Traction Kioti DK50 will not go into 4-WD

AmberBear · Aug 11, 2013

I own a 2003 DK50 that I bought new. Only had a few minor problems until last fall when I tried to use the 4-WD for icy conditions. Though the foot lever felt the same as I had often used it before, it failed to engage the 4-WD. I never had any grinding or crunching, just nothing but 2-WD.

I do not use the 4-WD regularly, only a few times a year in icy conditions. The rest of the time 2-WD works just fine.

I have found threads indicating the linkage can get rusty and difficult to engage, but mine has the same positive feel, but no 4-WD. I have tried squirting WD-40 into the linkage with no change. The linkage is difficult to get to and I doubt much is getting in there.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

I am hoping this has a cheap fix and not the horror stories of smaller DK models with electronic actuators. I am a long way from a dealer and the few experienced mechanics in the area are up to their ears in repairing logging equipment. I wish the logging industry in the area had not picked up so much.

I have tried backing up the tractor, lifting the front end with the loader. Same result, no 4-WD when I try to engage the foot-heel actuator.

Useful suggestions would be most welcome.

Sysop · Aug 11, 2013

Are you 100% sure the foot heel actuator is for 4WD? That would be a first for me, the foot heel actuator on every one of the 20 or so various makes and models of tractors I'm familiar with (none are Kioti), is to engage the rear wheel locker to lock the rear wheels in sync which provides allot of extra traction and can be mistaken for 4WD in some cases (the only way you know is if you still lose traction and both rears spin but the front does not).

#1, If you're 100% sure this foot-heel pedal is for 4WD, ignore me.
#2, If you're not 100% sure it is for 4WD, find out. Lockers are meant for additional straight line traction to pull a hill or get unstuck, and due to both wheels being locked to rotate at the same rotational speed, turning with the locker engaged repeatedly can result in driveline failure if the tires have good traction. If the ground is slick or soft, turning with the locker engaged wouldn't cause damage to the driveline due to the ability to have a tire slip as needed to maintain the 1 to 1 rotation of the tires during a turn but it's still not wise to do as a general operating practice.

As a simple test you could find some soft, wet, slick ground, hold that heel actuator down and do some tight circles first one way then the other. If you begin to either drag the wheel on the outside of the turn or spin the wheel on the inside of the turn but they are both rotating at the same speed, that is the locker. Doing such a thing without the locker engaged, the tire on the inside of the turn will turn slower than the tire on the outside so both can rotate at their respective ground speed. Most generally the locking devices inside the driveline will only engage and lock the driveline at specific points in the rotation of the tires, so when performing the above test, it is possible you would need to drive a couple circles with the locker engaged before things line up and it actually engages and the behavior described occurs.

Many of the tractors I've dealt with have had a lever somewhere out of the way around the seat for the 4WD. It generally just moves forward and reverse or up and down a notch to engage or disengage the 4WD. Some of the more highfalutin units have a pushbutton. Never have I seen a pedal for 4WD (not saying there isn't such a thing, just haven't seen it in my limited experiences).

I really hope that you find out that IS a locker, you're 4WD lever is someplace else you've overlooked, you've never needed 4WD before, and that nothing is broken at all. If that ends up being the case you're really in for a treat once ya find the REAL 4WD lever!

adirondackmtnman · Aug 11, 2013

Sysop said:
Are you 100% sure the foot heel actuator is for 4WD? That would be a first for me, the foot heel actuator on every one of the 20 or so various makes and models of tractors I'm familiar with (none are Kioti), is to engage the rear wheel locker to lock the rear wheels in sync which provides allot of extra traction and can be mistaken for 4WD in some cases (the only way you know is if you still lose traction and both rears spin but the front does not).

#1, If you're 100% sure this foot-heel pedal is for 4WD, ignore me.
#2, If you're not 100% sure it is for 4WD, find out. Lockers are meant for additional straight line traction to pull a hill or get unstuck, and due to both wheels being locked to rotate at the same rotational speed, turning with the locker engaged repeatedly can result in driveline failure if the tires have good traction. If the ground is slick or soft, turning with the locker engaged wouldn't cause damage to the driveline due to the ability to have a tire slip as needed to maintain the 1 to 1 rotation of the tires during a turn but it's still not wise to do as a general operating practice.

