Stuck in Gear

   / Stuck in Gear #1  

Dirk Lately

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
52
Location
near Portland, Oregon
Tractor
Kubota L3000DT, Bobcat 341, Taylor 414ce
Yesterday I was feeling great.

I was spreading a huge pile of topsoil we've got leftover from construction. I really want to get some lawn in around the house! So I was running at the pile with my L3000DT's bucket, filling it up, and then dumping it where I wanted it.

Everything was working fine while I was in lower gears. Hitting the pile in 3rd, for example, worked well. Then I wanted to go faster. In 5th gear, it worked fine for a while, then it got stuck in gear. I was jammed against the pile, my bucket up in the air, and I couldn't move either the main gear selector or the hi/lo selector. Everything else, including the loader, seemed to be working fine.

That was pretty scary because my foot was on the clutch. If I take my foot off the clutch, the tractor dies and then doesn't start again, being stuck in gear.

I sorta forced it, and everything was fine again. A few rounds later, though, it happened again, much worse this time. I sat there for probably 5 minutes hitting those levers with my hand, trying to get them to move. After playing with the levers and the clutch, it finally just slipped out and I was able to back up. At this point it seemed to smell a little funny, but maybe I was just freaked out and imagining things.

I let it sit for a while as I looked up the problem here, and found some info about "roll pins", but couldn't find any such thing in my parts or service manuals.

Then I went out and tried it again, because I'm stupid but optimistic. This time I stayed in 3rd gear when ramming the pile, and it worked beautifully.

What happened?
 
   / Stuck in Gear #2  
Why are you ramming the pile of dirt??..can you break the dirt pile up so you can use the bucket...flat curl as you enter pile of dirt.

"This time I stayed in 3rd gear when ramming the pile, and it worked beautifully.

What happened? "

I'd say you got darn lucky something didn't catch or worse...talk about shock to tractor system.
 
   / Stuck in Gear #3  
I creep up to a pile in 2nd low and ease in to it and curl the bucket back as it fills. I sure wouldnt 'hit' the pile fast. Something is gonna give and I dont think you'll like it!
 
   / Stuck in Gear #4  
Doesn't sound like you really know how to properly use a tractor.Maybe you need a bigger industrial machine.:2cents:
 
   / Stuck in Gear #5  
Yesterday I was feeling great.

I was spreading a huge pile of topsoil we've got leftover from construction. I really want to get some lawn in around the house! So I was running at the pile with my L3000DT's bucket, filling it up, and then dumping it where I wanted it.

Everything was working fine while I was in lower gears. Hitting the pile in 3rd, for example, worked well. Then I wanted to go faster. In 5th gear, it worked fine for a while, then it got stuck in gear. I was jammed against the pile, my bucket up in the air, and I couldn't move either the main gear selector or the hi/lo selector. Everything else, including the loader, seemed to be working fine.

That was pretty scary because my foot was on the clutch. If I take my foot off the clutch, the tractor dies and then doesn't start again, being stuck in gear.

I sorta forced it, and everything was fine again. A few rounds later, though, it happened again, much worse this time. I sat there for probably 5 minutes hitting those levers with my hand, trying to get them to move. After playing with the levers and the clutch, it finally just slipped out and I was able to back up. At this point it seemed to smell a little funny, but maybe I was just freaked out and imagining things.

I let it sit for a while as I looked up the problem here, and found some info about "roll pins", but couldn't find any such thing in my parts or service manuals.

Then I went out and tried it again, because I'm stupid but optimistic. This time I stayed in 3rd gear when ramming the pile, and it worked beautifully.

What happened?

It sounds to me like your clutch is dragging (not fully disengaging). When that happens it puts load on the gears in the transmission and they won't shift.

The reason I say this is I just went through this with my L3400DT, and it wasn't an easy fix.

Luckily, mine was under warranty. The dealer had to split the tractor in two, found the transmission input shaft splines were rusty enough that it didn't allow the clutch to fully disengage every time.

This may not be the problem with yours, but the symptoms are very similar.

BTW, if you're digging in a compacted pile, you're going to have a much easier time of it if you use the bucket edge to back drag from the top of the pile first, then scoop the loosened dirt in a lower gear.

The tractor FEL is primarily meant for loose materials, they're not really designed to do much digging.

Sean
 

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   / Stuck in Gear #6  
My L3400 DT has the same problem, why does it shifts good until there's pressure on the drive train, like when I drive into a pile of dirt?, then it gets stuck in gear, it gets used an hour or so every day, so the clutch and shaft shouldn't get rusted, but if is rusty, cant the bucket mount on the right side be removed, and take the cover off the clutch adjustment hole, and squirt some oil on the shaft?
I wish my service manual had clear sharp pictures like the ones your showing, you have any pictures of that cover plate on the right side for the clutch?
 
   / Stuck in Gear #7  
Those were taken with the tractor in 2 pieces at the dealer.
 
   / Stuck in Gear #8  
It sounds like you need to get yourself a skid steer.
 
 
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