Kubota Treadle Pedal...

[5030]

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.

 

[aesanders]

I hate just about every treadle peddle, with the exception of the one found in the Kubota Grand L (that one I like a lot and wouldn’t mind owning one). My foot doesn’t bend correctly and actually hurts to heal the reverse on most standard treadle peddles.

 

[2manyrocks]

I have the treadle peddle on my L2501. I think it's great for work that is only a few hours. F is toe press and R is heel press with instant ability to control my speed to suit the terrain and the load.

For all day mowing, though, it gets tiring and I prefer a gear or shuttle shift.

 

[JeepHead]

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.

I thought you worked PT for a Kubota dealer and even did deliveries for them. You would think you would be used to all of this....

I have zero complaints with my treadle pedal. I didn't like it when I first got it after being used to the JD's dual pedals, but now it's second nature...

 

[bdhsfz6]

The Kubota treddles do require some getting used to. I have no experience with the F series, but the L and MX series look like this:

In both cases, my heel stays on the deck floor and I press down on the "wing" with the toe of my boot to go forward. For reverse, I slip my toe under the wing and lift. Forward to reverse is done with the twist of my ankle without lifting my foot. You can see the wear spots made by my heel.

Without seeing the treddle on the F, I don't know if this is possible though.

 

[dj1701]

I only have experience with the Kubota BX treadle peddle. All my John Deeres have the side by side peddles which I find far superior.
That being said, I have found that if I keep my heal planted and just swing my toe under the forward peddle and pull up, it works pretty well. I never have to move my foot off the deck.

Dave

 

[gstrom99]

I hate my SIL's pedal on his Kubota. I much prefer the dual pedals on my JD.

 

[wawajake]

I like my treadle pedal, quick action and I keep it greased once a month.

 

[Runner]

I have a treadle on my Cub Cadet ZTR and find it harder to use than the twin pedals on my John Deere 2520. I have been experimenting on different ways to use it and find that I can keep my toe on the forward pedal while rolling the side of my foot onto the back pedal, rather than lifting my foot off and moving it.

Incidentally, Kubota pedal placement was part of the reason I went with JD 17 years ago. Not the treadle issue, but the fact that (at least at that time and on the model I was considering) the brake pedal was on the same side as the direction pedal which I didn't and still don't like.

 

[Thomas]

Wearing size 10 snow packs takes little more getting use to operating pedal.

 

[Paystar]

Kubota tractors are the only hydro's I have owned. So I don't know any different. So I'm used to it. All my other tractors are gear.
I actually wish Kubota would have put a forward/reverse pedal in the RTV's instead of a shift lever. Would have made it so much nicer for plowing.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I have 3 Kubota Grand L's with the treadle pedal and one John Deere with the side by side pedals.

I really prefer the treadle pedal much more than the side by side.

 

[number two]

Have always "Run what you Brung".
Everything operates differently.
It's their personality!
Just get used to it.
Good Luck!

 

[ultrarunner]

I prefer the treadle on my bx23 over the side by side on my Deere 110… use both for loader and hoe work.

The dozer has a reverser and that works well also.

My gear drives are good for mowing but not so good for loader work…

Only my opinion.

 

[jyoutz]

The Kubota treddles do require some getting used to. I have no experience with the F series, but the L and MX series look like this:

View attachment 882771 View attachment 882772

In both cases, my heel stays on the deck floor and I press down on the "wing" with the toe of my boot to go forward. For reverse, I slip my toe under the wing and lift. Forward to reverse is done with the twist of my ankle without lifting my foot. You can see the wear spots made by my heel.

Without seeing the treddle on the F, I don't know if this is possible though.

That is how I operate the treadle on my MX. it’s awkward to keep my foot on the pedal and rock back and forth. For mowing I use the cruise control and it’s easy as a gear drive.

 

[pmsmechanic]

So that treadle pedal is why I don't own a Kubota. I've tried them and I do not like them at all. I'm glad some people do because the side by side pedal manufacturers need some competition.

A while back there was a thread on here about how someone had converted a treadle to a side by side. You might want to check that out.

 

[jyoutz]

I have the treadle peddle on my L2501. I think it's great for work that is only a few hours. F is toe press and R is heel press with instant ability to control my speed to suit the terrain and the load.

For all day mowing, though, it gets tiring and I prefer a gear or shuttle shift.

You can get the cruise control kit for your hydro tractor for a couple hundred dollars. Then you can mow with your foot off the pedal.

 

[mikester]

The old school mechanical treadles were a no-go for me. My M59 has the electronic servo treadle with user selectable HST modes is decent. I still prefer the two pedals setup where I can keep my heal planted at all times.

 

[Cycledude]

I have used Treadle Pedal and definitely did not like it, I highly prefer the dual pedal system. The Treadle Pedal was one of the biggest reasons I didn’t buy a Kubota tractor.

 

[RjCorazza]

I have a treadle on my Cub Cadet ZTR and find it harder to use than the twin pedals on my John Deere 2520. I have been experimenting on different ways to use it and find that I can keep my toe on the forward pedal while rolling the side of my foot onto the back pedal, rather than lifting my foot off and moving it.

Incidentally, Kubota pedal placement was part of the reason I went with JD 17 years ago. Not the treadle issue, but the fact that (at least at that time and on the model I was considering) the brake pedal was on the same side as the direction pedal which I didn't and still don't like.

I hated having the brakes on the same side as the treadle on my previous L3410.
As far as the Kubota vs. JD pedals, I prefer the single treadle ... and Ford over Chevy.