As a simple test you could find some soft, wet, slick ground, hold that heel actuator down and do some tight circles first one way then the other. If you begin to either drag the wheel on the outside of the turn or spin the wheel on the inside of the turn but they are both rotating at the same speed, that is the locker. Doing such a thing without the locker engaged, the tire on the inside of the turn will turn slower than the tire on the outside so both can rotate at their respective ground speed. Most generally the locking devices inside the driveline will only engage and lock the driveline at specific points in the rotation of the tires, so when performing the above test, it is possible you would need to drive a couple circles with the locker engaged before things line up and it actually engages and the behavior described occurs.

Many of the tractors I've dealt with have had a lever somewhere out of the way around the seat for the 4WD. It generally just moves forward and reverse or up and down a notch to engage or disengage the 4WD. Some of the more highfalutin units have a pushbutton. Never have I seen a pedal for 4WD (not saying there isn't such a thing, just haven't seen it in my limited experiences).

I really hope that you find out that IS a locker, you're 4WD lever is someplace else you've overlooked, you've never needed 4WD before, and that nothing is broken at all. If that ends up being the case you're really in for a treat once ya find the REAL 4WD lever!

Ditto...Everything I've used, and all I have experience with is 2wd, had an actuator for the differential locker at the right heel. It may be way off base, but a call to any dealer could tell you for sure if this is indeed the right lever.

Sent from my LGL35G using TractorByNet

rmorey · Aug 11, 2013

AmberBear, on my DK40 there is a pair of switches on the dash LH side below the light switch. The left switch is 4wd, the right switch is hazard lites. Differential lock is on the foot pedal.

AmberBear · Aug 11, 2013

Thanks for the comments. Unfortunately, the 4-WD actuator is under the left heel and the rear-wheel locker is under the right heel. It has worked in the past and the clincher is the yellow label next to the left heel actuator, indicating UP for 2-WD and DOWN for 4-WD. I have a cab model with the light rocker switches overhead.

I think it is pretty certain my 4-WD is purely mechanically operated, while the early comments seem to be for electronically activated. I am still in a quandry. Please keep the comments coming please...

BethelHntr · Aug 11, 2013

If it is mechanically operated than that leaves a linkage issue or the front drive line as the easiest to fix and or diagnose. Do you have a shop or service manual? That too might help in finding the problem.

You should be able to pull the seat out and the seat pan to access all the linkage you mentioned was to tight to get to for inspection. Good luck!

AmberBear · Aug 11, 2013

Actually, the lever goes through the floor and the linkage goes into the side of what I would call the transfer case. I have found network threads that indicate it can get rusty and stiff.

I can get under there and move it with my hand, right up to the little (about the thickness of #10 wire) steel lever that goes into the case. Goes up and down with a small amount of pressure, but not floppy. It feels like it is actually moving something.

I have the feeling I am going to be pulling this thing apart myself.

I have a factory shop manual. Although it is supposed to be for my model etc, there are definitely some things that don't match up with what I have. I think the linkage is one of them. The shop manual is very sketchy in this area, with virtually no illustrations or pictures.

Please keep the comments and suggestions coming. Thanks for the help!

BethelHntr · Aug 11, 2013

If you have the means get that DK up in the air with some jack stands and see if all four tires are spinning with the engine running and in 4x.

If the linkage is working than you have either a xfer case issue or front axle issue.

Make sure the gear boxes are full with there respected fluids and check the front drive line.

AmberBear · Aug 11, 2013

Tried putting it up in the air. Engine running, 4-wd engaged - rear wheels turning, front wheels are not. I agree that is the transfer case or front axle could be the problem. It might also be the linkage became uncoupled inside the transfer case. In any event, this means pulling some stuff apart that I hoped would not have to be done.

Do you have any suggestions as to what I might do to pare down the possible defect areas? Or what you suspect might be a more likely problem than another, based on the admittedly sketchy info I have provided?

If not, I guess I would start following the linkage where it goes into the transfer case and follow it to the front wheels and hopefully locate where the two are not connecting. Unless someone has a different plan of action.

First, I will recheck the respected fluids. How would I check the front drive line? I can rotate the front wheels freely when the tractor is up on 4 jack-stands. They can be freely rotated whether 4-wd drive is engaged or not and act the same if the engine is running or not.

This is definitely not my forte, but such is life.

Thanks for the help

BethelHntr · Aug 11, 2013

Make sure to put the 4x lever in 4x with the engine off, Crawl under the DK and see if the linkage is actually engaging the xfer case into the 4x notch. You might be able to move the lever more than the linkage has manually.

This could be that the linkage has come loose and could be causing your problem.

I'm am just throwing some ideas around in case it might have been overlooked. I hope it's a easy fix!