About this pedal thang

[Corkpuller]

I'm likely going to be buying an L2501, 3301, or 3901.
Never owned a Kubota.
Never operated a "tractor" with a Hydro tranny.
I have a JD lawn tractor with Hydro.

I understand that after a bit of time most seem pleased with the Kubota bi-****** pedal treddle thang. But, it sure feels clumsy to me by just resting my foot on it.
I've yet to operate one, so my concerns about the comfort and user friendly part of it may be for naught.

I'm curious how many folks buy the Kubota HST because it "just seems like the thing to do".
Are there any of y'all that a dead set on using a geared tranny?

Another thing that I don't care for on the models I'm looking at, is the brake pedals are on the same side as the pedal thang.
On other tractors I've operated, they were all geared trannys and I used the heck out of one wheel braking. That's not possible with these.
Anyone else miss that feature?

I would like to like the HST but wondering if a geared unit would be a better fit for me.

Most of my use initially will be using a brush hog in tight quarters to cut/chop and maintain underbrush. (9 acres heavily wooded)
Moving the brush to burn piles.
And maintaining 600' of driveway, til I die.

I remember the days of using a box blade and the geared tranny. That was a workout at times.

All opinions appreciated. thank you

Undecided and still kickin tires

 

[ruffdog]

"brush hog in tight quarters to cut/chop and maintain underbrush"

Yeah, that's where a hydro works best.

 

[dalola]

Based on your criteria, I would go with the HST. You'll quickly get used to the Kubota treadle pedal set-up. At first, I preferred the dual side-by-side pedal arrangement, but have become comfortable with the treadle. I would not let that be the deciding factor. For me, the KB had more meaningful advantages, and it's a decision I would make again if I were allowed a replay.

Good luck!

 

[Newby first timer]

When I bought My Kubota I had Never driven any Tractors ever.

I do a lot of Loader work and the peddle was weird at first.
I can not see me ever having a Manual Shift Tranny in a tractor even if I get another one bigger or smaller than the one I have now.
But then again I have never driven any other to compare the two.

Good Luck with what you decide on.

 

[MossRoad]

If you're used to using brakes on a tractor and like using brakes on a tractor, and the Kubota design is deterimental to using the brakes and one-foot treadle pedal at the same time, well, then..... consider a different brand of tractor that has the brakes and directional pedal(s) on different feet.

I used to operate a Kubota mower with the single foot treadle and I did not like it. I had a late 70's IH HST tractor loader that had the directional pedals on the left foot and brake pedals on the right foot. That was very nice. My current machine has left foot reverse and right foot forward with a center mounted treadle and NO brakes. I like that just fine as well.

You should test drive as many makes and models as it humanly possible before making your decision. Find the one that you feel the most comfortable on. Really helps if you're going to spend hours and hours and long stretches of time on a machine to get one that fits you just right.

 

[ruffdog]

I agree^^^ It's time for a bunch of test drives!

With a hydro, my wife is happy to drive..........:cool2:

 

[Diggin It]

Do those K models the OP mentioned even have real (drum/disc) brakes? Or are they the hydro embedded 'wet brakes'?

 

[jeff9366]

I'm going to buy an L2501, 3301, or 3901.

I don't care for the brake pedals on the same side as the pedal thang. ( ?? )

Other tractors I've operated were geared trannys and I used the heck out of one wheel braking. That's not possible with these. ( ?? )

I would like to like the HST but wondering if a geared unit would be a better fit for me.

My primary application will be using a brush hog in tight quarters to cut/chop and maintain underbrush. (9 acres heavily wooded)

Maintaining 600' of driveway.

The Kubota L2501, 3301 and 3901 have the split brakes on the left side of the tractor, HST treadle on the right side of the tractor.

You use split brakes on Kubota HST tractors the same way as split brakes on a gear tractor.

HST tractors are 90% of the market in subcompact and compact tractors to 60-horsepower. Nothing wrong with gear except that your resale value craters and $1,200 clutch rebuilds are periodic events. Few would contest that contemporary HST transmissions require less repair than clutch & gear tractors.

"My primary application will be using a brush hog in tight quarters to cut/chop and maintain underbrush." HST excels in forward/reverse applications.

The Kubota L2501, 3301 and 3901 are physically small tractors. What gear tractor did you operate before?

L2501 CLUTCH & GEAR VERSUS HST: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...523-warning-those-considering-gear-drive.html

VIDEO: HST Treadle pedal VS. Twin touch pedal - YouTube

 

[CobyRupert]

"brush hog in tight quarters to cut/chop and maintain underbrush"

Yeah, that's where a hydro works best.

I read "tight quarters" as: "I really need to be able to steer with the brake pedals".

Being able to do this is not where some hydros work best. However it's (sort of) a separate issue from the hydro/gear debate, or rather just one factor of that debate.
Some hydros with cruise control, brake pedals on the left, or a driver who can cross their legs are able to use their brake pedals to steer.
(Why they put them on the right on a hydro is a mystery to me (tradition?).)

