Cruise control 4300 JD

[Mike_S]

Centex--dunno if your brake system is similar to that of the 4400 HST models, but if so--you might check to see if the brakes are dragging due to being set too tight at the factory. This happened to my first 4400 (an early model with LOTS of engineering and quality control problems) and after using it for a while, and then attempting to use road gear to travel a couple of miles, the tractor could not pull ANY grades without lugging down and it was determined that the brakes were dragging. Also, I found yesterday when I was driving my tractor home after a few hours of FEL work, that it lugged down and I had to stop it and shift into 2nd range to finish going up the hill--BUT this one was my fault--had put the ROPS down and lifted the rear blade with the top link actively pushing against the ROPS and with the hydraulic valve open, it did not have enough fizz to get up the hill--DUH on my part. I remember the dealer telling me to shake the brake rods to see if they had any play (brings back BAD memories of THAT tractor). Mike S.

 

[centex]

Mike, I will check to see that there is some slack in my brake rods but I think the lugging down on the hill is due to something else. If I let up on the forward pedal the engine rpm comes back up so it just seems like the engine loads up. It seems to me that it should have more power but this tractor weighs 6000# with the backhoe and loader attached so maybe 48HP is still kind of low power for pushing that much weight up a hill. I now climb the hill in the intermediate range. I wanted to use the high range to get maximum speed so I can get off the highway as quickly as possible. It is a 70mph road and there is no shoulder on the part I have to travel. I avoid it as much as possible and drive across the creek when it is low but I cannot get across with the backhoe attached.