BX won't pull a hill.

[dodge man]

I have a Kubota BX2350 that had devoloped a problem. It won't pull up a hill. I was mowing with it today, and everything seemed fine. I went up and down some hills, no problem. I have a fairly steep hill that I was trying to climb when the problem showed up. It acts like the rear wheels won't drive the tractor. I can see the front wheels spinning, but the rear ones aren't.

I tried it on some smaller hills, same thing. In 2 wheel drive it won't move, in 4 wheel drive, you can see the front wheels pull the tractor up the hill. Its actually worse in low range instead of high range. When it won't move, you can hear some HST whine, but nothing unusual. The hill I was trying this on is pretty small, and it would normally go up it easily in two wheel drive.

I checked the HST fluid level, and it was fine, it didn't seem hot or burnt looking.

This could be unrelated, but when I first noticed the problem, I pulled up to the garage and checked everything. I found the air cleaner badly plugged from a mouse nest. I cleaned it out and it didn't make any difference. I don't think this was related since I mowed some heavy grass earlier, and went up some hills and the tractor was fine. It doesn't seem like the tractor is lacking power, it just won't drive the rear wheels.

The BX has about 380 hours and I've serviced the HST fluid and filters according to the manual.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[k0ua]

In my opinion you have something broken inside after the hydro. and after the 2 speed transmission. As in Rear differential, because for the front wheels to turn your engine, hydro, and transmission must all work, but something is seriously wrong.. I am not a mechanic so take what I say with a grain, but lets see what other more experienced folks say. But this is what I think.

James K0UA

 

[dodge man]

In my opinion you have something broken inside after the hydro. and after the 2 speed transmission. As in Rear differential, because for the front wheels to turn your engine, hydro, and transmission must all work, but something is seriously wrong.. I am not a mechanic so take what I say with a grain, but lets see what other more experienced folks say. But this is what I think.

James K0UA

Yeah, I don't feel real good about it.

 

[ncviauk]

Hey not making fun but last year I thought I broke my BX too. It was only the brake was stuck on. It was a easy fix just had to adjust my brake.

 

[dodge man]

I am hoping its something simple. I'm going to mess with it some today.

 

[Deano]

Keep us posted!

 

[willi67]

A HST that wont go uphill is not good

try going up the same hills when the tractor is still cold .. and then after its been worked for an hour or so and its nice and hot

 

[k0ua]

It is not the hydro, because he says the front wheels are pulling the tractor up the hill, but the rear wheels are "dead" it is a broken shaft or gear or something like that in the rear end. If the hydro was the problem the front wheels would not have power either.

James K0UA

 

[willi67]

sorry my bad .. I thought it only happened up hills ..

so does the tractor move at all in 2WD when on level ground?

 

[k0ua]

sorry my bad .. I thought it only happened up hills ..

so does the tractor move at all in 2WD when on level ground?

I tried it on some smaller hills, same thing. In 2 wheel drive it won't move, in 4 wheel drive, you can see the front wheels pull the tractor up the hill

 

[tractchores]

Do the brakes work at all? They should be part of the drive assembly on the rear wheels.

 

[dodge man]

Just an update, I tried it the morning.

First off the brakes work fine and aren't sticking. I rolled the thing down my driveway in nuetral, and the brakes worked, but weren't sticking.

When it was cold, it would pull the hill fine. This is a pretty steep hill, about as steep as you would want to mow up and down. 15 minutes latter, it would not go up this same hill. You will see the front wheels spinning, but not the rears. I'm almost sure its not overheating, it was a very cool morning. The fluid looks very clear and not burnt.

I changed the fluid, filter and cleaned the screen at 280 hours, it now has 370 hours.

It works better in high range than low range. It also seems to work better in reverse than forward.

On flat ground, in two wheel drive, you wouldn't know anything was wrong. On dry pavement, if you are going forward at high speed and let off the hydro pedal quickly, it will lock up the rear tires.

I plan on taking the tractor to my dealer and letting them fix it. I'd change the fluid and filter, but I want the dealer to see it for any clues it might yield.

 

[willi67]

Hi Dodge Man
I will stick my head up one more time ..
If it was me i would try to get the dealer on site to demo the problem ... you take it back and to them it works OK at the workshop .. but a good spanner man should suss this out based on your description

keep us posted coz I got a BX2360 and hills like you (just got Amsoil for the tranny .. knock on wood)

cheers

 

[dodge man]

An update: Talked to the dealer, they said there is nothing wrong with the hydro. They hooked up gauges to it and said everything was O.K. The said the rear fuel filter was really dirty and they changed the hydro filter just to have a look at it. I've heard this before on hear where people swear they have a hydro problem, but its just a power issue. I would have sworn the engine was running fine. I'll find out soon when I mow with it this weekend.

 

[k0ua]

An update: Talked to the dealer, they said there is nothing wrong with the hydro. They hooked up gauges to it and said everything was O.K. The said the rear fuel filter was really dirty and they changed the hydro filter just to have a look at it. I've heard this before on hear where people swear they have a hydro problem, but its just a power issue. I would have sworn the engine was running fine. I'll find out soon when I mow with it this weekend.

Maybe I havent been keeping up, but didn't you say it would not move in 2wd (rear wheels only) at all? That seems like a differential/axle problem to me. Or am I mistaken?

James K0UA

 

[k0ua]

Ok I backtracked and saw you posted this:

On flat ground, in two wheel drive, you wouldn't know anything was wrong. On dry pavement, if you are going forward at high speed and let off the hydro pedal quickly, it will lock up the rear tires.

Ok so maybe you dont have a problem at all now?

James K0UA

 

[dodge man]

Ok I backtracked and saw you posted this:

On flat ground, in two wheel drive, you wouldn't know anything was wrong. On dry pavement, if you are going forward at high speed and let off the hydro pedal quickly, it will lock up the rear tires.

Ok so maybe you dont have a problem at all now?

James K0UA

I'm hoping I don't have a problem now, but I'll find out when I starting mowing up and down a hill at my house. Lets just say I won't be suprised if I'm hauling the thing back.

 

[Zick]

Just an update, I tried it the morning.

First off the brakes work fine and aren't sticking. I rolled the thing down my driveway in nuetral, and the brakes worked, but weren't sticking.

When it was cold, it would pull the hill fine. This is a pretty steep hill, about as steep as you would want to mow up and down. 15 minutes latter, it would not go up this same hill. You will see the front wheels spinning, but not the rears. I'm almost sure its not overheating, it was a very cool morning. The fluid looks very clear and not burnt.

I changed the fluid, filter and cleaned the screen at 280 hours, it now has 370 hours.

It works better in high range than low range. It also seems to work better in reverse than forward.

On flat ground, in two wheel drive, you wouldn't know anything was wrong. On dry pavement, if you are going forward at high speed and let off the hydro pedal quickly, it will lock up the rear tires.

I plan on taking the tractor to my dealer and letting them fix it. I'd change the fluid and filter, but I want the dealer to see it for any clues it might yield.

This just seems really strange to me. Low range should work better in this situation.

 

[megaboz]

My thinking for the hi/lo "seems to work better in high" makes me think something is slipping. Not a know it all on the kubotas but if there is splined shaft somewhere that's not splined anymore (hence my theory on the slippage).

 

[dodge man]

Another update. I got it home last night and mowed with it a little bit. It seemed a lot better, but there was a couple of times I though it faltered a little bit, but then it took off. I pulled a couple of pretty steep hills and it seemed O.K. I'm just going to run with it and see how it does. It still will bother me in the back of my mind though.