4530 having problems shifing into 3rd or 4th

TXAG · Apr 7, 2006

I recently purchased a 4530 and have about 15 hours on it now. I don't shift a lot between 1 - 4 but I was running around with a seed spreader and thought I would speed up a bit and tried to shift into 3rd. It would not shift into 3rd or 4th at all. It felt like I was up against a sponge but it would not engage. I shifted everything else into neutral and still it would not shift into 3rd or 4th. I continued in 2nd high and finished the job although it was a bit faster than I had planned. When I got back to the parking spot, I tried it again and it shifted just fine into 3rd of 4th. Any ideas on what could be causing this? It will be a pain to run it back to the dealer because I don't have a trailer big enough and have to depend on a buddy to haul it around. 4wd was not engaged at all during this.

Charlie_in_TX · Apr 7, 2006

I don't think you have a big problem but I am no mechanic. I think everything is still new and needs to be broken in. Use it with a smile on your face. I just looked at the Mahindra site, that thing looks like a beast.

joeaa · Apr 7, 2006

I have a 4530 that had the same problem. I am a car mechanic that has worked on the old floor shift cars.(Hurst shifters and stock) This tractor has to be adjusted on the shift linkage the same way. When I took my floor board up two hydraulic lines for the FEL was rubbing on the shift arms also. My dealer said it shifted OK. My wife could not shift it. Now it works.

cdover73 · Apr 7, 2006

I also have a new 4530 with about 15 hours on it and I am having the same problem. I actually posted about this a couple of weeks ago but didn't get any replies. I find mine will not go into third or fourth while moving. If I am in 2nd and try to shift into third on the run, it feels just as you explained it - spongy. I have to bring the tractor to a stop and cycle through all the gears while going on and off the clutch. It will finally mesh and go, but is a real pain. I also have problems sometimes going into 2nd. It pops in but when I let out on the clutch the gears start grinding like it is not in full synch. I have to cycle again and finally it gets in. I haven't talked to my dealer yet about this, but he did tell me when I bought it that the gears feel spongy and is mostly only on the 4530's. He didn't know of any fix but said if it gets to be a real problem to bring it in and he would call in the reps.
Keep us posted and let us know if you find out anything. Also, we should stay in touch through pm's so we can track each others problems. I have asked a couple of other 4530 owners to do the same. Maybe we can help each other on like problems.

cdover73 · Apr 7, 2006

Here is the link to the post I started to help describe the problem a little more.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Board/mahindra/Number/844238/page/1/view/collapsed/sb/5/fpart/1

musa_marketing · Apr 7, 2006

If you are experiencing this problem, please send an email to marketing@mahindrausa.com, along with your name, dealer where purchased and serial number. I will forward your email to our tech service department to respond.

joeaa · Apr 7, 2006

It will shift slick if you spend about 2-3 hours getting the linkage correct. The shop foreman at my dealer said he had never worked on a shifter like this. The reason for the time is that the shift adjustment linkage is hard to get to and it has to be correct.

cdover73 · Apr 10, 2006

Musa, I sent you an email. Thanks.

Is there any known fix to this or can the linkage be beefed up. It does feel weak, almost as if it wouldn't take much to bend or break it. I am gentle with mine and try to never force it, but I have two John Deere Gators that also have an issue with the linkage and they have broken with little or no pressure.

PILOON · Apr 10, 2006

Just wondering

I don't know the specific tractor nor the specs but,
Could it be that 3rd and 4th are non syncro gears? but 1 and 2 syncro?

On my little MT180D all gears are non syncro, so I am used to coming to a complete stop before shifting. Even then higher gears, due to ratios, are always a little trickier to engage.
I sometimes have to slip a bit the clutch to engage (align) them.

TXAG · Apr 11, 2006

I think it is all synchromesh since the specs list it as:

TRANSMISSION
Type: Forward-Reverse Synchro-Shuttle with full synchromesh
Number of Speeds: 8 forward, 8 reverse