Need help with individual bakes and HST???

[gotcha]

Can someone out there help me/or tell me how one can use the individual brakes for steering assistants when using HST. With my old manual tyranny I was able to use them without any problem and I did so very often while plowing snow along my stone walls. I feel that my B26 is going to go where it wants to when I have a load in either the bucket or the plow. I have a prosthetic left leg so I can't cross it over to run the HST as I've tried that already. That was a laugh and a 1/2. Someone anywhere near me may just get run over Come on you guys give an ole geezer some help.
The Gotcha Man

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

use the cruise control so you can take your foot off the HST pedal then you can brake. Its pretty easy once you do it a few times.

 

[gotcha]

use the cruise control so you can take your foot off the HST pedal then you can brake. Its pretty easy once you do it a few times.

That's what I thought, but I can not find anything in the manual saying there is a cruise control on the B26. Please come back and tell me I'm blind along with my other disabilities as I would love to figure out how TO.
The Gotcha Man

 

[MarkV]

Gotcha I don’t think there is a good way. Not sure on the B26 but I know there is not cruise on the B21. Have you considered chains on the front tires to maintain steering in the snow? A number of members have reported success using chains.

MarkV

 

[btolle]

For me, using the brakes to steer was a 'hangover' from my days on a Ford 8N. It took me a little while to get used to the HST and the only time I use the brakes to steer now is if I get in a real tight spot where I am wedged against a tree or something.

I don't remember using the brakes to do anything but set the parking brake in the last 100 hours on my B7510.

I suspect that you will get used to the tractor after a while and old habits, like pushing the clutch in when stopping, will change.

Bill Tolle

 

[Podunkadunk]

Hi Gotcha,
The others nailed it on the head. You don't need that ability with HST. This topic has been discussed before, many times on TBN and the conclusion was if you have cruise control, do as Messick said. If not, you'll get used to not having the ability like on a manual.

The HST will turn on a dime and because you can "shift" from forward to reverse so fast, tight spots are easily negotiated.

Keep practicing = more seat time =proficient HST usage

 

[kennyd]

You don't need that ability with HST

I disagree with this statement! I know when plowing snow, I often needed the steering brakes to maintain directional control.

And not to start a fight-but in MY OPINION, that is one advantage the JD machines have over the Kubota's.

 

[bx23barry]

I too think Kubota was/is pretty dumb to put the hst and brakes on the same foot. Makes the brakes useless! The argument that hst somehow makes "steering/turning brakes" unnecessary is ridiculous. Some folks say they can two foot it, but I think that isn't so much a solution as a "work around".

 

[gotcha]

I disagree with this statement! I know when plowing snow, I often needed the steering brakes to maintain directional control.

And not to start a fight-but in MY OPINION, that is one advantage the JD machines have over the Kubota's.

I agree whole heartily, good for Green I wish my orange had the ability to use them. It defiantly is not the getting use to it, it is the ability to be able to use something the Kubota put on the tractor. When I'm plowing heavy wet snow along my stone walls and I need to move in one direction or another the brakes made it a lot easier to do it. Who the heck wants to backup and then go forward when just the touch of the brake moved me just enough that the steering wheel just kept letting me go straight even with them turned. My other Kubota was manual tranny and I loved working the brakes for doing just the plowing. Hope ya follow that.
The Gotcha Man

 

[kennyd]

Thanks for not shredding me apart guys

 

[Double Orange]

Thanks for not shredding me apart guys

The night is still young!!

 

[dfkrug]

As a recent buyer of a B21, I was stunned to find no cruise
control. All my other HST tractors had it. I admit I don't
really use it, but I do have to get both feet on the right if
I want to use separate braking. I don't think cruise would have
been desirable in the cases I needed separate braking because
the whole reason I needed it was cuz I was in a very tight
spot and was very moving very tentatively.

It makes sense that the B26 carries over the no cruise control
"philosophy".

BTW, I agree my old JD was way easier with the brake-steer.
No clutch on the left on that machine.

 

[AndyMA]

I disagree with this statement! I know when plowing snow, I often needed the steering brakes to maintain directional control.

And not to start a fight-but in MY OPINION, that is one advantage the JD machines have over the Kubota's.

I agree. I don't have HST on any of my tractors, but I definately need the turning brakes when I plow snow togoina straight line. One of my machines weighs almost 10,000 lbs and it still won't push straight without the brake assist.

