7040 Hydraulic Shuttle Dilemma

[LA-Larry]

I have a new 7040 w/hydraulic shuttle that gives me intermittent problems. When I take it to the dealer, it works great. When I take it home, it acts up.

There are times when I shuttle from forward to reverse and the tractor just sits and will not move. This usually occurs when I have a load on the tractor, such as hay on the spear.

My dealer says, it's just a hesitation designed to make the shuttle smoother. I have tried to explaine that this is much more than a simple hesitation, I can wait 5 minutes and the tractor still will not move. The only way to make the tractor move is to shift the transmission to a lower gear.

The strange thing about this is, when this happens, the engine does not lug down, there is no change in the RPM, it just sits.

I am very curious if anyone else has experienced shuttle problems with this tractor and what you did to rectify the problem. My dealer is great, but can not diagnose the problem.

 

[m7040]

had the same issue where it would not engage when backing up. Dealer told me the same thing. Finally told the dealer it was unacceptable and come and pick it up and fix it. He did and was able to duplicate the issue and talk to the home office rep who gave instructions for how to readjust the system. Problem is now fixed and all it was an adjustment to the clutch hydraulics

 

[Doc_Bob]

I
My dealer says, it's just a hesitation designed to make the shuttle smoother. I have tried to explaine that this is much more than a simple hesitation, I can wait 5 minutes and the tractor still will not move. The only way to make the tractor move is to shift the transmission to a lower gear.

If it happens enough, can you videotape it???
Many small digital cameras have the ability to do 60 seconds of video. A dig camera is easy to carry. A picture is worth a thousand words, so a video must be worth a billion words ???
Bob

 

[rbargeron]

Hydraulic shuttles have internal pilot valves that control the time it takes to shift. Everything in the linkage needs to be adjusted right to work properly. The early hydraulic shuttles had a very crude system and if you shifted from forward to reverse you could do a face plant in the steering wheel. The newer ones have elliminated that, but it sounds like yours isn't fully establishing the signal to the hydraulic shifter. Question - if you have been going backward and shift to forward, is the shift delayed in that direction too?

 

[azhfl56]

I had a similar 'problem' with my 6040. I found that I was simply being to gentle on the shift mechanism. Please don't assume I mean slamming it in gear etc. But I was being real gentl and the shift mechanism wasn't recognizing that a request for revers was made, it stayed in neutral. My guess is the little switch or trip that is engaged when shifted; needs a little more encouragment. I now shift it like I mean it. Before I was gingerly shifting it, now I shift it normal, not feather handed and don't have a problem. Try that first. Shift it like you would shift your truck, or at least the way you would shift a year from now. Good luck.

My opinion, unless something is truly a problem or truly broke, NO dealer touches it, period! I am too demanding and I seem to expect service at a higher level than most are able to deliver and have therefore developed dealeritus.

Kind regards,

Bryan

 

[LA-Larry]

Thanks for the replies and advise.

GOOD NEWS. I just got back from the dealer with the tractor. He spent hours out back of his place trying to replicate the problem, and finally was able to make it malfunction. Once he finally saw for himself what it was doing, a simple adjustment to the shuttle linkage (as someone above suggested) seems to have solved the problem. I brought it home and moved a pretty nice pile of horse poop with no problem.

This adjustment also shortened the hesitation time when shuttling.

I know it is difficult for a mechanic to fix a problem unless he can see it himself. In this case, after three prior trips to the shop, I was beginning to think the mechanic thought I was hallucinating. Glad it finally screwed up for him. Thanks again for all the input.

By the way....I love this tractor

Larry

 

[m7040]

Glad it worked out for you. Love my tractor as well and now have close to 100 hours on it. I had two other problems one was leaking cylinders for the bucket tilt function that the dealer fixed and the other was stalling engine under full load conditions that were traced to fines from the FG fuel tank that plugged up the fuel filter.

 

[Doc_Bob]

the other was stalling engine under full load conditions that were traced to fines from the FG fuel tank that plugged up the fuel filter.

"fines" is this a typo?
Bob

 

[m7040]

it was left over pieces of plastic material when manufacturing the fuel tank. As I understand it at the edges in the molding process some fine edges can be generated that break off and clog the filter

 

[Doc_Bob]

As I understand it at the edges in the molding process some fine edges can be generated that break off and clog the filter

Thanks for the explaination!
Bob