Kubota LX4020 Already Having Problems

[mrmikey]

2. The cab model is the same price in Canada as what I could have bought a cab Grand L for 2 years ago. And I don't like that feeling of knowing I'm being ripped off, so they can sell them to someone else.

I agree, but not just tractors most anything you get here is more.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I'm surprised you gentleman are asking me what is wrong with a tractor that is permanently stuck in Auto Throttle. But since you asked with sincerity I will explain.

Auto Throttle was originally designed as a premium feature for transport scenarios such as quickly traveling from one side of a property to another without having to manually adjust your RPMs. It behaves like a car or golf cart but is not a feature that you would want to use all the time or for PTO work. That particular tractor's biggest selling point is it offers above average PTO hp for that frame size machine. So permanently locking Auto Throttle into the tractor's transmission makes no sense.

Furthermore, from the little bit that I drove that tractor, it is jerky as hell. Having that much torque under a frame that light is already enough to contend with but forcing a tractor to behave like a car when it's supposed to be a tractor does not make for a good experience.

I think the question that you should be asking is why Kubota didn't just simply offer it as a feature that could be turned on and off instead of making it a permanent behavior of the machine.

I assure you sir, I know exactly how "auto throttle" works. I have been using my tractor with it (it came standard) for over 6 years now. This is such a non-event.

The LINKED PEDALS (instead of calling it "auto-throttle", if you prefer) was a feature to enhance front end loader work ease. No idea where you came up with the idea that it was only to be used for "transport across properties". I can only think Kubota finally included this due to being questioned so many times on why they don't offer it from so many new prospective customers. Most of their competition has already incorporated it in at least part of their lineup.

I think you're possibly operating under an incorrect mindset. The auto throttle does not "lock the transmission" into anything. The motion pedal (only forward on the Kubota, no idea why) has an additional mechanical linkage that actuates the throttle on the engine. It is a mechanical apparatus. It cannot be "switched" on and off. There is no computer involved in this function. It is built in when they assemble the tractor.

If you want to run anything off of the pto, you simply run up the hand throttle to your desired pto rpms and go. I do this frequently myself. There is zero drama. The motion pedals provide ground motion as before. You can pto operate yourself all around, over hills and over dales.

The pedals are "jerky" because you are ham-footing the pedals. If you raise the rpms with the hand throttle and then "ham-foot" the pedals, it will be jerky too. Even more so, because with raised rpms, your hydro pump will have more flow. You have to "learn" your foot pedal. No idea what tractor you're comparing it to, but you can't just jump in the cab and start stomping pedals in any hydro tractor I've been on. At least not if they have mechanical pedal linkages. Part of being a "pro-operator", instead of just a "seat dummy", is knowing your equipment, and how to operate it smoothly. That takes adapting to each piece of equipment differently.

 

[jwmorris]

OMG that's even worse! Whoever is running the engineering department at Kubota for mid size compacts should be fired! That is the most incredibly dumb thing I have ever seen a manufacturer do.

How about making pickups so tall you can‘t reach over the bed and get anything out of it, then put a ladder in the bed so you can get in there but be sure to make it so light weight a soccer mom won’t break a finger nail but your butt will dent it if you sit on it..,

Yeah, I could probably deal with it.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

How about making pickups so tall you can‘t reach over the bed and get anything out of it, then put a ladder in the bed so you can get in there but be sure to make it so light weight a soccer mom won’t break a finger nail but your butt will dent it if you sit on it..,

Yeah, I could probably deal with it.

Daryl? Is that you?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I love the linked pedal. If I don’t want to use it, I just set the throttle, which I do when I’m tilling. When I’m not using PTO, I set the throttle at what I want as my min rpm… if I press the pedal far enough, it will increase rpm. When I let off, it settles back in at my min, say 1800rpm.

I love it

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I assure you sir, I know exactly how "auto throttle" works. I have been using my tractor with it (it came standard) for over 6 years now. This is such a non-event.

Slim you asked me a question and I provided you an answer to it. If it's such a "non-event" then why did you ask me?

The LINKED PEDALS (instead of calling it "auto-throttle", if you prefer) was a feature to enhance front end loader work ease.

Ok, that makes sense.

No idea where you came up with the idea that it was only to be used for "transport across properties".

When I was doing research a while back that was how it was explained to me. However, I think it's fair to say that both scenarios would be an appropriate application for that feature.

I think you're possibly operating under an incorrect mindset. The auto throttle does not "lock the transmission" into anything. The motion pedal (only forward on the Kubota, no idea why) has an additional mechanical linkage that actuates the throttle on the engine. It is a mechanical apparatus. It cannot be "switched" on and off. There is no computer involved in this function. It is built in when they assemble the tractor.

Ok, I appreciate the clarification. I thought it was electronic.

The pedals are "jerky" because you are ham-footing the pedals. If you raise the rpms with the hand throttle and then "ham-foot" the pedals, it will be jerky too.

I am not sure what you exactly mean by "ham-footing" the pedals but if you mean stomping on the pedals, no I was not doing that.

No idea what tractor you're comparing it to, but you can't just jump in the cab and start stomping pedals in any hydro tractor I've been on. At least not if they have mechanical pedal linkages.

Again, I was not doing that. However, you raise an interesting observation about the difference between the response of mechanical linkage hydrostats versus electronic. That is a detail that slipped by me. I appreciate you pointing it out.

Part of being a "pro-operator", instead of just a "seat dummy", is knowing your equipment, and how to operate it smoothly. That takes adapting to each piece of equipment differently.

I completely agree with you. However, I do not like the way this tractor drives. It's not smooth. Furthermore, by putting a mechanical linkage to the engine throttle that can't be removed forces a behavior that is not suitable for all applications. Kubota did this to satisfy demand but the way they did it was cheap and inconvenient. Kubota did the same thing with the suspension seat that can't be adjusted to operator weight.

The engineering on this tractor leaves more to be desired. I think it's value versus price point is not there.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I love the linked pedal. If I don’t want to use it, I just set the throttle, which I do when I’m tilling. When I’m not using PTO, I set the throttle at what I want as my min rpm… if I press the pedal far enough, it will increase rpm. When I let off, it settles back in at my min, say 1800rpm.

I love it

So your tractor has this too?

 

[Fixastuff]

That's weird, I've run many different brand hydrotractors and think Kubotas are one of the smoothest and least "whiney" sounding compacts.

 

[LittleBill21]

That's weird, I've run many different brand hydrotractors and think Kubotas are one of the smoothest and least "whiney" sounding compacts.

well you might be loosing your hearing then. I can hear a kubota HST from a mile a way when its running hard and warm, my mahindra is almost silent compared to it. it would literally drive me insane

 

[rScotty]

So your tractor has this too?

I know that you were asking this of someone else. But I think part of the problem here is that Kubota is offering two different things which either they or we or have begun to call both an "auto-throttle".

Apparently there is a device called a "linked throttle" which is a mechanical linkage on some models like the LX4020 that works with the standard HST to affect the throttle behavior and cannot be turned on or off. From comments, it has been available for several years now. And it sounds like this is the feature you object to on the LX4020.

The is also what Kubota has offered for a long time and called an "AUTO-THROTTLE" lever - but only on the HST+ transmission. This auto-throttle is electronic, can be switched on/off, and sounds like it does much the same as the linked throttle does. That auto-throttle has been around along with the HST+ transmission for the last 15 years or more.

Hope this helps,
rScotty