Gator HPX Diesel Hard to Shift?

Y2KF250PSD · Nov 8, 2006

It's been a while since I've posted here but I do visit and read the forums occasionally.

I'm having a problem with my HPX diesel. It's becoming increasingly difficult to shift without the gears grinding.

I have a little over 400 hours on it now and I'm not sure if something has worn and needs adjusting or replacing.

It actually behaves as if it would if the idle was too high but the engine idle has not changed.

Any ideas???

Thanks,

darkday · Nov 8, 2006

What about the clutch wear buttons ?

My old 6x4 made a grinding noise every time you changed gears and the clutch went out after 300 hours or so. Get it checked out if it is becoming bad or you will be shelling out a couple hundred.

Y2KF250PSD · Nov 9, 2006

DarkDay,

You are correct in your diagnosis!!

I had noticed those little buttons being worn and suspected that they may be the problem but didn't know for sure.

Called the JD dealer yesterday after I posted and spoke with the tech........ he said same as you, the clutch wear buttons.

He's sending me some replacements in the mail and gave me a brief description of how to replace them.

Hopefully it will go smoothly.

Thanks for the reply!!

darkday · Nov 9, 2006

No problem. I wish I knew what the problem was on my old 6x4. Like I said every time you shifted you would hear the gears grinding. The reason nothing was done about it is the guy who brought it out (not our usual salesman) said it was normal... After the clutch just disintegrated it was a little hard to say what it was too.

JESSE1 · Nov 10, 2006

The 6x4 Diesel I had would grind pretty bad when shifted. I had to set the idle down a lot lower to make it bearable. I had it three years before I traded for my HPX Diesel so I don't know how long the clutch would have lasted. The most annoying problem on the 6x4 was the sound of the brakes. Manual said to change out the fluid regularly to prevent noise but that didn't do any good on mine. Talked to the shop foreman at the JD dealership and he advised to add a pint of JD Friction Modifier to the trans. I did and the noise totally disappeared.

darkday · Nov 10, 2006

If I recall correctly mine had mechanical brakes. Mine was an 03 what year was yours ? That was one of the things I noticed right away when I got the HPX was how nice they were. But at the same time this meant that my park brake was a seperate system that wasn't as good. When we got our 6x4 back after the repairs the grinding wasn't there for the most part anyway.

JESSE1 · Nov 11, 2006

My 6x4 was an '01. The brakes were inside the transmission. The disc brakes on the HPX are definately much better and the disc parking brake holds good, too.

Y2KF250PSD · Nov 18, 2006

Sorry for the slow response fellas, been too busy

Ordered the new clutch wear buttons and replaced em, it fixed the problem.

I was pleasantly surprised it was less than $10 for em, I can handle that kinda maintenance every 400 hours or so considering the hard work this machine see's and has never failed to perform whatever i ask of it.

I had a 210 gallon water tank (full) in the bed couple weeks ago and it chugged right along!

Thanks again for all the responses!