Reasonable grade to expect a Kubota BX 25 to climb

Martin Hache · May 24, 2014

Does anyone know what maximum grade I can expect to climb with my Kubota BX 25 when equiped with a loader and backhoe attachment?

I am finding that I cannot climb some hills that I wouldn't expect to be excessive!

Thx

k0ua · May 24, 2014

Why won't it climb them? Do the tires slip? Is it a matter of traction? I have found that 4wd tractors equipped with R4 tires will climb just about what I can climb on foot. In other words If I can get up and down it on foot, then the tractor will go up it. So about 30 degrees or maybe a hair steeper. I have some slopes in the back that might be 35 degrees and the last 3 tractors I have owned will go up them, but it is all you care to try to walk up or down. And if they are wet, you can forget it.

Martin Hache · May 24, 2014

k0ua said:
Why won't it climb them? Do the tires slip? Is it a matter of traction? I have found that 4wd tractors equipped with R4 tires will climb just about what I can climb on foot. In other words If I can get up and down it on foot, then the tractor will go up it. So about 30 degrees or maybe a hair steeper. I have some slopes in the back that might be 35 degrees and the last 3 tractors I have owned will go up them, but it is all you care to try to walk up or down. And if they are wet, you can forget it.

No spinning of tires. Just no forward movement. The slope I was negotiating was probably more than 35 degrees. I was wanting to get some idea of what the tractor's capacity was.

Thanks for the reply. This helps!

k0ua · May 24, 2014

Martin Hache said:
No spinning of tires. Just no forward movement. The slope I was negotiating was probably more than 35 degrees. I was wanting to get some idea of what the tractor's capacity was.

Thanks for the reply. This helps!

Were you the Low range of the Hydro?.. If in HI range the relief valve may have opened.

Martin Hache · May 24, 2014

k0ua said:
Were you the Low range of the Hydro?.. If in HI range the relief valve may have opened.

Yes. I was in low range.

Gary Fowler · May 24, 2014

Any tractor in Low range should run out of traction before running out of power. Definitely something wrong if different from that.

k0ua · May 24, 2014

Gary Fowler said:
Any tractor in Low range should run out of traction before running out of power. Definitely something wrong if different from that.

I am inclined to agree.. In LO range, There is no scenario where I cannot spin the tires. Including pushing up against an immovable object I can spin all the tires.. It sounds like the relief valve on the hydro is set at too low of a pressure. I would get that checked out.

Martin Hache · May 24, 2014

Will get it checked out.

Thx

Grandad4 · May 24, 2014

Did the dealer show you how to use the HST "go pedal" properly? The HST pedal is like an infinite gear adjustment, not an accelerator as in cars/trucks. If you're flooring it, that would explain the lack of power on a slope... that's effectively putting it in a taller gear. You want to back off the pedal instead, which gives it the lowest gearing. Lots of discussions here about using hydrostats... good info if you're just getting started with one.

dieseleric · May 25, 2014

MY b2920 is "geared" so low in low range you can punch the HST pedal clear down and hardly move forward its really really slow. I've never ran out of power in mid range with my backhoe/fel on. Something isn't right with the tractor.