Kubota M7060HD12 almost crushed me

Buxus · Apr 20, 2019

Thank you, LouNY. That makes perfect sense on both points.

ovrszd · Apr 21, 2019

And to add to Lou's last comment, that's why it does no good to shut the engine off with the tractor in gear. It doesn't use a mechanical friction clutch. As soon as the engine stops the hydraulic pressure to the wet clutch drops and the tractor is then in neutral.

We need to make sure readers understand that. So before someone touts shutting off the engine as a solution they need to study the tractor in question. As I suggested to Jeff.

Another point for readers. Do you know how your tractor functions? Are you sure?

Buxus · Apr 21, 2019

ovrszd said:
And to add to Lou's last comment, that's why it does no good to shut the engine off with the tractor in gear. It doesn't use a mechanical friction clutch. As soon as the engine stops the hydraulic pressure to the wet clutch drops and the tractor is then in neutral.

We need to make sure readers understand that. So before someone touts shutting off the engine as a solution they need to study the tractor in question. As I suggested to Jeff.

Another point for readers. Do you know how your tractor functions? Are you sure?

WOW! It's obvious when you say it, but as a part-timer/hobbyist, I had not realized that. Maybe everyone else already knows that, but I didn't. Instead of just saying "Always put it in Park" the Kubota manual ought to explain why to us newbies.

Thanks so much for the post.

lennyzx11 · Apr 21, 2019

inode said:
I thought I'd re-post here to bring awareness to something that happened to me recently. I have a new Kubota M7060HD12 which has the transmission with the parking transmission and no friction-based, separate, manual parking brake. This tractor almost crushed me while using it. I was in the middle of swapping out/adjusting implements and had put it into park while on the tractor. I was on a slight grade and did not lower my FEL. I put it into park; I saw the red park light come on, on the dash. I got off the tractor and went behind it. As I was hooking up the implement, the tractor jumped out of Park and starting rolling backwards towards me gaining speed as the decline increased. I had to run around the side of the tractor and hit the brakes with my hands as there was no time to get on the tractor. This is a new tractor with ~8 hours on it. My wife and elderly parents were told of the incident found no humor in the event. Had it been a cab model and not an open cab, I would not have had time to hit the brakes. This would have been a KTAC claim as I would not have been able to stop the tractor from getting away from me.

I have heard ChuckE2009 on Youtube mention his 7060 had jumped out of Park a couple times. This is something that needs to be looked at. I won't get off tractor now without FEL and implements down. Kubota needs to add a friction-brake to all models of their tractors.

In the meantime, others in another post had suggested carrying wheel chocks. I don't think that's out of the question for this model tractor. I use the tractor in hilly terrain and I no longer have a warm and fuzzy about it being in Park when the dash light says it is. Be careful out there...

I’m not getting into the debate on right and wrong.

But I doubt that wheel chocks unless huge will stop a tractor with the low gearing that they have. I’ve climbed over some pretty large rocks and logs with mine at an idle or low rpm.

Orangeelmo · Apr 21, 2019

I've been reading every mishap related post I come upon with hopes of learning the potentials.
I'm not new to running a tractor but I'm not as quick and agile as I used to be. That could be the difference of catasropy.
Thanks for starting the thread. You could be saving a life and not even knowing it.

inode · Apr 21, 2019

Fellas, thanks for all of the posts. I used the tractor again this weekend (part-timer here) and was very cautious when I got off the tractor. I made sure to lower FEL and box blade as I opened gates, etc. I do plan on taking it in to the dealer during its service and have them look at it. I've been using tractors for 20 years so they're not new on me. However, I'm not what you would call an experienced operator as it's not my day job. However, I appreciate all of the feedback and considerations. I like the tractor. However, in East TN, it's not flat. Therefore, my head is constantly on a swivel.