Floating steering knob

Hootie · Nov 3, 2007

Found an orange steering knob at TSC. Installed it in the 5030 where I wanted it (about 7 o'clock on the steering wheel) and went to work hogging. I kept thinking the knob was somehow moving. Of course it was'nt. Before you know it the knob is around the 10 o'clock position.

The wife hogs the next day and when I finally retake possession of MY tractor the freaking knob is around 3 pm (tired of typing o'clock). I move gravel the next day with the FEL, 4 wheel drive in use, and the knob is floating all over the place. Yea allot more floating in 4X4.

What the freakin heck is going on?

cyberknight · Nov 3, 2007

Hi Hootie,
I have a BX23 and it does the same thing. With hydraulic steering it is normal and drifts around. In mechanical steering you have a direct link up so it would stay where you set it.
Glenn

kennyd · Nov 3, 2007

This is an anomaly of hydrostatic steering. If you start your tractor, then turn the steering wheel ever-so-slowly you can probably get the steering wheel to make a full revolution without the front wheels turning at all!

It's completely normal...

LBrown59 · Nov 3, 2007

cyberknight said:
Hi Hootie,
I have a BX23 and it does the same thing. With hydraulic steering it is normal and drifts around. In mechanical steering you have a direct link up so it would stay where you set it.
Glenn

There is no mechanical linkage to hold the steering wheel in the same position.

lawn_king · Nov 3, 2007

My knob floats all over on my B3030 as well, i prefer it at 7:00, however it is a great help just being there!

jbrumberg · Nov 3, 2007

We call those things "suicide knobs" where I originally came from (PA)

. They can hurt you if you come to an abrupt stop

. I do not have one but I am blue colored

Jay

LazyBoy · Nov 3, 2007

Guy I know has an old MF tractor, he ran into a stump with the front wheel and it rotated the steering wheel so fast the steering knob broke his arm in 2 places!!!

duber34 · Nov 3, 2007

The center hub on my tractor steering wheel has the Kubota name, emblem, sticker, decal thing. This hub spins/rotates with the steering wheel. I have never seen it float out of the proper orientation. When the wheels are straight, the Kubota name is right side up and readable. I know that I have power steering on my B7610 but I don't know if it's hydrostatic..... My point I guess is: That I don't see any drift. Or am I missing something with the center hub vs a spinner knob??

Regards,
Duber

Redbug · Nov 4, 2007

Hi Hootie,

I installed a suicide knob, and it worked fine. The next time I used the tractor, the knob had changed position! I moved it to where it should be. After the 3rd time, I figured it out! I may be dumb...but I ain't stupid!

LBrown59 · Nov 4, 2007

Redbug said:
Hi Hootie,

I may be dumb...but I ain't stupid!

Ya but ain't it stupid to be dumb and isn't it dumb to be stupid??

lawn_king · Nov 4, 2007

Suicide knob history. In the 1950's, the popular shirt for men was a button down dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Many accidents were caused by knobs getting caught in the sleeves,leading to loss of vehicle control. They are illegal to this day on automobiles in massachussets.

escavader · Nov 4, 2007

Well this is sure an interesting thread.I was gonna by a knob for my 23,when i get my rear blower.Ifigured out that i can sit sideways on the tractor,comfortably,and run the treadle pedal.[been doing it all summer ,hauling wood in the fel.rather than keep wiggling the tractor around in the woods] I thought the knob would assist in one hand steering.
If you intentionally park the tractor with the knob at 3 oclock,it WONT remain there next time?
ALAN

escavader · Nov 4, 2007

Well this is sure an interesting thread.I was gonna by a knob for my 23,when i get my rear blower.Ifigured out that i can sit sideways on the tractor,comfortably,and run the treadle pedal.[been doing it all summer ,hauling wood in the fel.rather than keep wiggling the tractor around in the woods] I thought the knob would assist in one hand steering.
If you intentionally park the tractor with the knob at 3 oclock,it WONT remain there next time?
ALAN

Redbug · Nov 4, 2007

Escavader,

After having one, I could not get along without one, now. You can operate the steering wheel with one hand while working the loader or whatever other device with the other hand. You can do things faster, making turns and become more efficient. The knob will move to a different position after a little use...but, you will never notice it during your operations. A knob is what you need for fast manuevering in the woods. Your mission is to report back after your first day of using one!

LBrown...I laughed at your pun...I can't think of a come back because I'm afraid your right...

texasjohn · Nov 4, 2007

Agreed... drift is normal... agreed, it happened to me and I moved the knob once before I wised up...I have a 5030, too.

SOLUTION:

Install TWO additional knobs... I did... THREE total now.

This way, there is a knob ALWAYS under my hand where I am trying to operate it.... I think this is the handiest, most used, cheapest add-on that I have done to the tractor!

Killer_B · Nov 5, 2007

duber34 said:
I know that I have power steering on my B7610 but I don't know if it's hydrostatic..... My point I guess is: That I don't see any drift. Or am I missing something with the center hub vs a spinner knob??

The B7610 has power steering, but not hydrostatic. That may be the difference.

fish6942 · Nov 5, 2007

For you guys that added the knob to a BX, what style did you use? The spokes of the steering wheel are quite wide where they meet the wheel itself. I don't think the clamp-on types from TSC will fit. Did you use a stud mount and drill a hole in the spoke?

ovrszd · Nov 5, 2007

duber34 said:
The center hub on my tractor steering wheel has the Kubota name, emblem, sticker, decal thing. This hub spins/rotates with the steering wheel. I have never seen it float out of the proper orientation. When the wheels are straight, the Kubota name is right side up and readable. I know that I have power steering on my B7610 but I don't know if it's hydrostatic..... My point I guess is: That I don't see any drift. Or am I missing something with the center hub vs a spinner knob??

Regards,
Duber

Aww my friend, you and I have what is truly Power Steering. Our tractors are steered by a direct linked gear box controlled by the steering wheel that is power assisted hydraulically similar to steering on your truck/car. Our steering wheel is always in the same position in relation to the front wheels. So our knobs stay where we install them when running straight. I really, really, really like that!!!! I run mine at the six oclock position fastened to the bottom spoke. Did I mention that I really, really like this system??

ovrszd · Nov 5, 2007

LBrown59 said:
Ya but ain't it stupid to be dumb and isn't it dumb to be stupid??

But LB,,, isn't it also true to "Remain silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt"???

ovrszd · Nov 5, 2007

lawn_king said:
Suicide knob history. In the 1950's, the popular shirt for men was a button down dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Many accidents were caused by knobs getting caught in the sleeves,leading to loss of vehicle control. They are illegal to this day on automobiles in massachussets.

I bought a '70 Jeepster Commando a few years back. A friend of mine gave me a "folding", glass topped steering knob with a picture of a skimpily clad woman in the center. I installed it and I rarely use it and keep it folded most of the time but it's the coolest gift I ever got!!!