Fixed my little 4 wheel drive problem...

[Tractor Factor]

Hope this isn't too stupid or simple or obvious. Maybe it might help someone else.

My post from a few days ago about popping out of 4 wheel drive while operating...http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/171294-why-am-i-always-popping.html Turns out it had nothing to do with a heavy load in the bucket.

BP, Triple R, EE and others had it exactly right: A simple adjustment with the linkage. The shift lever wasn't lined up correctly and this didn't allow it to be shifted forward enough to fully engage 4 wheel drive (even though it was all the way forward in the slot). Unfortunately, this is how it came from the factory, and the dealer never caught it before delivery. Good lesson there, I guess.

Photo at left is before adjusting. Notice the linkage at the left. That is the Range Gear Shift Lever (Fast-Neutral-Slow). Above the two bolts that attach the shift lever is a little hole which needs to line up with a matching raised "bump" punched in the metal shaft behind it. When correctly lined up the two pieces are at an angle to each other. You can see that the 4 wheel shift lever to the right is not angled, but is straight in relation to the piece behind it.

I simply loosened the two bolts and lined the hole up over the bump and re-tightened. Now both shift levers have a similar angle...a small adjustment, but makes all the difference in the world. Now when I shift into 4 wheel, it stays there!

 

[timswi]

Good information..Thanks

 

[radioman]

thanks for posting - :thumbsup:

 

[bp fick]

Unfortunately, this is how it came from the factory, and the dealer never caught it before delivery. Good lesson there, I guess.

Good one!!! Hurrah. You're the man!

Yeah, I hate to say this, but they don't "catch" much, in my experience.

So much of this just has to be caught by the owner and dealt with. I dunno. There almost needs to be a basic mechanical aptitude test as part of the tractor buying experience. They make boaters pass a boater safety class and motorcycle people do the same. Forgive my warped mind, but that thought has passed through my brain.

Your fix will live in infamy here for the future whenever this issue arises.

 

[Tractor Factor]

There almost needs to be a basic mechanical aptitude test as part of the tractor buying experience.

Ha, well that lady, Grace from Val Rio Farms, repaired her own BX23 universal last week...I wasn't about to get shown up by a woman!

I've always told myself that I'm no mechanic, but I learned quickly from my reading here at TBN that you at least have to have a basic level of aptitude if you're going to get by with a tractor.

Some things you need to acquire or develop (feel free to add your own):

1) A good selection of decent tools

2) Careful observation

3) Persistence

4) Patience

 

[rbarker]

Some things you need to acquire or develop (feel free to add your own):

Don't forget the "colorful" vocabulary! :shocked:

 

[bp fick]

Star Trek IV

Spock, "Captain, I notice your speech have become laced with colorful metaphors"

Kirk, "It's called cursing. No one pays attention to you unless you curse."

 

[TripleR]

Congrats, nothing like finding the problem and being able to fix it.

 

[MW66]

Great information!!! I have a new B3200 and it has been a struggle to engage and disengage the 4WD. I thought maybe "that's just the way it is." Now, I'm thinking that I can go home and check underneath like you did, make the adjustment and solve my issue. Thanks for posting. I'll update what I find.

 

[savageactor7]

Good info thanks for the pictorial.