Things we wish Kubota would hear us on.

[MapleLeafFarmer]

Well.... I have no doubt whatsoever that Kubota engineers / designers do a great job of making top shelf products. Can i think of a few exceptions? Maybe..... here is one I wouldn't mind if they would address.

Yesterday was one of those days where i had to think Kubota could have done a better job.

As winter approaches and the machines mostly get put to bed till spring I like to make my fall service. This year it included a couple of transmission oil changes. So I get a half pallet of s-udt in place and start my work. Check levels before I drain, measure the amount that comes out, replace filters, re-fill the same amount I took out plus a little more to accommodate the filter changes, check and re-check.

So here is my beef for today, S-udt is so clear that near impossible to see in site glasses and on dip sticks. i have been around a few years so of course a dark rag test on the dip stick tells me the level and I go about my business.

Why couldn't they tint the s-udt so that it would be easier to see? I guess they keep it clear so that if contaminated or dirty it would scream to the user change me as no longer clear?? who knows but I know a tinted colour would be appreciated as I know I change regularly (not when looks dirty) so the clean to dirty argument doesn't hold water with me. Maybe I be minority and others change when looks dirty versus time of use or age?

Assuming Kubota rep(s) may sometimes look at social media like this place for feedback here is my little morning beef. Tint your fluids so I can easily see / I change based on hours (or age) not by the look of the fluid.

Do you have any beefs that maybe kubota would like to hear?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I agree.

I had to go to the "dark side" to tint mine.

The JD tint is kinda pricey, but now I have no problem seeing it.

My 'beef" is the fuel fill location.

This looks like a group of Kubota Engineers at the bar ..........

 

[ve9aa]

More comfortable seats.

 

[mcfarmall]

A horn and spaces for upfitter switches on every model.

 

[skeets]

I would like the B series 3 inches lower, and at least 6 inches wider in the back end

 

[will721]

Not really kubota specific, but all tractor manufacturers. Could we get some decent factory lighting? My brand new lx which is supposedly the "premium-ish" model still uses lighting from the 80s. Non-led tail lights, poorly designed headlights, and an auxiliary rear light that looks to be from the bargain bin of a hardware store circa 1996. For some reason its a theme with all non-highway vehicles and I just don't understand it.

It also would be nice if they came with an auxiliary factory installed fuse box for accessories or switches specifically for the blanks in my dash. Not sure if thats a thing or not from kubota direct but all I've come across thus far was here on this forum for some non-oe chinesium switches that light up the wrong color and wouldn't match the dash. Both these things though I would be using for proper lighting because the factory missed the mark.

Really outside of that and the stupid keys I haven't had any complaints about my machine. Tad quieter exhaust mabey? Idk

 

[CAPT Seabee]

Ignition key location needs to be on the upper dash, not by your knee.
Fuel fill on the right side of the cab is OK until the flasher lights are installed.
No outside tool box. Had to go 3rd party.
Step is useless for older folk. Now have a true step solution from 3rd party.
Entry grab handle is useless if you're wearing winter gloves.
Visibility of loader quick connect is poor. Solved by installing wireless camera.
The Grand L series doesn't have a PTO bypass switch but relies on you lifting the seat forward. Won't work out if you put an air ride seat in. Had to go with a switch solution to existing wiring.
If you have to cut out a round section of the frame so a hydraulic filter can be reached, you got the design wrong.
Putting the subframe on isn't easy. Getting the perfect alignment for the rear bar is tedious.

 

[GrizBota]

I agree on the silly key location. Right in the knee when to turn to look to the rear.

A real tool box integrated into the body would be nice. The silly plastic pencil boxes are an insult to the machine, the buyer and the Kubota brand name.

Big K needs to look back at their successes and stop chasing making things cheaper. For example, look at the FEL hard lines coming off an open station 60 series Grand L, outside of the FEL frame. And the location of the third function solenoid, under the floor and furthest thing to right. I’m sure is less expensive to do it this way, but it’s really stupid when they dang well know how to do it correctly, in a protected location. Heck the inside edge for the FEL even has the threaded holes where any reasonably thoughtful person would have mounted the hardlines, in a nice protected pocket. Just like they did on the predecessor models.

 

[S-G-R]

My three gripes on the LX3310 are

1. fuel filler location
2. Oil dipstick location behind the loader post. Great spot if you don't have a loader
3. HST noise although the 3-4 decibeles quieter the 20 series is would still have me wearing hearing protection.

 

[NCL4701]

A seat on the economy tractors (such as my 01 series) with springs that will handle over 160lb operator. The seat suspension on my T is WAY better than the seat suspension in my L.