I suspect that a lot (but not all) of hydro drivers don't miss using individual brake pedals cause they never or rarely use individual brake pedals.
There's a lot of advantages to hydros in certain situations and disadvantages in others. What your needs are and what you value is just that.

 

[skipperbrown]

I think you will find that you don't need the brakes to make tight turns or stop with the models you are considering. They turn pretty tight w/o brakes. Since you can instantly change direction with the HST, you can perform a similar 'wheel lock' 180 degree turn with a couple of front/back maneuvers that is much smoother than the spin the steering wheel, lock the brake and hold on, gear style turn. Also being able to slow down and speed up while mowing without changing the engine rpms is so convenient. Encounter a rough or thick patch, just lighten up on the petal or if there is a thin patch for 200', just push down and speed up. You will quickly become accustomed to the heel/toe or toe/toe use of the treadle and the ease of direction and/or speed changes. Precise movement is soooo easy. The only downsides to HST is the whine and the loss of a couple of horses to spin it. Otherwise, the advantages way outshine the disadvantages. I use both kinds of tractors and much prefer HST especially for tight quarters and loader work.

 

[diesel85]

After using manual tractors for ever, going to a HST is a no brainer. The amount of precise control you can have without blowing up a clutch (riding the clutch) is amazing.

 

[TnAndy]

First tractor was pure gear type. Second was a hydro, a NH 1925. It was ok, tractor was simply too lightweight for what I was doing. But something about the pedal was comfortable to use.

Current tractor is geared, shuttle shift. I like it a LOT better, control is great, can use split brakes. Forward/reverse is a simple lever flip, no clutching required. Best way to go I think for a geared tractor.

Neighbor has a new Kubota hydro, and the few times I've been on it, the pedal seems awkward to me....sits too far back or something.....can't quite put my hand on why....just doesn't 'feel' right to me. Hard on my old leg to use.

And for all the people that complain about the cost of replacing a clutch, if they ever have to price work on a hydro unit, they will stop complaining.

 

[Jchonline]

I'm likely going to be buying an L2501, 3301, or 3901.
Never owned a Kubota.
Never operated a "tractor" with a Hydro tranny.
I have a JD lawn tractor with Hydro.

I understand that after a bit of time most seem pleased with the Kubota bi-****** pedal treddle thang. But, it sure feels clumsy to me by just resting my foot on it.
I've yet to operate one, so my concerns about the comfort and user friendly part of it may be for naught.

I'm curious how many folks buy the Kubota HST because it "just seems like the thing to do".
Are there any of y'all that a dead set on using a geared tranny?

Another thing that I don't care for on the models I'm looking at, is the brake pedals are on the same side as the pedal thang.
On other tractors I've operated, they were all geared trannys and I used the heck out of one wheel braking. That's not possible with these.
Anyone else miss that feature?

I would like to like the HST but wondering if a geared unit would be a better fit for me.

Most of my use initially will be using a brush hog in tight quarters to cut/chop and maintain underbrush. (9 acres heavily wooded)
Moving the brush to burn piles.
And maintaining 600' of driveway, til I die.

I remember the days of using a box blade and the geared tranny. That was a workout at times.

All opinions appreciated. thank you

Undecided and still kickin tires

At least on mine, it actually acts like 2 pedals because the overall pedal is an upside down L shape. So I use it just like a car. Gas foot to right of main pedal. To reverse I take my foot off the gas and move it down and to the left for reverse. You get used to it in a few hours. Do not keep your foot on the top of the pedal all the time (at least on mine). Hope the L is the same.

 

[Corkpuller]

Current tractor is geared, shuttle shift. I like it a LOT better, control is great, can use split brakes. Forward/reverse is a simple lever flip, no clutching required. Best way to go I think for a geared tractor.

Neighbor has a new Kubota hydro, and the few times I've been on it, the pedal seems awkward to me....sits too far back or something.....can't quite put my hand on why....just doesn't 'feel' right to me. Hard on my old leg to use.

And for all the people that complain about the cost of replacing a clutch, if they ever have to price work on a hydro unit, they will stop complaining.

Yessir, exactly what I thought about the pedal. Sits too far back and seems I'd have to holding my leg up over it.
Arthritis sucks.

My son in law bought a Mahindra a few months back. I was quizzing him about it on Thanksgiving and he claimed he really liked it.
It has shuttle shift. Never even heard of it til I started lookin to buy a tractor.
Believe I'll go run his a bit and see how it behaves. However, I'm not real sold on Mahindra and a dealer for where i'm retiring to is not very close.

 

[W8BYA]

I'm likely going to be buying an L2501, 3301, or 3901.
Never owned a Kubota.
Never operated a "tractor" with a Hydro tranny.
I have a JD lawn tractor with Hydro.

I understand that after a bit of time most seem pleased with the Kubota bi-****** pedal treddle thang. But, it sure feels clumsy to me by just resting my foot on it.
I've yet to operate one, so my concerns about the comfort and user friendly part of it may be for naught.

I'm curious how many folks buy the Kubota HST because it "just seems like the thing to do".
Are there any of y'all that a dead set on using a geared tranny?

