Differential Lock

[frank_f15]

Yesterday when looking under seat i noticed a rod that was only connected at one end, it was attacted to an arm on top of trans. saw one spot where it might have gone but it would not reach. everything worked. then today i thought of differentiaL lock(never used it) so i pushed on pedal and sure enough the arm attached to pedal moved and the rod fit right in.seens as tho the cotter pin that held it in came out or was never installed.question!!! when i attached it to pedal the pedal did not come up as far as when it was disconnected , yet when i diconnected it again the arm on trany did not move back, it was already in its farthest rear position, so i assume even tho the pedal stays down a little the diff. lock is not engaged,is my thinking correct? and is the dif lock very useful?BTW this is 98 b2400, that i just got last spring.any thoughts greatly appreciated!
FRANK

 

[JJT]

If you can easily steer the tractor the diff lock is disengaged. Both rear wheels locked and the tractor wants to go in a straight line. The diff lock in invaluable, the only way to get max traction is to drive both rear wheels.

 

[njrqs]

While on this topic.......

My l185 diff lock sometimes sticks on. I don't think it is a gear problem, more the lever won't return under springn load.

When pressed you can see the other end of it poke out from the LHS of the tractor. Could it be sticking on there?

Cheers

<font color=blue>Neil from OZ.</font color=blue> /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...and is the dif lock very useful?...</font color=blue>

I would rank the differential lock as important... as 4WD vs 2WD...

In most cases, it makes a huge difference between "getting stuck or not" and "being able to go or not"...

However, if you only mow your lawn 99% of the time... you'd probably never miss or need it...

 

[jhburke]

With my B7200s one was 4wd and was 2wd. I found that ocasionly even when mowing on wet grass it was real nice to be able to step on the diff lock and I would keep on going and would not dig the grass. Diff lock very very handy. Would sure make sure it was working. JIM

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...Diff lock very very handy...</font color=blue>

I agree, wholeheartedly...

But... for most mowing applications a 2WD is more than sufficient...

 

[Jeff396]

I'll have to try that. Up until this point whenever I hit some steep area of the yard I would pop it into 4wd. It would be easier to just hit the diff lock. I wonder if this would also work going down a steep hill as in 2wd the tractor will start to slip but in 4wd there is enough resistance to make a slow, controlled desent(spelling?).

Jeff

 

[Harv]

<font color=blue> is the dif lock very useful?</font color=blue>

I've never gotten my tractor totally stuck (yet), but several times I would have if it weren't for the diff lock. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...I wonder if this would also work going down a steep hill as in 2wd the tractor will start to slip but in 4wd there is enough resistance to make a slow, controlled desent(spelling?)...</font color=blue>

Jeff,

I would always have it in MWFD when going down or up any steep descent/slope/incline...

Going down=better braking control{no front wheel brakes, but front wheel control...}

 

[Jeff396]

Probably a good idea. Right after I got the tractor I was coming down my drive with a load of dirt (carried fairly low). One portion of my drive is a down slope. The rear got light enough that I started to leave a black skid mark on the cement. That was enough to scare me into having the 4wd on. It's especially better now that I realize that it wasn't a problem to shift it into 4wd on the fly as long as you are going straight and are not on the gas.

Jeff