New B6000 owner...what's this extra lever?

davesisk

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Kubota BX1850 w/ FEL & MMM
Oct 11, 2017
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New B6000 owner...what's this extra lever? + other questions

Hi folks...I'm joining your ranks here, just picked up an old Kubota B6000 with Front Loader last night.

I've got what's probably a silly question already...what does this extra lever do? I found and downloaded an owner's manual, and it doesn't show this lever. See the pic below...

KubotaB6000_extra_lever.jpg

Thanks in advance!
Dave
 
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fatjay

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Does it reverse the PTO direction?

Did you try it? Press in the clutch, throw the lever, and gradually release the clutch and see if anything happens.
 
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davesisk

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Kubota BX1850 w/ FEL & MMM
Oct 11, 2017
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Does it reverse the PTO direction?

Did you try it? Press in the clutch, throw the lever, and gradually release the clutch and see if anything happens.
Ah...now wouldn't that be nice (since the B6000 PTO spins the wrong direction). I will try it later today and see what happens. Is this by any chance that PTO reverser add-on that I've seen mentioned a couple of times? (UPDATE: I looked up a pic of that PTO reverser...that's not it, or at least not the one that was made by Hub City.)

Thanks!
Dave
 
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RCW

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Don't take this as gospel, because I'm just guessing.

Some older Kubota's had a creeper gear option, which is an extra hi/lo range selector, to get REAL slow for ground work/tilling, etc.

Maybe this is the lever for that?

If you search "creeper" here, it might show. Seems there have been similar questions before with pictures.
 
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Lil Foot

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Some older Kubota's had a creeper gear option, which is an extra hi/lo range selector, to get REAL slow for ground work/tilling, etc.
Maybe this is the lever for that?
That was my guess also.
 

davesisk

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Kubota BX1850 w/ FEL & MMM
Oct 11, 2017
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OK, creeper gear sounds like a good guess. I'll check it out next time...didn't have time tonight, was helping a neighbor move a storage shed. Here's an "action pic":
KubotaB6000_liftingshed.jpg

I think I may have a diesel leak on this guy...there was a little bit of diesel fuel dripping onto the right pedal board earlier tonight. (The drip seems to have stopped...but drips generally only stop "for now", so I'll have to dig into where that's coming from over the weekend. I'm hoping something simple like hose or something.)

Thanks for all the replies!

Cheers,
Dave
 

davesisk

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Kubota BX1850 w/ FEL & MMM
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Any idea how it works (functionally, I mean)? Is it like the Hi-Lo range selector, except "Normal" or "Extra Low"? I saw in the post mentioned above that there may be a gear between 1st and 2nd on the main shifter that works with this creeper gear lever (something like "middle gear" on the main shifter, then hi creeper and low creeper on the creeper lever maybe?). I guess I don't quite understand how they work together. Any clarification appreciated!

So, I think I need to adjust the clutch and brakes (I see there are adjustment screws for those...the clutch has to be pressed all the way down to disengage, and the brakes don't grab until they are fully pressed, so the parking brake doesn't work). That said, all the main gears seem to work fine and shift fairly easy (once you know where they are), the high-low range shifts easily...the 2WD/4WD shifting seemed to need a little loosening up, but that seems to shift easily too, and the 4WD does engage...the differential lock engages and disengages, although I prob need a little more practice learning how/when it engages easily when I need it. The hydraulics powering the loader seem to be plenty strong. The engine putters it's way to life without an excessive amount of cranking (*sounds like* it starts off on 1 cylinder and the other cylinder starts firing shortly after, so maybe I need to replace the glow plugs and check that circuit to make sure both are heating up), but then runs strong and smoothly once it's running. It's loud, needs a better muffler! It's been repainted, and there's little to no rust on the tractor itself. The serial # on this B6000 suggests it is a 1973 model, I believe...it needs a few minor fixes, but I'm pretty impressed that a 40+ year old tractor runs and works just like it should. I need to add a ROPS and better seat, get some lights working, etc., but seems like some maintenance and minor repairs are definitely worth doing.

Cheers,
Dave
 
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Dave_eng

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You need to understand the purpose of creeper gears.

It is not to provide you with more force for heavy work. Use it like that and it will break and cause a big mess inside your entire gearbox.

Some farm operations require the machine to be moving much slower than the normal first gear low range. These creeper gears are only for low speed low load operation. I have not used creeper gears one so this is a guess. I expect it will have two positions on your unidentified lever in your first post so it is going to be like a hi low range lever.

Since you have a gray market machine, reading the sticky posts in that section will educate you about pto reversers and what Kubota models equate to a Gray market one. Some gray market owners tell me that going to a Kubota dealer and asking for parts or help with a Gray machine is not going to get you what you want as Kubota is legally prohibited (I think) in supporting Gray machines. It is also covered in the sticky posts

The gray machine is tough so on that front you have a great tractor and versatile machine. It just has features for the Asian market like the pto turning backwards compared to North American models.

