Hydraulic shuttle question

[cstp]

Several guys on this forum have remarked that on their tractors with hydraulic shuttle, they rarely use the foot clutch to switch directions anymore. I have a Kubota M7040 w/ hydraulic shuttle, and while I like being able to move from forward to reverse without coming to a stop, I almost always use the clutch. Most of the time I am working at higher RPMs, and using the shuttle without clutching results in whiplash. It also doesn't seem that great for the tractor to move from forward to reverse so suddenly. What am I doing wrong here?

 

[TripleR]

I use the clutch on the forward/revere hand lever just like the foot clutch, traveling at anything other than very slow speed and changing direction will result in whiplash no matter how you choose to clutch it. We use ours mostly for brush/grass cutting with a Woods 10 foot rotary cutter and keep the RPM at 540 PTO and used properly, we get no whiplash.

 

[Baby Grand]

Here's what works for me with a GST transmission:

For slow ground speed operation with revs kept high by setting the hand throttle:
1) Shift shuttle to N.
2) Use brake pedal to stop tractor.
3) Shift shuttle to fwd or rev.

For any ground speed greater than slow (subjective), I shut the throttle lever down and use the foot throttle.
1) Shift shuttle to N.
2) Drop revs.
3) Use brake pedal to stop tractor.
4) Shift shuttle to fwd or rev.
5) Raise the revs as needed.

I never reverse directions without pausing in N before making the direction change shift.

 

[bigbull338]

i usually run at 1500rpms so i dont use the clutch that much if any going from farward to reverse.now if im running at a higher rpms then ill use the clutch.

 

[Tx Jim]

This is a quote from my M7040 operators manual(page #22) under heading of hyd shuttle shift lever.

This shifting does not require clutch operation

Important: The hyd shuttle lever may be shifted while the tractor is moving slowly.

 

[oosik]

I'm still used to twenty five years with a manual transmission. I use the clutch - force of habit. Sometimes I'll remember and only use the F/R hyd shuttle lever - usually when I'm doing FEL activity.

 

[TomSeller]

I never reverse directions without pausing in N before making the direction change shift.

Exactly how I do it. I don't use the brake unless going really fast and when going fast, seldom do I switch directions. Most forward to backward shifts are at slow speeds anyway, so the pause between works perfect. It allows the tractor to stop on it's own.

 

[TripleR]

I'm still used to twenty five years with a manual transmission. I use the clutch - force of habit. Sometimes I'll remember and only use the F/R hyd shuttle lever - usually when I'm doing FEL activity.

It took me several months to stop using the foot clutch, same for my sons. We went from quite a few years with a synchronized-shuttle shift Case and before that non shuttle shift tractors.

 

[bigbull338]

the hard thing about the hydro shift is when you have 3 people with differant ideas an ways of operating the hydro shuttle.as most know here i had a buddy of mine show me all the tricks to running the hydro shuttle.then i adjusted those tricks to the way i do things.then my brother has his way of running the shuttle.an he trys to tell me his RIGHT way of running it.so i just try to run it my way when i can.

 

[JerryK]

I don't know how your M7040 works, buy my old John Deere reverser is used in conjunction with the foot throttle. While you can set the hand throttle to a ' certain ' RPM and use the hand reverser lever to change direction, even using the clutch... You usually run the tractor at that ' certain ' RPM with the foot throttle, let up on the foot throttle to idle, reverse direction at near idle, then press back on the foot throttle back up to RPM as you go in the new direction. That's how I was taught when I was little.. If you listen to heavy equipment operators, thats how they change direction too...

 

[AdamCanterbury]

I agree with JerryK on the most logical use of a hydraulic shuttle tranny.

 

[B Hoofed]

Kinetic energy = 1/2 Mass x Velocity squared. Twice the speed equals four times as much energy that has to be absorbed by the clutch. I try to pause the shuttle lever in neutral and/or slow down the tractor with the brakes when changing direction, especially when in high range. There's a bit of a lag built in to the reverser to protect the clutch. The lag is not enough in my opinion in high range at PTO speed, however, to reverse without clutching or a pause in neutral.

 

[JerryG]

I also am with JerryK. That is the way we always instructed when I was at a dealership.

 

[Bluegill2]

Just takes a little common sense. Like if you are rolling forward at high RPM, you don't just throw it into reverse. This is uncomfortable on the operator and bad for the tractor.

I usually use the clutch, but not always.

 

[TomSeller]

On some systems the foot clutch uses the same clutch packs as the fwd/rev lever. It just opens up (disables) both hydraulic clutch packs. That always made sense to me.

 

[Tx Jim]

On some systems the foot clutch uses the same clutch packs as the fwd/rev lever. It just opens up (disables) both hydraulic clutch packs. That always made sense to me.

That's how the foot clutch pedal operates on a Kubota M7040 hyd shuttle which is the tractor this thread was initiated about. M7040 has a flywheel damper clutch that remains engaged all the time.

 

[Zebrafive]

I don't know how your M7040 works, buy my old John Deere reverser is used in conjunction with the foot throttle. While you can set the hand throttle to a ' certain ' RPM and use the hand reverser lever to change direction, even using the clutch... You usually run the tractor at that ' certain ' RPM with the foot throttle, let up on the foot throttle to idle, reverse direction at near idle, then press back on the foot throttle back up to RPM as you go in the new direction. That's how I was taught when I was little.. If you listen to heavy equipment operators, thats how they change direction too...

Same as I do it. I could not have said it any better. Well said JerryK. The only thing I have to add; is if I want to slow things even more, I pause the Reverser lever in neutral, then shift to desired direction of travel.

 

[E/S]

It took me several months to stop using the foot clutch, same for my sons. We went from quite a few years with a synchronized-shuttle shift Case and before that non shuttle shift tractors.

Same here.
In surprise situations I still stand on the clutch.

E/S

 

[TomSeller]

Same here.
In surprise situations I still stand on the clutch.

E/S

Yep, I think that is why they left the foot clutch there.

 

[B Hoofed]

Yep, I think that is why they left the foot clutch there.

The foot clutch is there for shifting gears. One can put the shuttle lever in neutral to change gears, but I find it easier to use the foot clutch. However, I will sometimes select a new gear with my right hand while changing direction with the shuttle lever with my left hand, no foot clutch involved. There's enough of a delay in clutch engagement to do that if you time it right.

I like the power shuttle system. It makes things a lot easier mowing, grading, or doing loader work. It's not fun though to end up with the lever in neutral when changing direction on a steep slope. That gets the heart rate elevated a bit.