Gee, I feel stupid...or...that was easy

[CoyPatton]

Of course you know to stop the tractor movement to engage and disengage the diff lock. Never used brakes to take pressure off the diff lock but have placed in reverse and remove the load off the lock. Just ease back pulling the diff lock up. May have shifted back to forward also. Odd, when you develop your habit on such remembering it step by step is not that easy.

Great info for operating a properly functioning diff lock. Under the conditions that were described by the ‘new to me’ owner in the OP, this procedure did not help. Once his is back to functioning, he should follow your recommendation, but on the current status, he needs to get the mechanism sliding as designed.
Worse case, he will need to take the top off as Winston1’s photo shows and id and correct the issue. Mine and another’s suggestion to use it often and get it disengaged (however he needs to) is an effort to hopefully get it properly functioning with a few uses and not require taking it all apart.

 

[CoyPatton]

I have the turf tire kit, with some aggressive Duro Frontier 25 10r 12 tires on it. When I responded to the CL ad, I assumed that it was a 4wd... based on the photo showing the lug tires. I had associated the brutal steering with a combination of the fel, fat tires and no power steering.

While all 3 contribute to your difficult steering, remember a differential has 2 primary functions.
1) to redirect direction of the rotation of the engine revolutions
2) to separate the rear axle allowing one axle to turn faster or more during a turn.
This second function is what fought you in your turning your tractor.
Generally speaking the diff lock should disengage when you stop as the pressure is then removed from keeping it in place. Also you should stop prior to engage as you want both axle half’s to connect as a ‘solid’ axle. Of course this is for a proper functioning diff lock. Lifting the lever as you slow down may be helpful as well.
Tire wise, it sounds as though you decided that turf’s advantages outweigh their disadvantages for your needs. No second guess on that from me. My tractor is 4wd and fir my uses, I just can not justify the cost of going to turfs even though it would be great for the loader work I do.
Again I think frequent usage of the diff lock (repeated engaging and disengaging by whatever method works) is your simplest method to free up the travel. Always try to disengage lifting the lever and stopping prior to more aggressive brake torquing. This way you know when it is freely traveling. Then continue to use often to keep it free.
Good luck of correcting the issue!

 

[rokryder]

While all 3 contribute to your difficult steering, remember a differential has 2 primary functions.
1) to redirect direction of the rotation of the engine revolutions
2) to separate the rear axle allowing one axle to turn faster or more during a turn.
This second function is what fought you in your turning your tractor.
Generally speaking the diff lock should disengage when you stop as the pressure is then removed from keeping it in place. Also you should stop prior to engage as you want both axle halfs to connect as a solid axle. Of course this is for a proper functioning diff lock. Lifting the lever as you slow down may be helpful as well.
Tire wise, it sounds as though you decided that turfç—´ advantages outweigh their disadvantages for your needs. No second guess on that from me. My tractor is 4wd and fir my uses, I just can not justify the cost of going to turfs even though it would be great for the loader work I do.
Again I think frequent usage of the diff lock (repeated engaging and disengaging by whatever method works) is your simplest method to free up the travel. Always try to disengage lifting the lever and stopping prior to more aggressive brake torquing. This way you know when it is freely traveling. Then continue to use often to keep it free.
Good luck of correcting the issue!

I think that you were right on the mark that the issue is most likely due to very long term disuse. As I see it, as long as the shaft that the fork rides on is smooth, the spring will push the fork and its roll pin back against the cam and disengage the diff lock...and allow the lever to return. After looking at Winstons picture, its apparent that if the fork is sticking on the shaft, then the lever itself will be floppy as the spring is not pushing the roll pin back against the cam...which is what mine was doing. I have been at a standstill before engaging the diff lock. Turning with a stab of the brake seems to free the lock... and I expect it will continue to improve.

 

[bmaverick]

Kim,

Thanks for the reference back to your thread here.

Your posting of the Jackson Power Steering for Yanmar tractors is refreshing. None of us are getting any younger so power steering would allow many of us to keep our machines longer with use.

http://jacksonpowersteering.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Yanmar_video.mp4?_=1

Complete Steering Kits – Jackson Power Steering

This site mentions the kits fit the following John Deere machines - 650, 750, 850, 950 and the 1050 Utility.
Knowing this, there are nearly 3 dozen YM Series Yanmar machines in the same configurations. And the JD750 was of the F-FX era machines.

Sadly, Hoye no longer sells a power steering kit anymore.
POWER STEERING KIT - No Longer Sold
POWER STEERING KIT - No Longer Sold - Code: HPS-KIT

 

[Williy]

Kim,

Thanks for the reference back to your thread here.

Your posting of the Jackson Power Steering for Yanmar tractors is refreshing. None of us are getting any younger so power steering would allow many of us to keep our machines longer with use.

http://jacksonpowersteering.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Yanmar_video.mp4?_=1

Complete Steering Kits – Jackson Power Steering

This site mentions the kits fit the following John Deere machines - 650, 750, 850, 950 and the 1050 Utility.
Knowing this, there are nearly 3 dozen YM Series Yanmar machines in the same configurations. And the JD750 was of the F-FX era machines.

Sadly, Hoye no longer sells a power steering kit anymore.
POWER STEERING KIT - No Longer Sold
POWER STEERING KIT - No Longer Sold - Code: HPS-KIT

Have you seen this site: Complete Steering Kits – Jackson Power Steering

willy

 

[bmaverick]

Have you seen this site: Complete Steering Kits – Jackson Power Steering

willy

Ah, that's the site I put in my post that you quoted. LOL