1531 diff lock location

[mchasal]

Hi all,

I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a new MF 1531 ($18500 with loader) and one thing is bothering me. This tractor is hydro and rather than the diff lock being a pedal, it is a handle, and it's down on the right side behind the hydro treadle.
This location makes very little sense to me. The times when you will likely need the diff lock, your foot will be on the treadle and your right hand will probably be on the stick. I just can't figure out why they put it there. It seems a pedal on the LEFT would have made much more sense since the left foot really has nothing to do. Anybody have any experience with this tractor, or another with the same location? Anybody modify it to put it somewhere else?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[mchasal]

Hi all,

I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a new MF 1531 ($18500 with loader) and one thing is bothering me. This tractor is hydro and rather than the diff lock being a pedal, it is a handle, and it's down on the right side behind the hydro treadle.
This location makes very little sense to me. The times when you will likely need the diff lock, your foot will be on the treadle and your right hand will probably be on the stick. I just can't figure out why they put it there. It seems a pedal on the LEFT would have made much more sense since the left foot really has nothing to do. Anybody have any experience with this tractor, or another with the same location? Anybody modify it to put it somewhere else?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[JerryG]

That is the one model that I don't think that I have looked at. If I did, I don't remember a handle for the differential lock. I know that the MF Industrial rough terrain forklifts had a shifter like handle. It was great. I wish that my tractor had a handle like that. If you are stooped when you engage it, I don't see what the problem is. Is it in an inconvenient place to reach?

 

[JerryG]

That is the one model that I don't think that I have looked at. If I did, I don't remember a handle for the differential lock. I know that the MF Industrial rough terrain forklifts had a shifter like handle. It was great. I wish that my tractor had a handle like that. If you are stooped when you engage it, I don't see what the problem is. Is it in an inconvenient place to reach?

 

[mchasal]

It's not difficult to reach with your right hand, but, and maybe I'm just not doing something right, it didn't seem to want to stay engaged. I've seen this on other tractors as well, and it makes sense when you can just use an unused heel to keep the pedal down, but on the 1531, you need to get that right hand back on the joystick to keep working. I only had a short test drive so far, so, as I said, I might just be doing it wrong.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[mchasal]

It's not difficult to reach with your right hand, but, and maybe I'm just not doing something right, it didn't seem to want to stay engaged. I've seen this on other tractors as well, and it makes sense when you can just use an unused heel to keep the pedal down, but on the 1531, you need to get that right hand back on the joystick to keep working. I only had a short test drive so far, so, as I said, I might just be doing it wrong.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[JerryG]

They are made to disengage when you release the pedal or handle. Differential locks use square cut gears and as such they will not engage unless the gears are lined up. To line them up, the tractor needs to be moved a slight amount as the pedal or lever is engaged.

 

[JerryG]

They are made to disengage when you release the pedal or handle. Differential locks use square cut gears and as such they will not engage unless the gears are lined up. To line them up, the tractor needs to be moved a slight amount as the pedal or lever is engaged.

 

[mchasal]

Right, so given that, does it seem unworkable to have the diff lock as a handle on the right? If I'm going into a pile and I want the lock on, I'll need to steer with my left hand, work the loader with my right hand, work the treadle with my right foot and hold the diff lock with my right hand, oh wait, that's already doing something. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I keep assuming that I'm missing something here since this seems like such an obvious design flaw.

Mike

 

[mchasal]

Right, so given that, does it seem unworkable to have the diff lock as a handle on the right? If I'm going into a pile and I want the lock on, I'll need to steer with my left hand, work the loader with my right hand, work the treadle with my right foot and hold the diff lock with my right hand, oh wait, that's already doing something. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I keep assuming that I'm missing something here since this seems like such an obvious design flaw.

Mike