XR4046 popping out of gear

[AaronS]

Talk about making the heart beat faster. Yesterday afternoon I was brush-hogging a steep bank on the south side of one of our barns, backing up the hill and driving straight down. I mow in 1st gear (hydro) and had it in 4wd. After a few times up and down, I was descending the hill and the gear selector popped out of gear, resulting in the tractor free-wheeling down the bank and me narrowly missing a fence before braking to a stop. Next trip up and down, and same thing happened.

Let's just say this has me concerned.

 

[charles todd]

I'm going to give a few things to ponder based on previous equipment experiences and the nature of different gear types...

The range selector on your tractor is probably non-synchronized and straight cut gears. I don't know how long you have had this tractor. BUT, if you do not STOP and shift straight cut gears WITHOUT grinding they will chew the corners off the gears. Over time this will cause wear. Once worn, it will hold in gear until put under a load and will then POP out... Only fix is replace gears.

With that said, it is probably not what is wrong here. I believe this problem is you did not have the range selector fully engaged. I have had similar happen on a NH TC30. Not fully in range selected, put a load on the tractor and range selector pop into neutral. I like to make sure it is firmly in place. After shifting range, If it doesn't feel right (you can tell) let off the clutch then re-clutch and make sure the range selector is firmly in position.

If it continues to happen, it could be linkage adjustment issues. Check that and/or call your dealer to schedule a time to look at it.

CT

 

[rcg51]

I have an LS R4041H I bought new in June of 2013. I have experienced this same problem. I have a pond which stays dry most of the time. Going down into it, the tractor will usually pop out of low range when I get down almost into the bottom of the pond. That is the only time it happens and I now know to expect it and can control it. I talked with the dealer about it and plan to take it to them when I don't have as much need for the tractor.

 

[agentman]

I bought a R4041H with 107 hrs two days ago. This happened to me. I did get it stop with all the rubber back on the ground but it did make me quit for the day. Yesterday I tried it again. I thought maybe I had pushed it out of low while looking back over my shoulder. I got along fine for a hour, holding the shifter in position. But when I got relaxed and forgot to hold it in.....out it popped and away we went. This time I new what was happening and was able to pop it into the 3rd range and got it stopped. Again I quit for the day. Really glad I had ballast in all 4 tires and had differential lock engaged the second time.

I am seriously considering a "STOP PAYMENT" of my check.

 

[KiwiBro]

I feel for you. It's an unacceptable and easily life threatening fault. Had similar issues on other brand tractor which I returned. First and second gears medium and high ranges. Don't wait another day. Please get on the phone to your dealer and give them one chance to put it right.

 

[KiwiBro]

With the benefit (?) of making it out alive after a few such gear or range popping scenarios, the way a dealer handles this means everything to me. If they are dithering or suchlike after being told and don't urge you to bring it in or let them come get it or send someone out ASAP, I'd think twice about that dealer. If it's more than one LS dealer who doesn't take this seriously enough to want to get it sorted ASAP then I'd think twice about the brand.

I could be dead. My Father could be dead. There's no way I want to be buying a brand that doesn't jump all over these sorts of issues. AaronS's opening post was weeks ago. If they are still reading this can they please let us know what they and the dealers did about this? Similarly, agentman, can you please keep us informed about what your dealer says and does? Thanks.

Thank you all for letting us know.

Moongoose or other LS dealers, if you are reading this can you shed any light on this for us please? I'm sure every brand selling gear tractors has a few instances of this happening, but it needs to be nipped in the bud pretty darn quick.

 

[ozley]

agentman said he bought the tractor used with 107 hours it could hard hours or why it was sold. I wish him luck. I wouldn't want to layout good money and find something like that out when I got home

 

[agentman]

I have been considering this purchase and 3-4 other options for about 8 weeks. The dealer is a one man operation. He sold this tractor in Feb 2013 and the original buyer bought it with a back hoe attached. That buyer already had two other LS tractors and didn't use this one enough to justify. I am sure this defect will surprise him and I will be surprised if he has any objections to its return to his lot.
Tomorrow will tell the rest of the story.

 

[AaronS]

AaronS's opening post was weeks ago. If they are still reading this can they please let us know what they and the dealers did about this?

I haven't talked to the dealer about it yet. I haven't used the tractor in several weeks, and will not need to use it on a slope again until next summer. The dealer is a 90 minute drive away, and he will be working on the tractor at the 100 hour mark to fix a leak. I planned to talk to him about it at that time.

 

[agentman]

Mowing this hillside is what I bought the tractor for. I showed the dealer where I wanted to mow the day he delivered it.

The dealer just called me back. He learned that there is a ball and spring system in the shifter linkage and based on the little effort it takes to shift in and out, they suspect the spring is weak or missing. He said he can make the repairs where ever the tractor is sitting. It would be nice to compare the feel of my shifter to the feel of another, or measure the effort it takes before and after the repair it made.