an extra 42 years of "experience".
So what can you do for me ?

When ours locked we were using pallet forks to install a piece of equipment.
We had a weight box on the back,
That was lowered, but it is a painted sheet metal box, i.e. as a ground engaging "brake" it is not very effective on soil.
To unload the equipment took two of us and during that time the pallet forks needed to be at about 30 inches off the ground.
The incline is slight, but enough for the tractor to "roll into" the transmission park lock pawl and get STUCK there.

Short of chocking the wheels, rolling into the chocks to "Set" them and THEN engaging the so called "Park" we don't believe we could have done things differently/better.
If that is my missing experience then OK, we might do that in future - lesson learned, etc.
For now I believe that the M7060 NEEDS a lockable friction parking brake.
JUST LIKE SO MANY TRACTORS HAVE HAD FOR DECADES !
It is what the "Experienced Tractor user Community" is used to, its omission is DANGEROUS for that reason alone.

The shop manual actually SHOWS a hand brake lever on the left side near the wheel arch, it is NOT PRESENT on US machines, which begs the question; Why is it omitted for the US configuration ?
At a guess they figured that there would be more market appeal to a "Park" position similar to automatic transmissions on American cars - most users of which never use the friction parking brake anyway.

BTW, the short vertical rod where the adjustment is done DOES have a lock nut - I will check ours frequently to be sure that it doesn't loosen.

 

[ovrszd]

I think you should use chocks.

 

[Reg]

I just picked up a new M7060 with the 84" bucket. Have 600 lbs of wheel weights, no cab, and tires are not filled. The 12 sp hyd has no problem lifting the bucket loaded with light or heavy materials.
But I was moving gravel with a mostly full bucket and had the left front tire about 8" lower then the others.
Hit the brake to dump the bucket that was about 60" above the ground and my fence gate and the tractor started to tip.
Quickly dumped the stone and saved the fence gate but it did remind me be careful if you are not on a flat surface when moving heavy loads.
I do think the tractor needs the 84" but maybe more weight in the rear. Going to one more 150 lb weight on each side.

Something not clear from this post.
If I am dumping gravel from 5 ft above ground you can BET that I'm not coming in at any sort of "speed" that will need me to HIT the brakes.
I'll carry it LOW and idle down to a creep before raising it to whatever dump height is needed, will likely de-clutch and come to a stop without brakes (assuming it isn't a steep down grade).

Yeah, I don't get the "HIT the brakes" bit.
Neither do I get the need to be careful if you are not on a flat surface clause - I strive to be careful whatever surface I am on.

PS I carry with the bucket low enough to see OVER it - I know some folk like carry it high enough to see UNDER it, I'm not one of them.

 

[Herkypilot]

Enlighten me, PLEASE !

The shop manual actually SHOWS a hand brake lever on the left side near the wheel arch, it is NOT PRESENT on US machines, which begs the question; Why is it omitted for the US configuration ?

What you are looking at is the 8 speed trans version. It doesn't have a park selection, but it does have a parking brake. M7060's with an 8 speed trans are indeed available in the US.

HP

 

[Turbys_1700]

The best parking brake I have on my tractor is the FEL bucket in the ground. I always lower it on the ground after setting the park brake. When hooking up a rear implement the extendable lower links typically make hooking up easy. If I need to get back on the tractor I use the the front bucket to inch the tractor back to the implement if I am too far away.

If this park brake issue endemic to the 7060 why does Kubota not have a fix? No brand bashing here. I'm a Kubota fan.