4300 rear diff lock

[Trev]

I wonder if I'm doing something wrong. I just used my front blade to cut a path for my wife out to the garden. 4wd engaged, and pushing as much as I could. When it would start spinning, I'd raise the blade a tiny bit to get moving again, and then feather it back down. During all of this, I was trying to get the rear diff to lock. It would occassionally go in, and then pop right back out again. Finally I just kept my heel on it to keep it engaged, since I was just going in a straight line I figured this wouldn't hurt it. But why is it so hard to get it to engage? It normally engages about 1 out of 10 times when I want it.. is this normal?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[beenthere]

Trev Normal
The diff. lock engages when and as you hold your foot on the foot lever. It disengages when you release your foot (sometimes it will stay engaged if there is a lot of pressure on the gears, in my opinion. But it releases as soon as the pressure on the gears releases and your foot is off the foot lever).

So it seems to me it is working properly, and you don't have to worry about something being wrong.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color=blue>"is this normal?"</font color=blue>

Yes. My 4200 works exactly the same way and, according to my owner's manual, that's the way it should work. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[longway5]

I would be worried if it stayed engaged when you took your foot off the pedal. On all the tractors I have used, it only engages when you keep your foot on the pedal.
I actually rarely use the diff lock; I've found that when a wheel starts to spin, lightly pressing on that wheel's break until it stops spinning often works just as well, and is more convenient since I am usually on the foot throttle anyway.

 

[Trev]

<font color=blue>
I actually rarely use the diff lock; I've found that when a wheel starts to spin, lightly pressing on that wheel's break until it stops spinning often works just as well, and is more convenient since I am usually on the foot throttle anyway. </font color=blue>

Wouldn't work for me, if using the foot throttle, because I have a gear tranny and the brakes are on the right along with the throttle. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif But I might try this while using the hand throttle, which I usually do when pushing heavy dirt.. I use the foot throttle when doing lots of back and forth movement like carrying loads of dirt someplace.

Thanks for the feedback guys.. sounds like things are as they should be. It just seemed odd that the lock was so reluctant to lock even with a rear wheel spinning. I really don't need it often, but I do wish I was easier to get it to engage when I do need it. Oh well.. life isn't perfect. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[beenthere]

<font color=blue>It just seemed odd that the lock was so reluctant to lock even with a rear wheel spinning.<font color=black>

Trev
I don't think anyone said it should be engaged when a rear wheel was spinning. The manual says; to prevent damage, it is important that the lock should not be engaged when one wheel is spinning and the other is not.

You could be doing damage to your lock, and if it is acting funny, then maybe some damage has already been done. I hope not.

Check out the manual, as the information is there.

 

[Trev]

<font color=blue>
I don't think anyone said it should be engaged when a rear wheel was spinning. The manual says; to prevent damage, it is important that the lock should not be engaged when one wheel is spinning and the other is not. </font color=blue>

Yes, but it absolutely will not engage in other situations. I've tried pushing in the clutch, and it won't engage. I've tried it in various situations, and the only time it will engage is if one of the rear wheels is spinning a bit. This has been its behavior since it was new. Think it's messed up? Note that usually I still have some forward motion, so it isn't a case of "one wheel is spinning and the other is not." But one is clearly spinning (i.e., losing traction), and the other is moving but only because, I surmise, the front wheels are still pulling and the tractor is still moving.

 

[beenthere]

I assume you are to stop the wheels from spinning, (push in the clutch), then step on the diff. lock to engage, and hold it in that position as you let out the clutch. I would expect it to then lock the two rear axles together and you will feel them lock as it happens. Is that workable for you? That is how mine works, albeit I have the HST rather than gear. Wish you the best.

 

[Trev]

<font color=blue>


I assume you are to stop the wheels from spinning, (push in the clutch), then step on the diff. lock to engage, and hold it in that position as you let out the clutch. I would expect it to then lock the two rear axles together and you will feel them lock as it happens. Is that workable for you?</font color=blue>

I have tried pushing and releasing the clutch while pushing down on the diff lock, but I'm not sure I've ever pushed the clutch, then the diff lock, then released the clutch. Thanks! I'll give it a shot next time out...

Bob

Bob

 

[Inspector507]

Bob,
Thats the only way the diff lock on my Yanmar will engage. I think the US manual I have cautions against trying to engage while the tire is spinning.
When one spins, I push in the clutch, step on the diff lock, and release the clutch. When the wheel starts to spin, the diff lock pedal drops and engages.

Jerry