I'm going to revive this old thread as it was never resoloved......If will read through it everything that has been tested, done, suggested is in there. While I am in the fixing mode having just taken the entire rear end of the tractor apart because it had a broken axle stub, I'm feeling more confident in fixing this. I won't be able to do any testing until I get it back together but wanted to get the drop box off and all checked out while the fluid is already out.
What I had wound up doing in the last "test" phase above was to take off the 4wd drive shaft to see if the front tires would work fine. I tilled our yard with it 2 years ago and it worked like a champ. Have done some shredding with it and tilled about 4 big gardens last year..all with the 4wd shaft off. It ran just fine, no problems whatsoever with the front tires turning freely.
In post 22, my next test was going to be putting the drive shaft back on but take the dog off the 4wd lever in the drop box and see if it worked. Can't remember why at this point but I think I was trying to see if the shaft itself was the problem...anyway, that test never happened. I just left the shaft off and have used it quite a bit with no trouble.
I took the drop box off tonight and worked the lever that puts it into and out of 4wd to see what was happening and refresh my memory. It appears to be working just fine. When you push the lever forward, locking in 4wd, the bottom gear gets pushed backwards and engages with the top gear. If you turn the top gear by hand, the spindle on the front (which hooks up to the 4wd axle when on there) turns just as it should. Now remember, this is with it off the machine. Can't actually hook it up and see if it works while running right now as I have it all broken down and am awaiting parts to put the rear end back together.
Everyone seemed to concur that the problem was in the drop box area 2 years ago. That thing looks so simple when it is off and I'm looking at it I just can't imagine the problem being there .... but is that still the thought?? I'm sure none of the jack it up and spin the wheel test results would have changed since I did the a while back so assume all above info is still correct. You push the lever one direction, and it pushes the 2 gears together and both should turn and force the shaft to turn which forces the axle to turn...correct? When you take the lever the other direction, the 2 gears should move apart and the 4 wd axle should no longer turn....correct?
Thanks for putting up with me reviving this dead thread but it is time to get it fixed.