Other than that, for my uses, I got nothing. I think that’s pretty good.

 

[FTG-05]

Fix the Gorram twitchy throttle issue on the RTV-XG850. Can't hardly back up with any control. It's dangerous as heck, I'm surprised there isn't already a class action law suit on it.

 

[Bmyers]

Well, several of you hit on my complaints.

1-need a better seat. Some of us are fat Americans and we need seats to support us.
2-why not a little dye in the UDT so we can actually see it on the dipstick without having to try one of the multiple tricks that Kubota owners have come up with to solve the issue.
3-Key location could be better. I try to be careful, I have hit it a couple of times, just afraid someday I will break it off
4-Would like a switch for the PTO override and not have to lift the seat, although this is the lowest improvement on my list because it has only affected me twice.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

1> Keyswitch location is in the perfect positon to break the key off with a knee. Thank you K. Frickin' awesome. Genius.

2>Checking the engine oil on my LX2610. K, Are you actually serious? You can't hardly see it to find it, or reach it when you do. You have to remove a pita side panel after you move the brush bar forward, lift the hood, and raise the loader to the sky. And then, the worst part: The actual dipstick is two piece. It's segmented. So it doesn't want to go back in! You must twist it left, then twist it right, and still no go. So when you nearly give up and decide to sell the tractor over frustration.... it finally goes in all the way.

3>Treddle pedal. Nope, not a fan. JD's got it better. Sorry, but them's the facts.

 

[bcp]

Toolboxes. Chain boxes.

Not just stuck on somewhere, but integrated into the tractor's design.

Bruce

 

[Trimley]

Coming from John Deere, Kubota. Your mowing decks leave a LOT to be desired. I knew that before I bought my BX23S.

I plan to fix it myself.

 

[lugbolt]

the people that engineer/design them seem to be victims of ADHD. It's like they get a halfway decent design and then realize, uh-oh we forgot about the fuel tank, let's stash it right over yonder, next to the muffler on the TOP of the engine which puts the filler on top of the hood so a user can dump fuel all over a hot engine, or whatever. Similar on the GR series mowers (black eye for Kubota)--let's make a 4x4 lawn mower. Awesome idea, and they work when they're working. Problem? They had to reduce the production cost to compete with the market, so that transmission assembly got all condensed down to, basically a proven failure point. It's almost as if the GR transmissions were planned-obsolescent because they all fail at some point. Let's not even begin to talk about the b3350....I think that one was just poor planning from the get-go.

 

[Botamon]

My biggest gripe about my cab model M7060 is the oil fill location (along with the dipstick). Time for the annual oil change, and I'm wondering if it is worth my time to dismount the front end loader just so I can change the engine oil with less hassle. Like most of us, my M7060 has the loader mounted on it; the loader arm sits directly in front of the dipstick and oil fill location. The exhaust prevents access from the front side of the loader arm, and the cab and grab bar prevent access from the rear side. In the past I've rigged up large funnels with about a 3' hose extension just so I can put oil back in the engine. 15W40 oil don't flow worth a damn down a long narrow hose!

 

[GrizBota]

My biggest gripe about my cab model M7060 is the oil fill location (along with the dipstick). Time for the annual oil change, and I'm wondering if it is worth my time to dismount the front end loader just so I can change the engine oil with less hassle. Like most of us, my M7060 has the loader mounted on it; the loader arm sits directly in front of the dipstick and oil fill location. The exhaust prevents access from the front side of the loader arm, and the cab and grab bar prevent access from the rear side. In the past I've rigged up large funnels with about a 3' hose extension just so I can put oil back in the engine. 15W40 oil don't flow worth a damn down a long narrow hose!

I pull my FEL off my L regularly. It’s a couple minutes either way. I’d think a modern M7060 would be similar. Yes, I pull it off for maintenance, brush hogging, towing, etc. anything that doesn’t require the FEL. Makes the tractor much more nimble.

 

[Ktrim]

Stop discontinuing damn parts that are probe to failure.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

I wish it were an EV….just kidding. Seriously though, do you know the difference between an EV and a golf ball? I might drive a golf ball.

Well now that that is out of the way, I’ll toss my hat in:
1. Tool box on all three I’ve owned.
2. Seat on the Mx…needs to be expedition weight suspension for the full figured tractorer.
3. I’d love to see lights in the rops…front lights just blocked by the bucket…that’s not a Kubota thing that’s a tractor thing…I’d like to see OEM light option somewhere other than the grill/hood location.
4. I wish there would have been a cast wheel option on the MX.

I’d consider them grievances…would not prevent me from buying another Kubota product. I think they make a solid product and think stand behind it.