Front locker available for Kubotas

[mopardude318]

Newly released locker for select Kubota models. I may get one for my M7060. Pretty cool.

TL-KUBOTA - TORQ Locker for Kubota Tractors | Locking Differential | Aussie Locker By Torq Masters

 

[100 td]

Very handy for those with wet/soft paddocks/ground

 

[Smokeydog]

Biggest difference is on hilly ground. All I have and tractors stay in 4wd. Normal differentials deliver power to the wheels with the least traction. My old M5030DT had a automatic front locker and great traction. Newer L3830, M59 and B26 do not and will spin out.

 

[ovrszd]

Several years ago I ran one of these in a Jeep axle. Worked okay. Some quirky side affects. It applies itself when power is applied. The spider gears are removed. This unit goes in their place. When power is applied the spider gear pin going thru the center forces the notched pieces outward and causes engagement. So every time you apply power, it's locked.

Imagine this. Slick conditions. FEL bucket full of material. 4wd engaged. Front wheels turned for sharp corner. Add power. Unit engages. Front wheel on inside of turn needs to travel "X" distance. Front wheel on outside of turn needs to travel "Y" distance. Locker says nope, you both are going to travel same distance. Something has to give. First thing it will try to do is straighten the front wheels. Next, one tire has to skid, one has to spin.

For this reason I quit using it. Extremely stressful on axle components. Severely limited power turns.

Contact Kubota and see what they say.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I thought someplace to hang your longjohns and stash your micky and girlie magazines.

I have been stuck in situations where a locking def would have solved the problem instantly. Would I bother paying for such a thing. I don`t think so.

 

[ruffdog]

Several years ago I ran one of these in a Jeep axle. Worked okay. Some quirky side affects. It applies itself when power is applied. The spider gears are removed. This unit goes in their place. When power is applied the spider gear pin going thru the center forces the notched pieces outward and causes engagement. So every time you apply power, it's locked.

Imagine this. Slick conditions. FEL bucket full of material. 4wd engaged. Front wheels turned for sharp corner. Add power. Unit engages. Front wheel on inside of turn needs to travel "X" distance. Front wheel on outside of turn needs to travel "Y" distance. Locker says nope, you both are going to travel same distance. Something has to give. First thing it will try to do is straighten the front wheels. Next, one tire has to skid, one has to spin.

For this reason I quit using it. Extremely stressful on axle components. Severely limited power turns.

Contact Kubota and see what they say.

^^I agree 100%^^ Great for mud or rock (wall) crawling but is a pain on pavement. Will you scrub one tire in places you don't want to, like your yard? Will the bevel gears at the front wheels handle the extra torque? Trying to turn on pavement with the bucket full would test the parts!

Also, will it help or hinder snow plowing in icy conditions?

 

[sd455dan]

Several years ago I ran one of these in a Jeep axle. Worked okay. Some quirky side affects. It applies itself when power is applied. The spider gears are removed. This unit goes in their place. When power is applied the spider gear pin going thru the center forces the notched pieces outward and causes engagement. So every time you apply power, it's locked.

Imagine this. Slick conditions. FEL bucket full of material. 4wd engaged. Front wheels turned for sharp corner. Add power. Unit engages. Front wheel on inside of turn needs to travel "X" distance. Front wheel on outside of turn needs to travel "Y" distance. Locker says nope, you both are going to travel same distance. Something has to give. First thing it will try to do is straighten the front wheels. Next, one tire has to skid, one has to spin.

For this reason I quit using it. Extremely stressful on axle components. Severely limited power turns.

Contact Kubota and see what they say.

^^^ Agree

although more complicated and probably not as strong a Torsen Gleeson style is just better for front axle applications

because of its torque sensing abilities. it also does not wind up the axles like full lockers do.

Thinking An electric locker for tractor front axles might be be nice also since you could disengage it for hard turns.

AuburnGear now makes the all in 1 (ECTED MAX) Open/ limited slip/ full locker all at the flip of a switch. Now that would be sweet. Doubt they have applications for tractors yet unfortunately

 

[ovrszd]

^^^ Agree

although more complicated and probably not as strong a Torsen Gleeson style is just better for front axle applications

because of its torque sensing abilities. it also does not wind up the axles like full lockers do.

Thinking An electric locker for tractor front axles might be be nice also since you could disengage it for hard turns.

AuburnGear now makes the all in 1 (ECTED MAX) Open/ limited slip/ full locker all at the flip of a switch. Now that would be sweet. Doubt they have applications for tractors yet unfortunately

A selectable would be very handy in the proper hands.

I run an Eaton E-Locker in the rear of my highway/offroad Wrangler. I like it a lot.

Had an 04 Rubicon with electric over air lockers in both ends. Pretty amazing what it would do with no side affects.

The limit slip in my M9540 helps. But it ain't no locker.

 

[100 td]

An autolocker of this style "should" allow freewheeling of the outer radius wheel in a turn so in a left turn, left wheel does "X" revolutions, (directly related to tailshaft driven speed), right wheel needs to go "X" times say 1.5 revolutions, so it freewheels faster than the driven speed. However, the design ensures that at no point can either wheel go a lower speed than the driven speed, meaning if the outside circumference wheel had solid traction and the inside wheel does not, the insid wheel will turn at the same speed at the outer, meaning it will speed up/slip, IF the driveshaft is demanding it to, meaning the drive on the rear will be slipping as well.

