Can anyone help identify this control?

[CVHoss]

I guess J.D. didn't want to spend any money upgrading their owner's manual to coincide with the changes in the tractor as some of the controls are different than what is indicated in the manual. I've figured out everything else, but can't figure out the center position on the fel joystick control lock. The top position is unlocked, the bottom is locked, but can anyone tell me what the center position (shown in the attached photo) is for? This is on a new J.D. 4400. I'm probably going to feel really foolish when I find out what it is, but I can't figure it out.

Thanks,
Hoss

 

[glennmac]

I believe that the middle (open book) position turns off the regenerative dump circuit for your loader. I dont have a JD, so I dont know what they had in mind by allowing you to do this. My dim understanding is that regenerating dump will be faster. I also recall from other threads that in order for a 4n1 bucket to work properly, the regenerative circuit should be turned off.

 

[MJB]

Glen is right. The center position disables the regenerative dump circuit. The regenerative circuit makes dumping the bucket much faster. Most front-end attachments other than a loader, such as a front grader blade or snowblower, will not work properly with the regenerative circuit functioning. I usually leave the control in the center position on my 430 loader because there seems to be more of a delay between joystick movement and bucket movement when the control is in the unlocked position. The bucket seems to dump fast enough for me with the control in the center position. Hope this helps.

I love the smell of diesel in the morning.

 

[ejb]

My guess is that the open book means "Manual"...get it? Now how that applies to the operation of your tractor I don't know...

 

[RobS]

I can't speak for the 4400 Hoss, but on my 790 there are three positions to the lockout. One is fully operational, the other is fully locked out and the third locks only one of the two circuits (not sure which). Not useful for the loader, but perhaps it would apply to a front mount snowblower or blade that only uses one of the two circuits? Hope this helps /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[JATO_RaT]

I've seen that once before and figured its the position one would use while reading a book, periodical or newspaper while seated on the tractor. Rat...

 

[CVHoss]

Thanks for the help. Looks like Glenn and Michael hit the nail on the head. (though Rat's answer was my favorite) By simple count, 1001, 1002, ...., putting the lever in the center position doubles the amount of time to dump the bucket. Doesn't seem to have any effect on curling the bucket or raising or lowering the boom, only on bucket dump. Increases time from roughly 3 seconds to 6 seconds.

Again, thanks for the info. The guy who delivered the tractor didn't have a clue.

Hoss

 

[dmccarty]

CVHoss,

For my 4n1 to work I have to have the lever in the middle position i.e., the open book. If I don't do this I can only dump and move the bucket up. The 4n1 bucket operations of open and close do not work if the lever is in the top most position. Only the middle position will allow full 4n1 operation.

There is a difference in the speed of the bucket dumping or moving up. I posted some numbers earlier in the year where I timed all of this. We had another thread where the speed difference between the two lever positions.

Later...
Dan McCarty