3-Point Hitch 3ph (rear hydro drive) slipping/grinding

[windracer]

Hello all,
My first post here on Tractor By Net! I've been reading some very helpful threads and feel I have found a great resource.

I'd appreciate some input on my little tractor problem. I've got an L3400 HST and I have been having some slipping in the gears/drive to the rear takeoff with either the mower or tiller attached. If I start very, very slowly, I can get the blades to start spinning without any slipping. But any real resistance like letting the clutch out at a normally slow rate results in the sound of gears grinding past each other. Tranny/Hydro fluid is full with only 200 hrs on the last change. All the nuts are tight on the take off cable that I can see (from the little shift stick) so I don't see evidence of an adjustment being off on this cable to the gear box. Is there another place for adjusting something that I can't see?

Oh yeah, The avatar is of my son by his horse and my tractor. I don't have a shot just of the tractor which seems to be the normal shot to post in this forum. I'd hate to have you all think I'm on a vanity trip posting my own face! Mine is about 30 years older as well, so I wouldn't be posting it anyway... Maybe I could get one of a nice young woman sitting on the tractor or something to brighten things up a bit! d;D

 

[ModMech]

Based on your clear description, it *sounds like* the PTO drive gears are gone, stripped out.

The only things I can think of that would cause this are: Shock loading of the PTO drive by "dumping" the clutch; Attempting to forceabally engage the PTO w/o disengaging the clutch; and lastly a severe shock load to the PTO system during operation.

Barring those, a freak gear failure.

Like you, I don't believe there is any real adjustment to the PTO selector lever, it's normally either IN or OUT.

 

[KennyV]

Welcome to TBN
You may have a serious problem. There are several L3400 owners here that should be able to comment on this.

It is my understanding that there was a change made in the L3400 PTO removing the over run ratcheting clutch in the HST model. I'm not sure when that change happened.

What year is your tractor? AND how many hours are on IT?

Good luck with this I hope you get a quick fix. KennyV

 

[windracer]

Thanks for the comments. The tractor is 3 years old - this is the 3rd summer. Bought in 2008. Never "dumped" the clutch or forced it to engage although we would here a slight grind of gears if we didn't hold the clutch in for a few seconds before attempting to engage the pto. This would be a very quick sound and the gears sounded like they had slowed almost to a stop at that point. I have hit the occasional rock or stick with the mower deck, but nothing tough enough to hurt the mower or stop the tractor. Everything always kept on like nothing was fazing it. Thanks again. Oh, the tractor has 320 hours on it.

 

[KennyV]

Do you know if your tractor has the PTO over run clutch (ratchet)? That was a problem on several L3400 models. I do not remember what ones or at what time they quit putting them in the L3400 HST.
There was a LOT of discussion about that problem and I am fairly certain if you would have L3400 and PTO in your post name you would have some of those with that problem joining in...
I think you may have the OR clutch and that is what has failed. KennyV

 

[art]

That would be under drivetrain for three year warrantee!

 

[windracer]

Hey all,
a quick note to say all is well. My slipping problem was because of a stretched PTO Cable. I had thot about adjusting this but could only see the upper lock nuts near the PTO Lever/handle. I new this would not make any difference to the cable tension itself. I did however find another set mounted to a bracket on the tranny housing, at the end of the cable, just before it enters the housing. Both have the same double nut and bracket arrangement with a rubber boot. The lower set wiil adjust the throw of the clutch/sleeves. This allowed the splines on the clutch/sleeve to hold and the PTO works again. Quite the relief as the dealer told me it was only a 2 year warranty on these parts and I was 28 days over. Split the tractor, etc. So maybe that is the first line of defense for these L3400 botas. tighten the cable just about like tightening a brake cable on a bicycle - just 1 and 1/2 turns for me.

Thanks for all the advice. This is a great forum!

 

[wdchyd]

Glad to see everything worked out....this is a GREAT Forum.....BTW check out my nice young females sitting on my new tractor:laughing:

 

[windracer]

Very cool. Their expressions look like my kids when I don't let them drive sometimes.