Shifting in/out of fwd - do you clutch?

blackjack · Nov 4, 2004

I've read some posts that shifting in or out of fwd is difficult at times and some people need to lift the front end off the ground with the loader to engage or disengage their fwd. The shifting on my DX33 is the opposite - it's as smooth as butter (knock on wood).
Last night I was tilling through my trees and it's much easier to turn around in the tight areas in 2wd. If I remember correctly, the manual indicates to depress the clutch pedal before shifting in or out of fwd. As smooth as mine shifts without the clutch, it seems like it would be more wear to idle down, depress the clutch (which now stops the pto), shift, turn....and now repeat that process..... I want to make sure I'm not harming my machine by not using the clutch. Logic tells me to go by the manual and use the clutch, but I wanted to see how others are shifting in and out of fwd. This probably doesn't apply to those of you with Sensi-Trak.

As always, thanks for any advice!

markie61 · Nov 4, 2004

Us Class III guys don't have any choice - our tractors don't come with a clutch. I find that a minor release of the HST pedal or a minor change in direction is all that is required to release the front drivetrain pressure/tension and allow it to pop out of 4WD. Going into 4WD is always easy. If the drivetrain design is similar, I doubt you are causing very much wear.

However, if the manual does, in fact, state that the clutch should be used on the Class II's, then I guess I would use it. I was always taught that, absent updated tech bulletins, the owner's manual is the bible of use and care.

Mark

jwstewar · Nov 4, 2004

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I wonder if I should go back and read my manual again on the TC24. I wonder if I missed something. I shift in/out of FWD on the fly just like I do my truck. You can feel the lever be free by either going faster/slower or turning the steering just a bit and as soon as it is, just drops in. A couple of places that I mow I have to be in 4wd to get up the hill but at the top is the road. I don't want to be in 4wd up there so as soon as I get to where the front is about to hit pavement I take it out of 4wd and get turned around quickly and get back off the road and back down the hill to immediately go back into 4wd. I should say this is on the corner of a major highway where there have been several wrecks including one where a Range was rear ended, rolled it up over a Saturn sitting at the Stop Sign on our road (BTW, never touched the Saturn) and the Range then back down in to the ditch that I just described mowing. BTW, the Ranger ended up facing the exact same direction he was heading in about the same distance down the road, just about 50 ft. directly to the right of where he was. Amazingly nobody was hurt. Though I'm glad I wasn't mowing right then. They may have scratched my little New Holland /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Soundguy · Nov 4, 2004

( The shifting on my DX33 is the opposite - , depress the clutch (which now stops the pto), )

??? Your tractor doesn't have a 2 stage clutch? or live pto?

Soundguy

JimR · Nov 4, 2004

I don't clutch my Cub 3275 when shifting in and out of FWD. The main problem coming out of FWD is driveline wrap-up. You can usually shift out easily by backing up or going foward and turning the wheel the opposite way that you just came from. This will unwind the driveline and let you shift out easily. I only use FWD when neccessary. It saves wear and tear on the driveline.

SteveInMD · Nov 4, 2004

I don't think you need the clutch to shift in to FWD if you aren't pulling a heavy load, you aren't turning sharply, and you aren't spinning a wheel. Basically all the wheel need to turning at the same speed, or all stopped.

You don't need to use the clutch to shift out of FWD if there is no tension between the front and rear drive system. You can easily tell if there's tension in your drive system just but putting a little pressure on the shift handle. If it slides right out your fine. If there's resistance you need to turn the steering wheel the other direction and move forward. You can test this by turning one direction in FWD on a surface with good traction, then put a little pressure on the shift handle while turning the other direction. At some point during the turn it will slide right out of FWD. Of course the other option is lifting the front off the ground.

Similarly, I found I can shift my HST from neutral to a gear much easier with using the clutch too.

OkeeDon · Nov 4, 2004

??? Your tractor doesn't have a 2 stage clutch? or live pto? 

The primary thing the clutch does on a hydro tractor is disconnect the PTO. Sometimes it's necessary to use the clutch for going into and out of 4wd and for switching ranges, but most of the time they will "snick" into place without using the clutch. The clutch is not needed for starting. Basically, there are only 3 times I ever touch the clutch pedal on my TC18 -- engaging the PTO, disengaging the PTO, and quickly removing power from the PTO if the brush hog starts to bog down or hang up.

You could say that the hydro itself is the first stage, and the clutch is the econd stage; although that isn't completely accurate, it helps to clear things up for people who are used to gear tractors.

Propertymaint · Nov 4, 2004

On my TC40D I would like to see a 2wd/4wd pushbutton right next to the high/low buttons on the joystick. They did it with the high/low, why not 2wd/4wd. Yes it would be another convienence but a very useful one when doing loader work. How 'bout it New Holland.

blackjack · Nov 4, 2004

Soundguy,
What I meant is that I've read about others having trouble getting in/out of fwd. My DX33 is the opposite of that....I have no troubles getting in/out of fwd.

Yes, when I depress the clutch, power to my pto stops. I always thought it was called a live pto.....my DX33 is hydro by the way.

Sorry for the confusion.

Soundguy · Nov 4, 2004

( Yes, when I depress the clutch, power to my pto stops. I always thought it was called a live pto.....my DX33 is hydro by the way.
)

Well.. On a gear tractor.. live pto would be a 2 stage clutch.. first stage clutches engine only.. 2nd stage clutches pto. I guess on a hydro.. since you can take your foot off the hydro pedal and stop tractor momentum, but leave pto running.. they are selling it as live pto...

I think Independent would have been a better matchup for a hydro.. clutch would make no difference then.

Soundguy