MF 1528 Std Transmission - Do I need a new clutch or is this normal?

[cmb1998]

Hello,

I bought a MF 1528 yesterday after about 5 years of thinking of getting a tractor. It's got 200hrs on it, been sitting outside but overall in good shape with low usage. The dealer checked it out and changed the oil and said it needed a new starter, so we replaced that. I got it home last night and played with it a bit and have two questions.

1) The tractor is a std transmission 9x3. When I go up to a pile of dirt to move it, if I am in low gear / low range it digs right in and pushes stuff around. I was able to move a pile of gravel and fill the entire bucket without problem. If I am in low gear high range it pushes against the pile and just keep running, but doesn't really do much. Every manual transmission car I have ever had would stall out if you do this. Same goes if I leave the parking brake locked and put it in mid gear / mid range and then let the clutch out, it just keeps running. Is that normal? Should it stall out like a car if you try to start from a stop in a high gear?

2) I had a couple times when I was driving around where I would start the tractor, put it in gear, and then when I go to move the range selector to any range (before letting out the clutch) the tractor would shut off. I think I traced this back to the sensor in the seat. I was sitting on the seat when this happens. and the motor still shut off, but if I restart and bounce up and down a few times it would be fine. The tractor was sitting out in the rain, do these sensors go bad? Is this normal.

Admittedly, this is all new to me. I have rented a few tractors over the years, but this is the first I have owned, and everything I rented had a HST

Thanks,

Chris

 

[yomax4]

The sensors are cheap and corrode easily. Replace or bypass like I did. I know it's a safety feature but if you are the primary operator, Bypass it. Sometimes they are closed contact sometimes they are open. Easy to figure out. Often you can tape the plunger down and be done with it.

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

Sounds like two problems first have clutch adjusted if there's any adjustment left second check switches as previously suggested.

 

[TomSeller]

On the clutch, I would take that issue up with the dealer, even if it is used if you can't adjust it to get it to hold. Replacing a clutch means splitting the tractor in two, not a little job. The clutch is something they should have checked and is not something that should be worn out at 200 hours unless the original owner held his foot on the clutch when he operated the tractor. Hopefully you can just adjust it. Yes, a gear tractor should stall, not just sit there running.