I 100% agree. There are FAR more owners of the compact and sub-compact tractors. I would buy one in a heartbeat if it was available for a Kubota B2650!
Same, Deutz, Landini, Lamborghini and a few others from the same group have been offering front diff lockers as standard on their compact tractors from 30 to 55 HP for over 15 years. It's a very nice feature to have. Although it can also be dangerous for inexperience operators. I'm sure there is a market for lockers in the US.
Three of those four companies are Italian. The captions in the video provided by the manufacturer (the video added to the end) are in Italian. I'm sensing a pattern here. :-) Neil also has a video on how your heirs can turn a tractor back upright and get it started again. Just sayin'.
The real question is not what tractor would you want this in. It WHAT TRACTOR WOULDN'T YOU WANT IT IN. Great idea. I would love it on my Kubota L4310. I think all 4x4 tractors should come with them or at least the option. My land gets pretty swampy in places and this would help my 4WD tractor be that much more useful
B2650 I want to see how it performs in the mud! I’m not going rock crawling but would have a use for something to help when the bucket trick won’t work.
I've used these in some of my past Jeeps. We called them lunchbox lockers. Made by Lock Right I believe. On Jeeps you just pulled the spider gears and this unit replaced them, pretty quick and easy process. Not as durable as a full locker like a Detroit or ARB but does well for the price. Could be a great product for people in mud or snow conditions.
L2501 here, live in Michigan with a high water table and a lot of clay. I have had many situations where I need to put down logs, boards, gravel, etc, to keep traction in the front in order to have any hope of backing out of a slope with a full bucket of wet material. I would love to try this!
I would buy this for any tractor I had hands down. For my Kubota BX or my next B series .. I think it’s genius!! No doubt it would take right off in the tractor market 👍🏻👍🏻
Just last Saturday I was using my MX5200 to turn manure on ice and snow and was spinning the locked rear axel and would LOVE a locked front! That or chains, but chains do some damage.
It’s an automatic differential locker not a limited slip. I’ve installed them in several of my vehicles. When under any load the dogs will engage and lock both sides of the axle. When not under power the side gears are pushed away and free to ratchet. The slang term for this type of differential locker is a lunchbox locker because they are installed inside of the existing differential carrier unlike a Detroit locker which replaces the carrier.
I think this a great idea. My kubota m4950dt and Im pretty sure the rest of the mXX50 series has a factory front diff lock. And I love it!!! I wish they all would come from the factory with front diff lock!
These are not a limited slip differential. These go in place of the spider gears. They positively engage both axles when any torque is applied to the pinion. If these are on a steer axle and the driveshaft is engaged the tractor will not turn. This is what you would call a mechanical Locker. I personally have one in the front differential of an off-road rig.
@@MessicksEquip assuming you could disengage the steer axle id see it having a great advantage. I wouldnt attempt to maneuver it on asphalt or concrete with the axle engaged as it would make the steering bind. Personally if you can afford the money invest in a electronic locker if it is available. Imho
The only issue I would see with this lunch box locker on a tractor would be the constant throttle. If throttle is applied it will not disengage and turning becomes difficult . Similar to the axle lock at your foot. Keeping throttle on would be like keeping your foot on the axle lock with your foot trying to turn
It would work fine in 2 wheel drive. The customer will hear a clicking sound on steep turns perfectly fine . A side effect of this type design . But will proble scare the customer not use to it .
As someone with a fully custom hard core off road Jeep Wrangler (see my Avatar!) with ARB Air Locker differentials in both axles (100% lockup on demand with in dash switches), all 4 wheels guaranteed driving at all times is REALLY hard to beat. Most all the tractors out there from sub-CUTs through CUTs through Ag utility and Ag Row Crop tractors have a REAR lockers, so everyone should know how much even a single locker can help. Having some kind of true locking front differential would be the ultimate solution. Personally, I'd prefer something like the ARB Air Locker where the computer between your ears can decide when a locked front diff is necessary. The solution shown in this video is a close second and far better than a "limited slip" (or open!) differential.
Currently on a bx and would love to see it offered for it. About to go up a size or two so would love to see it on the b series aswell. Amazing product that I think will have a huge impact on the tractor community!
