I hate when I do that...

[Downeaster]

I've been putting off dealing with a problem with my tractor. It's a Kubota with a hydro transmission and a treadle-type pedal: Push on the front to go forward, push on the back to back up. When you take your foot off the pedal, it returns to neutral and the tractor stops. Easy-peasy.

Some time back, it developed a habit of not staying in neutral. Take your foot off the pedal, tractor would slow down but keep going. Center the pedal with your foot, tractor stops, take your foot off the pedal, tractor starts creeping. Kept getting progressively worse, to the point where really STANDING on the brake would barely stop it. (Tractor has enough poop to override the brake if you forget to release it.)

Been screwing with it off and on for months. Consulted a couple of internet forums and Doctor YouTube, tried a couple of adjustments and jury-rigged fixes. Nothing worked. The general consensus was that The Fix involved replacing a detent bearing in the linkage which required removing the cab to get it. $$$$$ at the dealer, not something I'm equipped to do in my shop.

Got pissed enough to try one more time to fix it before wiping out my toy fund. This time I discovered two things:

1. Under the floor mat and soundproofing in the cab is an access hatch that exposes pretty much everything I need to dick with, including the Dreaded Bearing.

2. The problem was self-inflicted. When I replaced the neutral switch that crapped out last Summer, I had it WAY out of adjustment and it was interfering with the linkage, keeping it from returning to neutral.

Fiddled with the adjustment to find the sweet spot (far enough back to let the linkage return, far enough forward to activate so the tractor would start) and all is well.

I can be SUCH a dumbass sometimes...

 

[Mailman]

I've been putting off dealing with a problem with my tractor. It's a Kubota with a hydro transmission and a treadle-type pedal: Push on the front to go forward, push on the back to back up. When you take your foot off the pedal, it returns to neutral and the tractor stops. Easy-peasy.

Some time back, it developed a habit of not staying in neutral. Take your foot off the pedal, tractor would slow down but keep going. Center the pedal with your foot, tractor stops, take your foot off the pedal, tractor starts creeping. Kept getting progressively worse, to the point where really STANDING on the brake would barely stop it. (Tractor has enough poop to override the brake if you forget to release it.)

Been screwing with it off and on for months. Consulted a couple of internet forums and Doctor YouTube, tried a couple of adjustments and jury-rigged fixes. Nothing worked. The general consensus was that The Fix involved replacing a detent bearing in the linkage which required removing the cab to get it. $$$$$ at the dealer, not something I'm equipped to do in my shop.

Got pissed enough to try one more time to fix it before wiping out my toy fund. This time I discovered two things:

1. Under the floor mat and soundproofing in the cab is an access hatch that exposes pretty much everything I need to dick with, including the Dreaded Bearing.

2. The problem was self-inflicted. When I replaced the neutral switch that crapped out last Summer, I had it WAY out of adjustment and it was interfering with the linkage, keeping it from returning to neutral.

Fiddled with the adjustment to find the sweet spot (far enough back to let the linkage return, far enough forward to activate so the tractor would start) and all is well.

I can be SUCH a dumbass sometimes...

Good for you for figuring it out! The dealer would’ve probably fixed it just as fast and lightened your wallet considerably just the same!

 

[MaxPete]

Excellent - it’s so gratifying when something tough, messy and expensive turns out to be easy, tidy and cheap.

That also confirms my hopes/prayers that well engineered stuff should be easy to fix as well and Kubota does seem to build good stuff.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Oh, crap. DE, you just *had* to bring this up. Last year my safety-interlocked-choked NH TC-35 wouldn't crank. Urgent to get it running, had to run a bypass cliplead direct to the starter solenoid. Fired up, got the job done. Then later, fixed the problem (I think). Don't remember what it was, or what I did, or what I'll do if it happens again. For some reason, I left the jumper wire in its toolbox...

 

[motormike]

being in a condo…. I got people.... (insert smerky face here)

 

[gggGary]

Delayed maintenance is rearing it's ugly head on the skidsteer. Similar to DE's Bota it doesn't like to stay in the neutral sweet spot, starting can be a tricky procedure with graunching and lurching as it tries to start and move against the brakes. Fiddled a couple times with little success, it needs a replacement of about 8 heim joints and lots of adjusting. Dodged a bullet; replaced an algae plugged diesel filter, got fuel system bled with a little creative "power bleeding" and help finding vent points from generic Utube videos. (done between snow storms out in the shed) cold, diesel soaked everything, fun, fun. Complicated interlock electrical system is acting up also. May be related to smashing my forehead into the overhead dashboard breaking it. (the dashboard). another story, LOL

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Them damn interlocks. Anything and everything on mine that can be manipulated and moved has some sort of sensor or switch, feeding into a master "better-than-thou" brainbox, I like to call "mother-in-law".

