Spinner/suicide knobs
 

I am thinking about getting one of these spinner/suicide knobs to put on my steering wheel on my GT 2000. Good Vibrations makes one that can be bought at TSC, Lowes, Home Depot. Anyone using these things, and does it help with steering?

all my mowers have one they work great

Thanks. My tractor turns fairly easy, but I saw these things and thought this might make it even better. I chose not to get the electric power steering as I was not comfortable with it long term, but I have to make a lot of turns around trees and stuff.

Yup, I like it.:beerchug:

NIK,

I too use them, but I wouldn't get the one you mentioned. First off, I don't think it will go on your fat steering wheel. Second, they aren't made that well. They like to spin on the wheel. Take a look at the ones Irrigation Pump Company make. I think you'll like them better.

Attachment 52534

I got mine from Farm & Fleet; so far so good and I think it was only about $10.

I would say that it depends on your cub cadet's steering already. I had a 123 that was work to turn, so the spinner made it easier to deal with, but I had a 129 with narrow tri-ribs that I could steer with my pinky...extremely easy steering on it, so I would not want to use one on it. This topic surfaced years ago on the forum and some guys said that they marred up their steering wheels and they weren't happy with that and other guys said that they never had a problem with them. It is really all up to personal preference.

Cub Cadet 123

All of my machines have them. I have alot of stuff I have to mow around and I can have one hand on the wheel and one on the hydro lever and it makes it a million times easier and quicker to change direction...

I think all of mine have them... But I'm not buying any more of the aluminum ones... They turn my hand grey.

Wipe it off on your skirt. :biggrin2:

(hope you can take a joke)

I have them on most of my tractors and whether or not it has power steering it makes steering a one handed affair without getting arthritic fingers caught in the steering wheel spokes. Yes they can leave a mark on the steering wheel but I do not plan on taking them off any time soon. When I bought several at a farm implement dealer I was cautioned that unless they will be used on an offroad machine they would not sell them to me.

I have one of the irrigation pump knobs on my 1200 that's what we had on two of our farm tractors.

I hate em and all they do is get in the way. None of my tractors have/will have them.

Those look like a decent product......... . I ran a JD 2110 for a few years, which had a spinner knob. I don't know how I could have operated the tractor for as long as I did with out the help of a spinner knob. Worked really nice.

That being said, I was looking to give one a try on my IH Cub Cadet model 72 Snow Commander. I'm not sure if there is a forum member who makes them or not anymore...........

My 782 had one on it when I rebuilt it. I like it, comes in pretty handy.

Have one on my super, but I don't use it. Was already on when I got it.

OK...educate me. I have heard and also known them as "spinner knobs" or "spinners". I have never heard them referenced as "suicide" knobs. What gives with that reference..??? :Huh:

Not a farmer..... :biggrin2::biggrin2:

I believe it has to do with the number of crashes and guessing deaths associated with people using them in cars. It lets you spin the wheel faster, and when your driving at speed and spin the wheel, most people turned too far too fast and wrecked. Or they would break off the wheel mid-turn....very inopportune moment. The other danger is in a crash in a vehicle with LBO (lap belt only) or no seat belt, they became a weapon when the person slammed into the steering wheel. Many facial and abdominal injuries.

Bill

They will also break your wrist if using one while doing some rough four-wheeling in a pickup. They are illegal for on-road use. I still see quite a few in trucks though.

Just a personal preference, but I never really liked them myself, they just seem awkward and in the way to me. With the steering working properly I can turn just as fast without it. Again, just a personal preference:beerchug:

WOW....I have NEVER seen them on a vehicle other than a tractor. :bigeyes: Looks like I learned something today.

i don't have any on my tractors. i am going to add one to my 782 when i put the loader back on though. easier to use.

all the farm tractors ive used havn't had one. only tractors ive ran that had them is the John Deere 6420 and Challenger MT635B but those had the EZ steer motor on the steering column, and if you don't have the suicide knob on there and your not paying attention while steering you will pinch your fingers on the motor and its not very fun.

Roland maybe it's a location thing. Here in Central NY that is the only term I've ever heard them called. Before I read this thread if somebody said they had a spinner on there tractor I would have looked at them like they had grown a third eye or something. LOL

I had one on a pickup. It was a manual, and I liked it for backing trailers. We also had one on our 2-ton on the farm. Again, made nice for backing. Especially on that old '72 with like an 18" steering wheel. Hard to palm a wheel that big quickly. :biggrin2:

I ran a CJ5 Jeep with one for years on and offroad.
Was very useful trail riding the Smokey MTNS when your creeping along over rocks, turning a lot and working the shifter.

J-Mech... you know what works for you! :ROTF1:


Anyway, I googled "Handicap Steering Knobs"! You wouldn't believe how different kinds of spinners that's out there!: Definitely worth looking and I going for one.... Think it would be easier for me to hold my beer!:beerchug:

Among the search is this! http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/161293762607?lpid=82

They are nice for rock crawling, they will mess you up in the high speed mudding we did in Montana so many years ago. Hit a rut hard enough in a '70 ford with manual steering and you can lose a thumb.

I have a green cushioned vinyl one = sweet

older trucks or cars with out P/S it made wizzing around a corner easier ,but when the thing came apart around a curve you were likely done
I remember them as being outlawed in MO , I was a inspector

I have. I want to say that I thought there was a law that said if you were handicapped in the state of MI you could get one some how, even though they are illegal.

And they are called necker knobs also.

FYI
It appears to be an "urban myth" that the knobs are illegal.
Anywhere in the US of A:

http://www.suicideknob.net/state_laws.html

Only illegal if you get caught.

FWIW I work in the material handling world and they are actually standard equipment on some types of lift trucks and are made into the steering wheels. Invaluable if you are an operator on one for ten to twelve hours at a time IMO. I actually just had to change out 30 plus steering wheels at a Coke plant because the operators couldn't live without them on their new lifts. Difference of opinion and preference I guess. Although most fork trucks steer from the back too, never thought to put one on a cub but can see the benefit for sure.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7584610_st...obs-legal.html

http://www.ask.com/question/are-stee...-knobs-illegal

Still no laws making them illegal for privately owned passenger vehicles.

Law or no law you won't see me using one any time soon. :beerchug:

I never read it in a law, but the DOT officer that came into my shop told me they were. That pretty much meant it was the law, at least in that place at that time.

They get in the way.

I can steer fine without the knob. Wouldn't use one or want one on the steering wheel.

guess i just grew up with them....on damn near every tractor we had or have...upper right spoke if possible...usually i fabricate something to make sure they stay 90° to the wheel..meaning if the spokes of the wheel pitch downward you may have to do the same so that it sits right...yeah i bet they are really awkward if sitting "downhill"...and for whipping in and out of trees, or on a forklift, or like jmech said backing in trailers, theres NO way someone can whip a wheel as fast without one.....i mean FAST.....if the machines steering is good of course.....we always called them "oh s#$t knobs"....kinda like "oh s#$t handles" accept these might save you from the tree!!!

maybe i shouldnt say "cant"...like in an old chevy pickup with the big wheel where you can "palm" it or do the one finger method, but definitely not some hand over hand stuff...never had a tractor that the steering was as easy on as an old chevy pickup either......course we never had big fancy tractors though.........now im rambling