Wow, I Love this idea so many times we all get frustrated when this slip occurs. I can picture how many times this would have helped me, just as of two days ago. I have a Kubota L 2501 and would love to hear and see more. 22 year USAF ret. Machinist and welder. Thanks for the info.
Detroit built slip differential lockers like this in the past and eventually left the AG industry. Hope these guys stick around and cover more and more machines!!!!
I would love it for my L4760. I have ARB locking differentials in 3 of my vehicles. They are great to keep from getting stuck but just like a few viewers mentioned you have to be smart about using a locker it can end up biting you. Thanks Neil
They should build something for the BX series. Not sure how often I'll use the 4WD and rear diff-lock in my BX2680 when I get it, but I bet it would be a great feature to have in those situations where you just need a little more traction.
Great idea/concept. My concern is Alot of lesser experienced operators will undoubtedly get in situation that will turn out very, very, badly. I've operated heavy equipment 45+ yrs. and the lack of weight and borderline stability (properly weighted) of newer tractors (B series) still astonishes me. Danger Will Robinson-Danger!
I literally have held off on buying my first tractor for 5 years because I’m not going to spend $20 to $40k on a tractor that’s marketed as four wheel drive when it has an open front differential and clearly not. I’m down to three models, B2601, LX2620, LX2620 SU LX3520 and L3902. I have serious hills and angulation. If this company makes the front locker for any of these models, that’s the one I will buy. And I will drive the 8 hours to Messicks to buy the tractor.
I would consider one for an older M4050DT. Would help much plowing snow and escaping the occasional closer than expected ditch while 3pt snowblowing. That and spring thaw mud.
I rock crawl . I have a jeep with the same style "ratcheting locker " in the front differential, all the way up to a full tube chassis tube buggy on 1 ton axles. These lockers work well and for the price they are worth it. The draw back to them is when the front axle is disengaged they will free spin/ over run. Wich is fine. But can be very noisy and will be more wear on the unit vs spider gears. The reason for that is that the 2 halves of the locker that the axles are splined into have flat spines on the face of them. They use springs and dowel pins to keep the two halves pushed together to make contact. So as one side overruns the other it will basically be indexing around on the flat spines more or less jumping them. Now in the word of tractors obviously speeds will be alot less than a vehicle but the concept is still the same. Just food for thought.
Great design that is simple and effective. I don't know how much noise it would make say for instance, stacking hay where I have to turn the wheel lock to lock, in and out of the barn. The design should be bulletproof.
I have a M6060 and would love to have had this option when buying new a $600 upgrade then not to bad, but I doubt I would want to add it in now considering the $600 cost plus 6-8 hours labor $800-$1200. But that’s just my opinion. It’s Still pretty awesome though!
Nothing new in terms of capability - in 1980 Zetor had a demonstration of their new 4wd tractor range climbing a vertical wall until the tractor reached balance point at the Royal Welsh Agri Show. It was something never seen before. I'm surprised that this is such a novelty in the US..
Nice to see that I can turn my tractor in a rock-climbing vehicle, but how does it gonna help in the mud? Is your mid diff not locked when you engage 4wd on Kubota ?
Neil what is 2x4 thing jamming through the wall of that otherwise nice conference room? Kind of jarring note to the decor. Hope you weren't product manager for that :]
I can see getting in a lot of trouble with something like that, not being negative, but one would want to be very aware of their surroundings and the potential for tip over
Hello Neal I own a BX 25 TLB and would love to install this on my tractor Just the extra traction would be worth the $ 500.00 investment Thanks Edward Martin
I would imagine a lot of folks with a 3-wheel drive tractor would be interested in making it a true 4WD. So $599 for the part and 8 hrs labor would bring it to a shade over $1000?
It should come as a standard on all 4x4 models. For that price it’s way to high for an extra cost after the original purchase . They can be bought for pickups for half that price. It being a standard would one up kubota agin on the others in tht market. I’ve broken plenty of those also. Most are cast aluminum and that alone in the torque of a tractor I dought it lasting very long especially when in a bind
Wow! I have a BX23S and I would love one for $599, however, if it’s an 8 hour install, what would it cost me including the install,. Also, I’m in Canada so I’ll have to calculate shipping to Canada as well as currency exchange.