I had plans to bypass or remove all that stuff, but don't have the time...

 

[fredintoon]

Them damn interlocks. Anything and everything on mine that can be manipulated and moved has some sort of sensor or switch, feeding into a master "better-than-thou" brainbox, I like to call "mother-in-law".
I had plans to bypass or remove all that stuff, but don't have the time...

Hi 2Many,
those interlocks were installed as a defence against damnfools injuring themselves by mis-using the mfr's product then using the US courts to make money by sueing them.

 

[Downeaster]

Everything is so interconnected these days it's damn near impossible to disable any given feature.

I have serious high-frequency hearing loss. Serious enough, in fact, that I'm seeking hearing aids via the VA.

The lights/key/door dinger is plumb in the center of my dead zone. I can NOT hear that thing even a little bit. You'd think since it all feeds through the radio's sound system that there'd be a way to turn it up.

You'd be wrong. Drives the wife batty when I leave the door open and the keys in the ignition while filling the gas tank, but I never hear it so I never remember to take the keys out or close the door.

 

[fredintoon]

- - - Drives the wife batty when I leave the door open and the keys in the ignition while filling the gas tank, but I never hear it so I never remember to take the keys out or close the door.

Hi Downeaster,
you must be old enough to have owned cars that didn't have dingers to remind you of stuff?
Pretend you still got one and REMEMBER the safe way to fuel a car, eh?

 

[Downeaster]

Hi Downeaster,
you must be old enough to have owned cars that didn't have dingers to remind you of stuff?
Pretend you still got one and REMEMBER the safe way to fuel a car, eh?

Hell, I'm old enough to remember when the dimmer was on the floor! In fact, I've driven vehicles with the STARTER on the floor.

Unfortunately, I'm also old enough that a reminder to turn the headlights off would be a Good Thing. Shame I can't hear it...

I am smart enough to turn the engine off when fueling, I just don't bother to take the keys out of the ignition.

 

[gggGary]

yup get out of van leave keys in it and all the other doors are locked They don't unlock less keys are out. Keep an extra key hidden under van I KNOW that damned thing will lock me out one day. actually it already has but one MORE key is hanging in the basement and I was still at home..

 

[gggGary]

The next generation won't even understand the concept of control and responsibility they'll just wander round expecting the universe to protect them. Sez the guy using spill chuck.

 

[Downeaster]

Sez the guy using spill chuck.

 

[GLJ]

Sez the guy using spill chuck.

Good one

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Remember when cars started coming out with gaspedal-by-wire? Poor quality control faulty gaspedal rheostats got into the supply stream, followed by cars slamming full-throttle into other cars and buildings.

Freaks me out...

 

[kshansen]

Hell, I'm old enough to remember when the dimmer was on the floor! In fact, I've driven vehicles with the STARTER on the floor.

Sounds like the old Buick Special I had while going to community college. Had fun with people by getting in the car with engine off then while both hands were on the steering wheel the car would start on it's own. How'd that happen!

 

[Mailman]

Remember when cars started coming out with gaspedal-by-wire? Poor quality control faulty gaspedal rheostats got into the supply stream, followed by cars slamming full-throttle into other cars and buildings.

Freaks me out...

My Fiat has electric steering, no mechanical link at all between the steering wheel and the front wheels. I was leery of it at first, and it’s really strange, you feel resistance in the steering wheel just like a normal set up. Thing handles like a go cart.

 

[gggGary]

You're really old if you remember taking starter and "brights" switches out of the floor board, bending back the tabs, to open, sanding the contacts greasing and putting them back together, good for another five years. No one drove barefoot in the old days that starter switch could get hot! LOL. A brights flash was stomp, stomp.

 

[Mailman]

I had a 1960 Chevy stepside pickup, that was a retired forest service truck when I bought it. It had a granny low 4-speed, drum brakes all around, no air conditioner, rubber floor mat, oil bath air cleaner, and it also had the headlight dimmer on the floor, that had a nasty habit of shorting out the headlights when you stomped on it. You’d be on some dark and lonely road at night and go to put the brights on and instead you wind up killing your lights all together!