TG1860 mower failing

[hydrology_joe]

I recently picked up a TG1860 diesel with the RCK54TG mower deck and TG2746 snowblower. (BTW, the blower was a godsend this past winter!) Unfortunately, I am now experiencing problems with the mower. The tractor runs fine and we can usually get about an hour of so or mowing done. After using the mower for a while the mower begins to develop a vibration and will bog down and kill the engine. If I disengage the electric clutch when the mower begins to bog down, the tractor regains RPMs and runs normally. When I re-engage the electric clutch, sometimes the mower will not engage at all. There is no belt squeel while this is happening.

I have contacted the local Kubota dealer and they suspect that it is a fuel issue (but doesn't explain the inability of the electric clutch to re-engage). The fuel filters were both new last fall and there is no lack of fuel in the filter housings. Another Kubota dealer suspects the spindle bearings may be going bad and are getting tight when warmed. Greasing the zerks doesn't seem to have an effect on the issue. I went to the Messicks website and used their write up on diagnosing the electric clutch. The clutch is measuring at 3.6-3.7 ohms. According to Messicks info, the clutch should be measuring between 2.4-3.4 ohms. What I'm measuing isn't too far out of spec and may be a result of my meter and not the clutch.

I don't want to throw parts at this and hope it goes away. Any help ya'll could offer would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!!

 

[om21braz]

Had the same TG some years back and a very similiar problem that came and went without actually figuring out the problem. Mower always did it w/ pto in operation - ran fine without it engaged. The deck spindles/belt were free, no problems there. Seeing as you have electrical skills, I'd suggest ruling out the seat switch and the reverse disable button (DRA?) first. In case you have not heard about it, some of the TG units did have an issue with the hydro drive belt jumping off or getting lodged between the pulley/mount. Kubota provided a fix in a shroud to cover the pulley from what I understand. Good Luck w/ diagnosing it.

 

[leonz]

a couple of things come to mind

a. the inner race on one or both bearings may be loose and spinning the entire bearing when hot from rotation. the amp draw could likely be because of the heat of expansion affecting the roller bearings and the arbor tilting and binding.



usually when an arbir fails its a grand performace when the the hub fails and falls over in some models and cause a lot of blade damage and deck banging sloppy belt flailing around and the blade banging around with the arbor if the arbir has separated from the deck- had that happen on a cub low boy with a belly mower doing 12 acres per week the center arbor just fell over separated from the deck and center blade.

b. Pull the battery and give it a full charge overnight if you own a charger, and take it to be load tested- broken or cracked battery cells love to kill electric clutch tractors while working-happened with my wheel horse as you described the shudder is the clutch drive pulley contacting the driven pulley under load-while mowing hence the dead kubota.

The same thing happened with my wheel horse when the ignition coil was cracked and expanded when it became hot hot- dead and deader with out mowing too.


It was not much of an issue during the winter for you as the colder temperatures were keeping the battery cold and the cell plates moved less.


I would pull the battery out and charge it overnight and then have it load tested which will rule it out immediately as the cause.


I dont know if it would be worth it to attack the soleniod on the clutch with contact cleaner or not but if its amp draw is higher

it may be time for complete clutch and we also dont know the condition of the clutch plates either which is an issue, I had to have my clutch replaced aftedr 18 years so thats also a possibility, but I would load test the battery as thats the easy first step-
and eliminates the battery first and foremost which is usually the cause anyway.


remember-no watches, no rings, no sweaty hands, or use nut drivers to back off the nuts and bolts if you can reach them or a ratcheting box end wrench and a box end spanner wrench.




leon

 

[hydrology_joe]

I tried again last evening with no success. I bypassed both the KRA reverse system and seat switch with no difference. I checked the turning resistance in the blades before and after and there was no difference there either. So it most likely isn't the spindles or bearings.

Leonz, I ran the tractor with a volt meter attached to the battery see what was happening. The voltage stayed pretty consistant until it started bogging down, then it jumped all over as the tractor died. I'll have to make longer leads to the clutch to monitor current to the clutch while mowing.

Its beginning to look like the cause is the electric clutch. This tractor has only 150 hours on it so I'm not real happy about the longevity of the components.

 

[leonz]

It is the battery, my first electric clutch lasted 17 plus years.
When the clutches fail they drop a gas tractor dead where with
a diesel your still pumping fuel until it stops as the diesel fuel is
still compressing and exploding fuel til it is gone( which will not
happen with a gas tractor.

Rremove the battery and charge it and then have it load tested.

You have one or more cracked plates or a broken battery post
affecting the low amperage delivery with intermitttant conductivity
and when its starts bucking it aggravates it until it dies.

leonz

 

[hydrology_joe]

leonz, thanks! I'll check the battery and see where that gets me.

 

[hydrology_joe]

Well, it was a crappy weekend to say the least... never did troubleshoot the issue with the mower. To top it all off, the bolt that connects the lift mechanism to the lift handle sheared off! So, the TG is sitting at the dealer waiting for them to figure out what is wrong with it... said they would have it diagnosed around mid-morning but I haven't heard back....

 

[hydrology_joe]

Just wanted to update everyone on the TG1860 tribulations. The dealer repaired the mower and all is right with the world... except my wallet. Total cost was $968. The electric clutch was faulty. There was also a frayed wire going to the fuel pump. While they had it on the lift, I had them replace the fuel filters and change the oil. But everything is running well again and back to mowing. Unfortunately during the time I couldn't mow the back yard, the poison ivy managed to get established. So I have a nice, itchy rash to contend with.

 

[leonz]

I am glad its back in your stable anyway; sorry about the expense though.


Use lots of fels naptha bar soap and buy a spray bottle of woody brush killer for the poison ivy-unless you have dug it up already and buried it.

you can use near boiling salt water too to kill a lot of junk you dont want in your yard-it will look like crap for a while but it works

Ben meadows is great source for supplies for poison ivy, oak, and sumac treatrment items.

Ben Meadows Company - Forestry Supplies, Surveying Equipment, Wildland Fire Gear and more

leonz

 

[Wyatts dad]

Thanks for this post, I am going over my mower replacing about $600 bucks worth of parts and fluids. We have had the dealer maintain it a few times, but were disappointed with the results in that some service items just plain were not done. My clutch started acting up at about 200hours and I have put up with it long enough, now at 550 hours. The dealer confirmed it was not a good design and the source of many complaints. They suggested engaging it like one was double clutching to make it last longer, that idea does not make sense to me, but heck when something only lasts 200 hours what would hurt. Mine would engage, but upon stopping and restarting once it was heated up, it would not engarge again until it cooled for a couple hours. So i bought a new one and this post makes me feel much better about the expense.