Kubota Treadle Pedal...

[5030]

I see tractor A has a squeaking Treadle Pedal. Better lube it up....

 

[5030]

Speaking of Treadle Pedals, my wife's GS 850 Kubota side by side has to have the most miserable fuel pedal even invented. Impossible to modulate consistently, especially when I use the bed mounted sprayer.

I had to take a tarp strap and hook on to the pedal and then to the dash just to be able to modulate the pedal when I have the spray rig in the back without going through the windshield. Terrible design and it's awkward to use as well. Either all stop or balls to the wall and nothing in between.

 

[scootr]

Speaking of Treadle Pedals, my wife's GS 850 Kubota side by side has to have the most miserable fuel pedal even invented. Impossible to modulate consistently, especially when I use the bed mounted sprayer.

I had to take a tarp strap and hook on to the pedal and then to the dash just to be able to modulate the pedal when I have the spray rig in the back without going through the windshield. Terrible design and it's awkward to use as well. Either all stop or balls to the wall and nothing in between.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The average size of a Japanese man is 5'3" 140 pounds. The average American man is 5'9" 200 pounds. Many like myself are 6ft tall with size 13 boots.
Consequently the Japanese tractor is designed ergonomically speaking for a smaller man than myself. And the Treadle pedal was never intended for a size 13 boot, period. The treadle peddle belongs on a sewing machine not a tractor.

 

[scootr]

I'm 70 yrs old. My MX5200 is just 6 yrs old 400 hrs. I will never wear this machine out but if I was to replace it that replacement would not have a treadle pedal.

 

[orangeiron]

This is a great debate. I have and have had a variety of configurations of transmissions over the years. I have found pros and cons with all of them. I have a F3990, bought used, that’s an animal. Not sure if the seat is OEM but it is awfully low making very uncomfortable to operate the treadle. I have placed a thick seat cushion on the seat that improved my position in the seat. On another note I have read that synthetic hydraulic fluid reduces the whine quite a bit. Perhaps Kubota is using synthetic in the newer machines.

 

[airbiscuit]

Kubota is too stubborn to get rid of the treadle. It would be interesting if they did a test market somewhere with either treadle or conventional available and see which consumers prefer. If treadles were all that, other manufacturers would follow suit.

 

[jyoutz]

This is a great debate. I have and have had a variety of configurations of transmissions over the years. I have found pros and cons with all of them. I have a F3990, bought used, that’s an animal. Not sure if the seat is OEM but it is awfully low making very uncomfortable to operate the treadle. I have placed a thick seat cushion on the seat that improved my position in the seat. On another note I have read that synthetic hydraulic fluid reduces the whine quite a bit. Perhaps Kubota is using synthetic in the newer machines.

SUDT is standard in all Kubota hydrostatic transmissions.

 

[CalG]

The wheel comes around again

No more 'treadle pedal'

I was looking at an new MX series with hydrostat drive and immediately noticed that Kubota got rid of the clunky 'treadle pedal' and replaced it with a much shorter 2 level cast aluminum pedal control that is 100% Drive by Wire. Never had a hydrostat but I've always not been impressed with the...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[ultrarunner]

Drive by wire adds complexity… not sure adding complexity is good for longevity?

 

[crhunts]

Out of curiosity I'm interested in owners opinions of the 'Treadle Pedal'.

I bought a used Kubota F series front mount diesel powered, hydrostat drive that has the Treadle Pedal and never having one or at least not for many years because the last hydrostat tractor I owned was a 5030 HSTC and I cannot remember if it had the Treadle Pedal or not actually and if it did, please tell me... Anyway, I'm very used to my big Kubota's with their gear drive, wet clutched drivelines so getting this has been an experience, an experience I don't particularly like actually.

Besides the loud whine the drive unit makes (and I believe that is normal for a hydrostat), I find the odd shaped pedal to be cumbersome. Going forward isn't an issue but backing up is. I have to remove my shoe from the pedal entirely and angle my shoe to the side and push on the lower part of the pedal to back up, something I find to be sort of tedious and if I don't keep the pedal bushing well greased (mine has a grease fitting on the linkage end), it wants to creep and unlike the hydro tractors, engaging the brake on the F Series entails pushing down on the brake pedal and then actuating a long rod to hold the brake on and the rod can only be accessed by bending over the steering wheel and grabbing it, a PITA.

Maybe I'm spoiled with the multi range wet clutched gear drive Kubota's I have but I find the Treadle Pedal to be less than ideal. Besides, it looks funky...lol

Read another thread that went into replacing that bearing and it didn't look easy at all. Least mine has no bearing as such, just a greaseable bushing that I keep greased.

Opinions welcome.

Other than that it's a great mower and eats up tall grass like a the hungry beast it is and it replaced a 60" zero turn mower. The F series with it's front mount mower is a joy to use, rides much better and having the mower out front, you can actually get under tree limbs and see what you are mowing and I really prefer the steering wheel over the 'oars' as well.

I had 8 years of 'Oars' and I won't go back. This one has a 72" deck as well. My ZTR had a 60" on it. Other than the PITA Treadle Pedal, I really like it and it just sips diesel unlike my ZTR with it's gas guzzling Kawasaki V twin that sucked down gas like a drunken sailor. 5 gallons of gas per mow versus maybe a gallon of ORD with this one and the diesel seems to have way more power too.

Love the treadle pedal on my Kubota L5030...Had a JD with 2 pedals and prefer the treadle.