JC-jetro
Elite Member
JC....while I have your attention. I know there are some other threads concerning this, but I like to "cross-thread".
This 1500 I have has the foot-lever on the rh side to engage the diffy lock. It's just like the little Kubota I had....but, when I got this tractor, I noticed the lever was flat on the floor board and would not move by hand. I got around to prying it up with a screwdriver and can now "work it" and hear a definite clunking sound when I move it up and down. The best I can tell from the drawings, this lever moves a shift fork which is (I think) attached to a clutch-gear in the diffy guts. I have been riding around with this thing in the down (engaged) position since I had it and have noticed no torn turf or anything that would lead me to think it has locked.
I can't move it for a few days, as I am installing a new steering sector shaft (I am a slow-poke mechanic). What surprises do you think I am in for when I finally roll it and see what that diffy lock lever really does.....or is not doing. It'd been all the way down for a long....long time.
Old,
Your observation is correct. The diffy lock pedal should stay up during normal condition. Either one of the rear wheel will engage due to the traction needed when the lever is up. I can later take the look at the guts of diffy but my cursory look at it is the same of what you found. Up and down motion of foot lever moves the shifter fork left and right to engage or dis engage. For sure you had both wheel locked, I would think it stresses out the mechanism if during all the turns one wheel is forced to slip, probably on dirt might not be so bad buy on pavement would not be a good thing. I have not needed to use it often, that clanking noise when I engage is noticeable. I too had a bot difficulty to raise the lever up after engaging it. Instead of prying it to submission I changed the gear to reverse and moved a few inches backward and on every occasion it jumped to normal position. I have not read this in Owner's manual but I think it might be the way to do it. Give a try and let us know.
JC,