4940C Problems

Texasgreen · Aug 30, 2006

Howdy folks,

Well, I had to put my 4940C in the Montana shop today. After 58.8 hours on this fine machine, I have two things that are broken. Before I get into what has broke, let me say how much I enjoy using my Montana tractor over the other brands. I mainly use my 4940C for new house pad dirt work jobs and some mowing jobs. I have enjoyed how easy my 4940C Montana is to use and the low down power it has to get the job done.

Now for what is broke. Today when I was mowing using my Land Pride 2572 finish mower. For some reason the PTO when it was in the manual setting and the clutch depressed, it wouldn’t run my finish mower. If I put the PTO in the independent setting, it would run and work like it should. I tried the manual setting a few more times and nothing would happen even if I pushed and depressed the clutch a few times. I unhooked the drive shaft from my tractor going to the mower and then turned on the PTO in the manual setting. The PTO shaft coming out of the tractor was turning then. So, I then hooked the mowers drive shaft back up to the tractor and tried the manual setting on the PTO again. Guess what? The PTO still didn’t work. But, if I went to the independent setting on the PTO switch my mower would run.

The next thing that has broken is the FEL controller handle in the cab. The FEL handle controller is very flimsy and has broken off from the fender mount. Also, the slid cables from the FEL controller down the valve body under the tractor have become very tight and hard to operate and this is why the FEL controller has broke off from its mounting bracket. I was told that this was not the first time this has happened and that Montana should change the design of this controller because it going to happen again.

I’ll let you know what we find out on the PTO problem.

montanaman · Aug 31, 2006

I'm a little confused about how you described the PTO problem? In the manual mode, with the clutch engaged, is the PTO running? In the manual mode, with the clutch held down with your foot, the PTO shouldn't turn but it should engage as soon as you let the clutch out far enough for the clutch switch to complete the circuit.

If it's not working that way then it sounds just like a small electrical problem since it's working in the independent mode just fine.

I've had a few of those loader controls that need some serious adjustments when I do a pre-delivery inspection but I haven't had one come back broken as of yet. I do believe that there were two designs so it most likely will be a pretty small number of people having the trouble.

Best of luck and please keep us posted on this!

Ken

onsight · Aug 31, 2006

I have also had problems with the loader control valve...my machine had only 20 hours on it when the valve failed. The raise/lower circuit completely locked up. Fortunately, in the neutral position! The curl circuit was fine. Montana promptly sent a new valve, and that cured the problem. Was very happy with their quick response.

Texasgreen · Aug 31, 2006

Montanaman

Let me try again on explaining the problem I’m having with my PTO. If the PTO switch is in the manual mode and you let out the clutch, the PTO will not run. The PTO will run if it’s in the independent mode just like it should regardless if the clutch is pushed in or out. Could it be that the switch on the clutch is bad?

The FEL joystick body broke off due to the stiff slide cables from the joystick to the FEL valve body and also due to the person that installed the joystick on the fender mount to tight that crushed the weak plastic joystick body. Montana has been very fast about fixing these problems. I should get my tractor back tomorrow.

TillerofdaEarth · Sep 1, 2006

I had this same problem with my manual PTO also. I fixed it by adjusting the switch on the 3-point lift control lever.

When using manual PTO mode, the switch is there to turn off the PTO when implement is raised. My switch was so far out of adjustment that with the lift lever in full down position, the PTO would not engage when using manual mode. Independent mode always worked fine.

Hopefully adjustment of the switch will fix your problem as well.

Texasgreen · Sep 1, 2006

Well I got my tractor back today. The problem with my PTO was a wire had backed out of the electrical plug on the clutch switch thus causing an incomplete circuit in the maunal mode. The loose wire was pushed and locked back into the electrical plug and now my PTO works in the manual mode like it should.

TillerofdaEarth · Sep 2, 2006

Thats good news on the PTO problem. Gotta love them easy fixes!

Did you get a new loader control joy stick and cables?

gemini5362 · Sep 3, 2006

Do you have the old style loader or the new style. I have the old style loader on my 4940C and have been having problems with ruptured hydraulic hoses. I have 20 hours on my tractor and I have had to replace three of the hoses already. I spoke to montana and they told me to bring it in and they would check it out so I will probably find out next week what is wrong with it.

gemini5362 · Sep 3, 2006

Has anyone seen a shop manual for the Montana 4940C I have read something about a shop manual on cd here but when I talked to a local montana dealer (whose main sales are new holland) they tried to get me any kind of shop manual for it and all they were sent was a users manual. The parts guy told me he had heard about a manual on cd but had heard it was not very helpful. I was wondering if anyone had actually used the one on cd or a regular shop manual.

gemini5362 · Sep 8, 2006

I am going to post my experience with the montana warranty department in springdale.

The service was very very good. They checked out the problem with my loader and could not find anything wrong, the pressures were ok and the valve was working fine. I did point out that the hoses on my ansung loader are 2500 psi but the new hoses I had made to fix the three that had ruptured were 5000 psi. The service manager told me the new loaders had 5000 psi also. The service manager said that might be the problem so he went ahead and replaced all the rest of my hoses with new 5000 psi ones.

I also asked about a service manual for my tractor. He told me there were not any good ones but montana has hired a company to write new ones and they should be out in about a year.

The service manager also mentioned that there is a quick attatch adapter for the bucket available for the ansung loader. He could not sell it to me but said any dealer could order it. I called the montana dealer in Fayetteville who is in the process of ordering one for me now. The adapter comes with a plate that you weld on to your bucket so you dont have to buy a new bucket to go with it