L3600 Clutch Issues

[hobonc]

It tries to move but will not. customer called me a few days ago and said it would move but takes awhile and he thought the steering also was a little hard at that time. I went to haul it back to the shop and it will slowly move a foot or so and that's it like a worn out clutch. it does not seam to a affect the PTO it turns well with the clutch out in gear even tho the tractor still does not move. It has the GST transmission. His hired help use it all the time and I have no symptoms on how it got this way. It has 900 hr. on the clock, used as a loader tractor exclusively and in great condition. I did split it a few years ago to repair a stuck cross shaft for the clutch in the bell housing, any help to diagnosis it would B appreciated.

 

[KennyV]

The L3600 has 2 clutches… a dry clutch, that should be easy to check, and a wet clutch pack. You need a manual to check the hydro pressures for the wet clutch pack. BTW the PTO is independent and will not be affected by either of the clutches… I suspect you may find something wrong with the hydraulic fluid maybe, as you indicate a steering problem… there are separate pumps for the steering and the hydraulic system so I doubt it’s a pump problem… post back with what you discover. KennyV.

 

[hobonc]

Ok will start look'n for the EZ way to check the clutch, so will look for a inspection cover, I do see a big nut with a jiggle pin, and will look around the bell house'n. I was hope'n their would B some kind of tell tell like the clutch would affect the operation of some other function on the tractor. worst case is a split but they are not 2 bad to split. It had a loader on it and the loader worked as it should. Their is rite much clutch dust around were the trans bolts to the engine. i did call the local dealer and the parts man said to stop by and he would loan the the book on it if he could find it. I have a pix of the last time I split it to check the clutch and fix the stuck cross shaft in the bell house'n but not sure if I can post it here.

 

[KennyV]

If it is the dry clutch… they need to learn to use the wet shuttle clutch. The hydraulic oil will remove the heat generated by lots of loader work… I have not used my foot clutch in years (over 1000 hrs) never a problem. I have a L4200… sameas the L3600.
If you replace the clutch disc and pressure plate, replace the pilot bearing while you are there… Good luck and post back with your progress. KennyV.

 

[hobonc]

Oh Boy I found the problem, seams kubota had a bad GTS clutch drum design, this one came apart and messed up rite many expensive parts. I found a TSB from kubota on it. I pulled the GTS Valve body off and "Don't Look Murtell" It wuz to late the GTS clutch drum Snap ring came out. To bad it took out the shift rails, and rear bearing support for the front clutch housing. If enny one runs into this problem its EZ to remove the valve body bolts on the left mid section and take a peak at the GTS clutch drum. Nuttin izz gonna fall out remove it and keep the top out a little bit and lay the outer part on the floor inside up. OH BTW drain the fluid first. If I had a GTS with out independent PTO L2900,3300,3600,4200,L35 I would look into this TSB # PSB-1999-029 and if it fell into the serial # range have a talk with Kubota its a $3000.00 dollar repair. I will have a talk with a rep next week, I hope they help this boy even it its a percentage on the parts. For enny one who does automotive automatic trans werk the clutch pack looks like it came out of a Ford FMX and I spec sum of it would werk cept that Monster snap ring that wuz so strong it pushed the carrier apart. One more thang I did find out B-4 it stopped pull'n it would not pull sumtimes in 4th or at times in other gears. to bad hiz help ran it till it stopped move'n.

 

[frankc]

Hi Hobonc,
I was interested in this thread as I have an L3450 GST machine, which was the immediate predecessor to the L3600. My machine was built in 1992.
Anyway, I don't have a problem with my machine not pulling or slipping when trying to move forward, it is just slower(lags) between gear selections and seems a little sluggish at times, (yes I have replaced the filters and fluids, but not with the SUPER udt). Anyway I tryed to search on the TSB you mentioned via google and on Kubota's web site and I get NO HITS, was wondering if you wouldn't mind pointing us to where you found the TSB's specifically.
After reading your last post, can I assume that the problem is based on a defective spring clip, and that this should never happen if that clip doesn't fail??
AKA this is not a wear item.
thanks

 

[hobonc]

TSB # PSB-1999-029, you don't think Enny manufacturer will up and tell the whole world they have a problem like this do ya. A dealer that post on another board said he thought their was a TSB for it so I got my dealer to look it up and bingo. Think about this if it were mine and I put 50 hr. a year on it it would take 20 years fer the problem to show up (may-B) than cause of the age it would not B their problem or hey its a 20 year old tractor stuff like that happens ya know. I don't see yer tractor on the TSB, I think this one is around a 95 or 96.

 

[hobonc]

Let see iffin I kin git a pix of the demon, you kin see the clutch pressure plat has disloged from the clutch pack.

 

[hobonc]

try again
<IMG SRC =http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m103/hobo1301/Kabotaclutchpack.jpg>

 

[hobonc]

try again, copy and past

Kabotaclutchpack.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

its the part top left lay'n on the clutch pack