Another thing that I don't care for on the models I'm looking at, is the brake pedals are on the same side as the pedal thang.
On other tractors I've operated, they were all geared trannys and I used the heck out of one wheel braking. That's not possible with these.
Anyone else miss that feature?

I would like to like the HST but wondering if a geared unit would be a better fit for me.

Most of my use initially will be using a brush hog in tight quarters to cut/chop and maintain underbrush. (9 acres heavily wooded)
Moving the brush to burn piles.
And maintaining 600' of driveway, til I die.

I remember the days of using a box blade and the geared tranny. That was a workout at times.

All opinions appreciated. thank you

Undecided and still kickin tires

I use to own a TC25D with a treadle pedal (HST) for several decades and absolutely loved it. Never one issue with it nor did I ever wish it was different. I now own a single "go" pedal CVT tractor. I like it too quite a bit. I also had a JD with dual side-by-side pedals which I did not care for. I was never sure where my foot was on the JD and if I did not look I was not positive which pedal I was gonna push.

The reason I bring them all up is because I have a 2 acre pond and at times need to inch right up to the edge of the pond and drop my loader into the water to drag up mud/dirt to plug muscrat dens, holes, etc or pull out trees that have fallen in or even to get a loader full of water to dump on some newly planted trees needing water in the summer etc.

With the treadle pedal I always had 100% confidence I could inch right up to the edge and if I felt I was even an inch too far in and the front tires starting to sink I could, in a wink of an eye, back the tractor back up by leaving my foot exactly where it was and just roll my foot backwards. It offered the single most and quickest positive response to make the tractor go where I needed it to go.

My current CVT machine is a bit scary to do the same thing since I have to slap the F/R lever on the left side of the steering column to make the tractor go in one direction or another......that takes about 1 second. May not sound like much but when your front tires may have gone too far forward and you want to get ur A$$etts back out backwards that 1 second can be a puckering second.

The dual pedal design IMO fits between the two......it is maybe a split second quicker to change directions than my CVT IF you are positive where your foot is and where the reverse pedal is but it is not as positive and instantaneous as the treadle pedal.

Given a choice of all 3 I would jump back to the treadle pedal in a heart beat if I could get it on my CVT. 2nd place goes to my CVT and 3rd to the dual pedals.

 

[Jstpssng]

The geared 2501 and 3301 don't have a live PTO, which will reduce the efficiency of your brush hog and other implements.
If you do go with a hydro, consider getting it with cruise control; that way you don't need to constantly hold the pedal down.
The Mahindra 1600 series is a nice looking setup, I thought about trading the 3301HST which I bought last year but can't justify the expense.
If you do stick with Kubota I would get the geared 3901, which is what I wish that I had bought last year.

 

[nybirdman]

I have owned two HST Kubota tractors;only way to go IMHO.I don't rock my foot;pick up and move to reverse.
I also have a JD mower with the two pedal set-up;that's o.k. also,no problem going from one to another.
We have two geared "L"Kubota's also,no shuttle and they work fine just not my first choice.

 

[atitus74]

I own a Kubota sub-compact. I have also spent hours brush hogging on my father-in-laws JD compact. It is also a hydro but has separate pedals. I found them to be equally easy to maneuver, even in tight spaces. I would say do a demo of both and see how it feels for you. My uncle has a brand new Manhindra shuttle shift. I haven't tried it yet but I probably will in the spring. It makes a lot of sense to me to get a geared tractor if you are doing mostly ground engagement -- which he isn't -- so it will be interesting to see how he feels after he's owned it for a while.

 

[crashz]

The peddle took me a little while to get used to, now I like it. Big mistake placing your foot on the top and "rocking" back and forth. Its just way too uncomfortable for anyone over 5ft tall. Use your toe on the forward end and rest your heal on the floor board. For reverse, lift your foot and place your toes where your heal was, and heal on the rear part of the peddle. Yes, its more movement of your leg, but way easier to control.

While I agree that the split brakes are useless on these models unless you have cruise control, they actually don't need them. I used the split brakes on my 770 a lot, but the 2501 seems to turn better. With a 5ft mower on the back, I think you'll be able to get to everything you need to.

I do like to use the split brakes as a "locker" though, and apply power to the rear wheel of my choice. Hard to do on this machine.

Would I chose gear over hydro next time? No way! This machine so nimble and controllable, I could never give it up. For close quarters, its amazingly handy. The 2501 will do any ground engaging and loader work you can throw at it, but If you need a lot of PTO power, the higher power model (3901) may be a better choice. I've had mine bog in heavy growth with both the 6ft finish mower and 5ft bush hog on and had to slow down to clear it out.

 

[dalola]

The peddle took me a little while to get used to, now I like it. Big mistake placing your foot on the top and "rocking" back and forth. Its just way too uncomfortable for anyone over 5ft tall. Use your toe on the forward end and rest your heal on the floor board. For reverse, lift your foot and place your toes where your heal was, and heal on the rear part of the peddle. Yes, its more movement of your leg, but way easier to control.

i find myself simply hooking the toe of my shoe under the forward treadle & lifting up. I'll typically do this unless reversing for a long distance, then I'll move my heel back to the reverse treadle.