You may stumble across small roto tillers that are for sale. You can get them cheap as only a tractor with a backwards pto can use them.

Take a couple of photos of the glow plug side of your engine. Not starting quickly can be a symptom of GP issues which are often wiring related.

Dave M7040
 

davesisk

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Kubota BX1850 w/ FEL & MMM
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Thanks for the post...I didn't realize the B6000 was a gray market model (although the reverse PTO should have been a clue). Sounds like that may complicate a couple of things (like getting parts)...but I would have bought it anyway.

The glow plug indicator does glow red, but that may not necessarily mean both glow plugs are getting power, so I'll give that a look.

So, question: Will Kubota still honor the ROPS program for the B6000? Or should I order one for a B6100 instead? They do list a B6000...but I guess that doesn't necessarily mean they'll sell me a ROPS for the $150 deal.

Cheers,
Dave
 
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gcmiller

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So, question: Will Kubota still honor the ROPS program for the B6000? Or should I order one for a B6100 instead? They do list a B6000...but I guess that doesn't necessarily mean they'll sell me a ROPS for the $150 deal.
That's probably a good question for your local dealership. Depending on which side of town you're on we have Louisburg Tractor, on 401 in Louisburg, and The Tractor Center, on the Raleigh/Garner border. I buy my maintenance parts from Louisburg and they come across as descent people, but I've never made a major purchase there. I've never been to the Tractor Center.

Having said that, I've seen someone post on a different forum that their local dealer never heard of the ROPS program and they had to call Kubota HQ in Georgia who was able to help them out.

Good luck and keep us posted. I'm sure there are others here who can use the info.

Gary
 

Daren Todd

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Not all B6000 are gray markets. Some are north American models. Really depends on the serial number. Serial number plates are different between the north American models and the gray market models. All B6000 have the bass ackward pto ;)
 
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Stmar

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One of my old 8Ns had what they call a Sherman transmission option which sounds like the creeper gear. I hardly ever used it over the 30 years I had the tractor. It really lowered the speed so you should be able to tell it right away when you engage it.
 

davesisk

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Kubota BX1850 w/ FEL & MMM
Oct 11, 2017
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This is my serial#: B6000-73168

Is this a gray market model or a US model?

UPDATE: Actually, I think I found the answer (on OTT, of course...LOL). Mine has footboards that go all the way to the rear fender (ie. no gap between the footboard and the rear fender that you could get an ankle caught in)...the US models have the full footboard, and the Japanese models have only the front part of the footboard, with said gap between the footboards and rear fenders. See this thread: http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3214

Btw folks...thank you for all the posts and answers, I take it as a very warm welcome!

Cheers!
Dave
 
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davesisk

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Kubota BX1850 w/ FEL & MMM
Oct 11, 2017
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Raleigh, NC USA
Hmmm...ya know, I think I could fabricate a suitable chain-driven PTO reverser for these B6000's. (The chains might take a little maintenance, but that's not difficult.) The only difficult part I'll bet is finding the part that mates to the oddball spline on the stock PTO shaft...anyone know that exact size and/or a source for that?

Cheers!
Dave
 

coachgeo

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Hmmm...ya know, I think I could fabricate a suitable chain-driven PTO reverser for these B6000's. (The chains might take a little maintenance, but that's not difficult.) The only difficult part I'll bet is finding the part that mates to the oddball spline on the stock PTO shaft...anyone know that exact size and/or a source for that?

Cheers!
Dave
As you might expect lol.....right here on this board there is a discussion on that in the FABRICATION forum
 

davesisk

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Kubota BX1850 w/ FEL & MMM
Oct 11, 2017
52
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Raleigh, NC USA
As you might expect lol.....right here on this board there is a discussion on that in the FABRICATION forum
Ah, OK...I'll go find that thread then. :) I also just checked...mine has a 6-splined PTO shaft, not 10-splined. I'll check tommorrow and just confirm that the PTO does indeed turn counter-clockwise...who knows, I might be solving a problem I don't have (but I doubt it).

So, possibly another silly question...the rear stance with tires is a little narrower than the front. Front tire to tire from outer edge is about 40 inches wide. Rear tire to tire outer edge is around (didn't get exact measurement) 36 -
38 inches or so. (Rear tires are definitely a couple inches or so inside the loader frame and bucket, while front tires are a couple inches outside the loader frame and bucket.) It *looks like* I could flip the wheels around ("dish them out", as I believe it's called), making the rear stance around 42 inches or so wide (which I believe would be a good thing...wider will be more stable and possibly a little safer. Also, I added a quick hitch, and the hitch arms are within 1/2" of the tires now). Is there any reason I couldn't flip the rear wheels around to make the stance wider? Looks like the wheel actually sits on a ridge on the hub...I of course can't tell for sure if they would fit exactly right until I just attempt it (and I might need shorter wheel lugs, don't know yet). Thoughts anyone?

Cheers!
Dave
 
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Lencho

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Check your axle for holes. The hubs should be adjustable for width.