 

[ovrszd]

An autolocker of this style "should" allow freewheeling of the outer radius wheel in a turn so in a left turn, left wheel does "X" revolutions, (directly related to tailshaft driven speed), right wheel needs to go "X" times say 1.5 revolutions, so it freewheels faster than the driven speed. However, the design ensures that at no point can either wheel go a lower speed than the driven speed, meaning if the outside circumference wheel had solid traction and the inside wheel does not, the insid wheel will turn at the same speed at the outer, meaning it will speed up/slip, IF the driveshaft is demanding it to, meaning the drive on the rear will be slipping as well.

Nope.

 

[100 td]

Nope.

Simple explanation of the Aussie Locker operation

The Aussie Locker mechanism allows a wheel to turn faster than the speed of the differential that is driving it (differentiation), but never allows a wheel to turn slower than the speed the differential and engine is turning it (traction). Therefore, a wheel cannot ever stop turning if the engine is driving it, but in a corner it can be forced to actually turn faster. Unlike a standard differential, the engine can never drive one wheel faster than the other.
Depending on the situation, the locker can either uncouple the driving gears i.e. if the differential force is acting on a wheel to turn it faster than the wheel is being driven by the differential and engine, then that side can freely disengage and unlock providing differential action.

 

[MHarryE]

It’s only money. The electric lock on my M7-171 is great, locking when going straight, unlocking automatically when the turn angle reaches 5 degrees, normally at end rows when implement is raised. Better than the limited slip front diff on the M135GX it replaced. Limited slip needed some resistance on the slipping wheel but there were really bad situations where the slipping wheel wouldn’t provide enough resistance so the wheel with traction would drive.

 

[ovrszd]

Simple explanation of the Aussie Locker operation

The Aussie Locker mechanism allows a wheel to turn faster than the speed of the differential that is driving it (differentiation), but never allows a wheel to turn slower than the speed the differential and engine is turning it (traction). Therefore, a wheel cannot ever stop turning if the engine is driving it, but in a corner it can be forced to actually turn faster. Unlike a standard differential, the engine can never drive one wheel faster than the other.
Depending on the situation, the locker can either uncouple the driving gears i.e. if the differential force is acting on a wheel to turn it faster than the wheel is being driven by the differential and engine, then that side can freely disengage and unlock providing differential action.

Simply not true. Study the pics in the earlier post and it becomes more obvious. Note the sloped cut of the notches. As long as power is applied neither side will disengage.

To make a short turn required applying power to get speed. Then let off throttle to disengage. Then make turn while coasting. As soons as power is resumed it locks up.

Manageable on the highway. Not convenient for a sliw moving tractor.

 

[100 td]

Simply not true.

As my post was quoted from the manufacturers website, I'll let you take it up with them.

Simple explanation of the Aussie Locker operation

The Aussie Locker mechanism allows a wheel to turn faster than the speed of the differential that is driving it (differentiation), but never allows a wheel to turn slower than the speed the differential and engine is turning it (traction). Therefore, a wheel cannot ever stop turning if the engine is driving it, but in a corner it can be forced to actually turn faster. Unlike a standard differential, the engine can never drive one wheel faster than the other.
Depending on the situation, the locker can either uncouple the driving gears i.e. if the differential force is acting on a wheel to turn it faster than the wheel is being driven by the differential and engine, then that side can freely disengage and unlock providing differential action.

 

[5030]

Didn't know Kubota did away with a front locker. Both my M's have front and rear lockers, both pedal operated. I rarely use either but when I do, it's straight line only with all 4 R1 tires turning. Come to think about it. I rarely use 4wd either. Lockers are extremely hard on tires.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

^^^ although more complicated and probably not as strong a Torsen Gleeson style is just better for front axle applications because of its torque sensing abilities. it also does not wind up the axles like full lockers do.

I bet it's stronger than a Gleeson, at least I HOPE it is!!!

I've busted TWO of those Gleeson's, as far as I'm concerned, they are on the fragile side!! I wouldn't ever buy another!!

SR

 

[JWR]

A little out of context BUT, my F-150 4WD pickup has a solenoid controlled rear axle lock. Just pull the knob and it locks the two rear wheels together.

I have found it surprising both in what it WILL do and what it WON'T do. Sometimes it is a great thing to have and other times not so much. I sure would not want such a thing permanently installed with no external control in a tractor. For me , the rear axle having a handy lever to stomp on is adequate without front wheel locks.

Everytime I ever got so badly stuck I might have used front wheel locks I ended up inching my way out with the bucket.

 

[ovrszd]

As my post was quoted from the manufacturers website, I'll let you take it up with them.

In the middle of their lengthy description of it's function they inserted their "out". "Depending on the situation". Interpretation is "off the throttle". Then it unlocks and ratchets. The small push springs unlock the side gears unless power is applied thru the spide gear pin to push them outward.

 

[ruffdog]

In the middle of their lengthy description of it's function they inserted their "out". "Depending on the situation". Interpretation is "off the throttle". Then it unlocks and ratchets. The small push springs unlock the side gears unless power is applied thru the spide gear pin to push them outward.

I did not understand their description and how it related to constant pulling or pressure like tractor use would be. Their description of a wheel spinning faster than it is driven would be like descending during rock climbing.

 

[oosik]

I've been stuck a couple times with the M6040. Got out with the FEL & bucket both times. Not sure if front locker would have helped that much. My Power Wagon has solenoid activated lockers - front, rear & transfer case. It also, as can be expected, has some VERY serious wording on their use in the OP manual. Do it wrong - pay the price.