Shorten joystick throw

Spikeba

New member

Equipment
L3901
May 17, 2021
1
0
1
North San Diego County
Has anyone shortened the throw on your joystick?
I find mine (L3901) to be like shifting a 60's VW bus. Inordinately long.
I'm not talking skidsteer short, just not so far as to throw out my shoulder......
Spikeba
 

ve9aa

Well-known member

Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
Apr 11, 2021
1,202
972
113
NB, Canada
New tractor owner here, so take my comments with a grain of salt.....please.....but I saw a youtube video the other day of a guy on an old-ish, BX-something, who had cut down his joystick probably in half ! I liked it.
I don't know if I'd go that short (on a BX) but if I had what you had with the 60's V-Dub going on, the hacksaw wouldn't be long coming out. I'd probably save the chunk I cut off in case I had to weld it back on.
FWIW and good luck !
 

cliffboyer

Active member

Equipment
L3301 w/LA525 loader, G5200 mower w/RC48 deck, Kawasaki 610 Mule, DR mower
Nov 30, 2017
240
48
28
Southern IL
One of first mods I did on my 3301 was cut 2" off that stick. I felt like it was pointing right in my face.

Did same to 3pt lever too. My knee kept hitting it.

The trick to removing the knobs is to place a blow gun right on that little hole and hit with 90psi while pulling off.
 

Dave_eng

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,107
926
113
Williamstown Ontario Canada
As a child of the 60's and experienced in VW buses and cars, the shortened shifter needed a higher pivot point. This was accomplished by an extension of the base of the gear shift and a half ball of aluminum which slid over the shifter itself.

I have not seem anything similar for joysticks but cutting the shaft would achieve it. I would do it in steps so as to not go too far...... oops.


Dave
 

old and tired

Well-known member

Equipment
L2800 HST; 2005; R4
I wish I could remember but it was either 6" or 8" that I cut off. Also the three point lever, I bent over to follow the contour of the fender. Allows me to exit to the right side (adding a step help with that).

The short handle does make it "touchy" and I can jerk the tractor around if I'm not careful. Figured if it didn't work, I could weld it back together....
 

cliffboyer

Active member

Equipment
L3301 w/LA525 loader, G5200 mower w/RC48 deck, Kawasaki 610 Mule, DR mower
Nov 30, 2017
240
48
28
Southern IL
Also the three point lever, I bent over to follow the contour of the fender. Allows me to exit to the right side (adding a step help with that).
Spot on....wish I had done this instead. When turning torso to right in order to look behind, 3pt lever is now just barely reachable. A future mod to correct a mod is in order.
 

Jack@Northeast

Member

Equipment
LX2610HSDC
May 15, 2021
37
34
18
Natick, MA
I removed the OEM knob with the air trick ( thanks to Orange Talks! ) When I was test driving tractors the Kioti knobs were very nice. The Kubota shaft (model LX2610) is 13mm, the Kioti inside diameter is 12mm. I used a drill and reemed the Kioti knob and forced it on. But as stated in this string - the lever is to long. I will likely be cutting the shaft down a couple of inches. If that makes the control less sloppy then even better. I can't believe Kubota uses that tiny cheap knob on an almost 30K tractor. Isn't the loader knob the most used feature in the cab? Whoever approved the knob choice at Kubota should be fired, rehired and fired again!
 
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Yooper

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
3901 LA525
May 31, 2015
1,456
429
83
NE Wisconsin
One of the best mods I did! I agree that the original just wasn't comfortable. Its been so long I can't remember how much I took off, but the bend makes a huge difference for me. I have a tubing bender so it was a piece of cake. I might have even replaced the whole joystick with a tube come to think of it. Posting this to help you with an option if nothing else.
joystick.jpg
 
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dirtydeed

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
2,854
3,102
113
Wind Gap, PA
I removed the OEM knob with the air trick ( thanks to Orange Talks! ) When I was test driving tractors the Kioti knobs were very nice. The Kubota shaft (model LX2610) is 13mm, the Kioti inside diameter is 12mm. I used a drill and reemed the Kioti knob and forced it on. But as stated in this string - the lever is to long. I will likely be cutting the shaft down a couple of inches. If that makes the control less sloppy then even better. I can't believe Kubota uses that tiny cheap knob on an almost 30K tractor. Isn't the loader knob the most used feature in the cab? Whoever approved the knob choice at Kubota should be fired, rehired and fired again!
Would you happen to have a PN for the control stick knob?
 

thirdroc17

Active member
Dec 25, 2013
185
35
28
Michigan
I bent the lever on my BX in so it was 2-3" closer to me. Pushing it past the detent to bypass the $#*&$%( regeneration part of the valve was beyond my reach.
 

dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
2,854
3,102
113
Wind Gap, PA
Where did you get that knob? Can you tell me who makes it and if they have a website.
See post #11. The link provided by Jack@Northeast will take you to an ebay listing. I ordered one from there this weekend.
 
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dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
2,854
3,102
113
Wind Gap, PA
installed....:mad:

 

MOTOROLANUT

Member

Equipment
Grand L4240, LA854 FEL
Apr 25, 2021
47
41
18
West Virginia

Do NOT buy from this Ebay seller. I did and they sent me a USED knob with cracks. The Ebay seller is a sham and tried to blame it on USPS. Obviously USPS did not put wear, silicon and stress cracks in the loader knob advertised as NEW. without packaging. Buy BEWARE big time. I am filing a complaint with Ebay. Sorry for the rant and no animosity to the op.
 
Last edited:

Jack@Northeast

Member

Equipment
LX2610HSDC
May 15, 2021
37
34
18
Natick, MA
Do NOT buy from this Ebay seller. I did and they sent me a USED knob with cracks. The Ebay seller is a shame and tried to blame it on USPS. Obviously USPS did not put wear, silicon and stress cracks in the loader knob advertised as NEW. without packaging. Buy BEWARE big time. I am filing a complaint with Ebay. Sorry for the rant and no animosity to the op.
Interesting - mine came in perfect condition and it even had the screw taped to the knob. I believe they were listed as factory take offs. But e-bay is the wild west and I don't have a lot of faith in the sellers.
 

Jack@Northeast

Member

Equipment
LX2610HSDC
May 15, 2021
37
34
18
Natick, MA
Interesting - mine came in perfect condition and it even had the screw taped to the knob. I believe they were listed as factory take offs. But e-bay is the wild west and I don't have a lot of faith in the sellers.
There is also a dealer Perry Power that sells new - they do not come with the securing screw and cost $ 30.00 vs $15.00 for the used.