New 5740 Owner PTO Issues

[btaylor154]

Hey guys new to the forum thanks for having me! Well hoping someone can help get me pointed in the right direction. This past weekend I purchased a 5740 at auction at what I thought was a good price for what it is, got it for what I was seeing 33hp tractors sell for. Tractor runs beautiful FEL works perfect it does have the shuttle shift issue grinds going into reverse and I have to hold it in place, I can deal with that for the time being.

The issue I am currently hoping to solve since brush hogging was a big reason for the purchase of the tractor is with the PTO. With no load on it the PTO Shaft spins with no issue, when I have the brush hog attached it slowly comes up to speed but as soon as I try to start cutting it slows to the point of stopping. If it is spinning and I turn the PTO off it stops abruptly. This happens in both the auto and manual modes. Tractor doesn't bog or anything just the PTO has little to no power.

Any ideas on what to look into would be great I am really hoping this would be something I can fix somewhat easily so my decent purchase doesn't turn into a huge headache.

Thanks!

 

[Unclebuck257]

btaylor,

Welcome to the forum. I have owned a 5740C since 2005 and the only time I have experienced anything like what you are describing with the PTO was when I had a problem with the manual/auto switch. Otherwise, I've never had a problem and when I changed out the switch, mine then worked fine. Just a thought but what size brush hog are you pulling with your 5740? I pull an 8 footer with mine. Also, how heavy is the area you are trying to brush hog? If you are trying to pull a bigger brush hog than 8 footer and the area has real heavy brush, that could also be part of your problem.

 

[CobyRupert]

PTO clutch? I don't know about your model, but probably not an easy fix.

Does the mower have a slip clutch? It would be nice if it did and this was where things are slipping. Test: Is it the mower that stops turning or the pto shaft out of the tractor that slows/stops when under load?

 

[btaylor154]

6ft Brush Hog on it and trying to cut knee deep Grass and Brush not anything crazy. I don't currently have a slipper on the shaft so it is the PTO Shaft itself slowing and coming to a stop.

I had read on a different Model that there is a adjustment somewhere under the right side that controls how harsh the engagement is and if too loose can cause a slipping, not sure if this has that but I think its not the issue since it stops as hard as it does when turning the PTO off.

Maybe I'll have to try by passing the switch see if its some how in the switch itself, but I'm thinking its not that unfortunately.

 

[LouNY]

If your pto is turned on/off by a switch you will have an electrical solenoid being activated by that switch,
usually a solenoid is on or off, you may have an adjustable valve controlling the flow to the solenoid.
If you can check the volume and pressure before and after the solenoid that will verify its functioning.
If the solenoid is good and passing adequate flow and pressure, I would suspect your pto wet clutches.
They can be a pain to get to, occasionally you will find a tractor that you can access them from without to much difficulty.
Good Luck

 

[btaylor154]

Thanks Lou I was hoping it would be a flow issue like that and not a clutch issue, I'll have to do some more digging. I'm coming up short on finding much info on this model.

 

[btaylor154]

Well got some time to mess with the tractor last night was only able to by pass the switch and hard wire the solenoid and tried messing with the adjuster screw. I don't have the tools to try and test pressure but I was only able to make it worse unfortunately. Went to the extremes with the adjustment screw full out made it weaker and spin down slow not lock up when shut off, full tight make it act same as usual. So put it back to where it was to start, tractor only has 373 hrs on it so I'd kind of be surprised the clutch is smoked but not sure.

Is it possible that the filter isn't flowing well enough to power the solenoid but still manage to work the loader and 3pt lift? Not sure if any maintenance was actually done to this tractor in its life so may still have all factory filters and fluids in it.

Just looking at ideas before having to take in it and getting hit with a hefty bill.

 

[hayden]

When you consider that you have two transmission related problems, it seems likely you have some significant internal damage that involves both problems. I think the more you use it, the more you are likely to damage it further. I think you now know why it was priced so low.

 

[btaylor154]

I don't see how the 2 issues really are connected in any way, obviously I am not using it currently besides trying to test it. Not trying to force it to work while it isn't correct just trying different things to see if I can track down the problem and fix it.

 

[LouNY]

I think that you are going to need to find a service manual for your tractor.
These people have something and I looked at the parts breakdown,
Montana 5740 Tractor Parts Catalog
If you don't find the problem easily and external looking at the parts breakdown it could be a royal pain, good luck.

 

[btaylor154]

I agree I emailed a member who was at one point the go to person for a manual but haven't heard anything back. I will dig through the site you linked me to thanks!

 

[riderpriderking]

I'm not sure that a service manual exists for Montana tractors. Your best bet is probably to use the parts diagram that somebody had linked to earlier and use that. LS does have a little bit of an operating manual if you know which tractor of LS' is a twin to the 5740. According to tractordata.com there are 3 LS tractors that have 57 hp. Only the N53 and N60 have the same engine as yours. A quick google search should yield one of those operation manuals. The LS operator manual combined with the montana or the LS parts manual is all I use with my 4944. I found the loader manual from Ameriquip.

As for your PTO problem. I've had/have a similar issue. Sometimes mine doesn't turn off sometimes it doesn't start, sometimes when it does start, its pretty weak. I took it to the shop and they found a little bit of debris in the valve controlled by the solenoid, they said that valve was giving readings from 100-200 psi when it wasn't working and 215 psi when it was working properly. I brought it home, it worked great for a few minutes then back to the same old problems. After looking at the divider block that allows some fluid to the PTO and some to the rear remotes/3 pt it looked like there was a possibility for an air lock or some sort of relationship between pto and rear hydraulics. I turned the pto on, at first it wouldn't turn off, so I dead headed the rear remotes for a second and then the pto shut off properly. Maybe it was just dumb luck, who knows, but i won't declare it fixed until I test it on the rototiller this weekend to see if it has power. It certainly seems promising though because I had cleaned out that solenoid valve until it was spotless inside and out.

 

[Unclebuck257]

As I said in an earlier post to this thread, I have owned a 5740C since 2005 and bought mine brand new. It did come with a service manual which I have. Now saying that, please know that the manual and its wording, at times, reminds me that people in other countries get drunk too. I am saying that while laughing because the printing of the manual from the factory that I have is of very poor quality in certain places. There are several pages throughout the manual that have double printing on them, making them extremely hard to read or see any drawings or diagrams and the English wording of the manual itself appears to have been written by a drunk Korean with a big sense of humor. I have no way to send you a copy of it though as I am not really computer savvy. I may be able to look something up and relay to you however, if that might help.

 

[btaylor154]

Thanks guys, sorry been slow on the response. Tractor has been parked for the past couple months nothing new to report at them moment, been tied up haven't had much time to mess with it.