Andy

 

[ovrszd]

When I started looking at Kubotas the first puzzling question I asked was how do you use the brakes?? On this forum I was told by many that with HST you don't need individual brakes. Being a mechanically inclined person I immediately recognized those responses as coming from operators that don't work on slopes. I even use my brakes on some slopes that I mow with my MMM.
I have perfected the technique that Mr Messick offered on my B2910 with it's mechanical, hand operated cruise control. Control the forward speed with the handle and control the brakes with my right foot. The drawback there is that the hand operated cruise control will not engage reverse.
So if I find myself needing to brake while backing, I do the two right feet method but it's not handy. I think it was a huge error on Kubota's part to design this flaw into their equipment.
Without cruise and considering your handicap, I don't have much to offer you. I use my brakes often and would be frustrated without a solution. I'm sure you'll figure out something, keep us posted.

 

[Podunkadunk]

A lot of good points! I for one have never had to plow snow...thank goodness! Bottom plowing would be the same way I suspect...needing an occasional "bump" of the brake to keep you linear.

My HST has cruise control and that's what I use A LOT. Brake corrections can be performed if you have cruise, otherwise, it's 2 feet on the right side...which is not only unsafe, but it's absolutely stupid engineering by Kubota.

I mow on a slope, as I heard one poster say. I have weights on the front end and ever since installing them, it makes turning so much easier. 4x4 helps a lot in that aspect also...gripping, biting as I turn.

My Kubota is an '06. It changed from Grand L 3130 to Grand L 3240 in '07. Does anyone know if they changed the pedals to accomodate for the engineering flaw mentioned throughout this thread?

Please post if you know...I'm really curious.

Oh and KennyD...I don't have a problem with a team greene owner coming over to the "A" team to check out the how we do business...I won't bash you.



Podunk

 

[whiteh2okayaker]

The L3240 has cruise control, forward only and R. HST and breaks so no change that I am aware in this dept.

 

[btolle]

Thanks for not shredding me apart guys

We try to be kind to those with obvious mental deficiencies.

Bill Tolle

 

[AndyinIowa]

Its not stupid engineering, or an engineering flaw. The brakes were put on the right side intentionally. Its hard to say for sure, but I would highly doubt Kubota would put the brakes there 'just because'.

Without knowing the FULL story, we should be careful about slamming an OEM. How do you know that Kubota didn't place the brakes on the right so they could offer other, more important features on the machine? As a vehicle engineer, I am faced with these real decisions every day. Just because a competitor can offer a feature doesn't mean every other OEM can immediately run to market with the same features. Each OEM chooses features and layout.

I've been out on customer focus calls. Some of the same people that gripe about issues like this also were vocal complainers about ROPS. In their opinion, a person should be able to 'ride it out' or 'walk off the side' in a tractor rollover. Its the same issue of people making judgement using only their limited view of the situation. Sorry about the soap-box rambling, but we need to calm down and think about it from the manufacturer's perspective.

From my visual observations (and no, I don't work for Kubota) it looks like their decision was based on one of the following: 1. Vehicle layout required it (I didn't see a clear path for brake routing on the opposite side) 2. If the allowable brake package wasn't designed for 'heavy use', placing the brakes o n the same side as the propel control will reduce operator braking duty cycle.
3. Kubota's safety culture drove the design. Remember that Deere's engineering is U.S., and Kubota still has heavy engineering influence from Japan.

Bottom line: Its not a 'flaw'. It is an intentional design decision that was signed off by U.S. Kubota Marketing, engineering, and a lot of other people.

 

[Killer_B]

Its not stupid engineering, or an engineering flaw...

Maybe not. But it is an awkward design that makes the brakes practically unusable. The Deere arrangement is easy as pie.

 

[Adam23]

I agree that this is a totally awkward design. When I first got my Kubota, I thought the same thing - How will I ever use the brakes efficiently? But over the past 2 months I have found that I have not had a need for the brakes as the HST performs flawlessly. But then again, I don't mow on a heavy grade nor do I plow snow or even have experience with the difficulties of either are. So I am only speaking to my needs when I say that due to the HST I never use the brakes for anything other than setting the parking brake. But in the same respect - I can totally understand the complaints of how/why the design is the way it is.