4 wheel drive engagement problems

[yanmars]

I have a Mahindra 4510. The 4 wheel drive lever, although forward in 4wd, does not seem to be engaging the
4wd so it remains in 2wd. Any thoughts on the same before I take it to the repair shop? Thanks

 

[texasjohn]

I assume you have followed the lever to where it enters the transmission and verified that nothing has become detached.
Not familiar with that particular tractor/make.
I've discovered that I can call my Kubota dealer...they will connect me to the shop foreman...perhaps a call to Mahindra dealer and explain the problem before taking it in.

 

[skipmarcy]

If your 4510 is the same as my 4110 in the trans., the 4x4 shift fork is very easily bent and/or broken. It really isn't fork shaped, it's just a single rod that engages the collar of the 4x4 gear. The gear is splined inside and slides along the 4x4 shaft inside the trans and the outer gear teeth engage it's corresponding gear that is on the rear differential pinion gear/shaft - it has no syncronizers or anything and with the leverage of the 4x4 shifter it bends that single finger inside very easily. Mine used to get bent simply from my left leg resting against the shifter all the time. I heated my shifter with a torch and bent it away towards the fender more and haven't had a problem with my shifter fork since. I'm also very easy on shifting it, rocking the tractor back n' forth between forward & reverse to shift it in or out of 4x4 and being very light on the pressure I use on the shifter. Unfortunately you have to drain the hydraulic oil in order to remove the side cover with the shift fork to check it but it is very simple to check. You can use a screwdriver or similar to try to move the gear once the cover is off to see if it's OK. I've had to do a rear split on mine once to replace the rear bearing on the 4x4 shaft - it had disintegrated and I lost 4x4 because of it. Was one big job to install a bearing that cost me less than $4 at NAPA !! Hopefully yours is just the shift fork. I get mine from Galen at Lawall's and it's less than $20 if I remember correctly. Good luck !!!

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

That fork can also wear causing some problems with shifting.

 

[genusCastor]

The 4 wheel drive quit working on my 3510, too. I recently had the hydraulic pump rebuilt, and wondered if the 4x4 could be affected by the hydraulic system(?)

I've thought the 4 wheel drive shift lever has always been a little weird to operate since I bought the tractor [used] a couple years ago. The lever only travels about half way through the lever slot opening, and I can tell there's a slight 'clunk' when it goes into 4x4. When I first got it, I thought the lever needed to be all the way down and when I put some pressure on the lever, I could hear what sounds like gears grinding, like it's trying to go in gear with gears still turning. So I thought the 4x4 wasn't engaged. But later I found the 4x4 worked fine, so the lever isn't all the way forward in the slot when it's engaged.

Anyway, the 4 wheel drive is definitely not working now. Could the shop have done something when they rebuilt the hydraulic pump?

- djb

 

[yanmars]

I need to post this to identify what was wrong with my tractor. The mechanic found it right away and fixed it at a very reasonable cost. His bill said: Found drive shaft coupler's snap ring was not installed which allowed the coupler to back off. Reinstalled coupler and snap ring and problem solved.

 

[skipmarcy]

I need to post this to identify what was wrong with my tractor. The mechanic found it right away and fixed it at a very reasonable cost. His bill said: Found drive shaft coupler's snap ring was not installed which allowed the coupler to back off. Reinstalled coupler and snap ring and problem solved.

Good deal !!! Pretty painless fix, just a few minutes underneath.

 

[skipmarcy]

The 4 wheel drive quit working on my 3510, too. I recently had the hydraulic pump rebuilt, and wondered if the 4x4 could be affected by the hydraulic system(?)

I've thought the 4 wheel drive shift lever has always been a little weird to operate since I bought the tractor [used] a couple years ago. The lever only travels about half way through the lever slot opening, and I can tell there's a slight 'clunk' when it goes into 4x4. When I first got it, I thought the lever needed to be all the way down and when I put some pressure on the lever, I could hear what sounds like gears grinding, like it's trying to go in gear with gears still turning. So I thought the 4x4 wasn't engaged. But later I found the 4x4 worked fine, so the lever isn't all the way forward in the slot when it's engaged.

Anyway, the 4 wheel drive is definitely not working now. Could the shop have done something when they rebuilt the hydraulic pump?

- djb

Not very likely, the 4x4 system is all 100% mechanical - hydraulics should have absolutely no affect on 4x4 operation.

 

[genusCastor]

Not very likely, the 4x4 system is all 100% mechanical - hydraulics should have absolutely no affect on 4x4 operation.

I thought the 4 wheel drive shift lever was involved with the hydraulic system somehow(?) I need to take a closer look.

- djb

 

[kneedeep]

All the shift levers that have moving parts need to be lubed on the Manindras on occasion. When I engage the 4 WD, it works smoother when tractor is slowly moving in a straight line on a flat surface. Sometimes pressing the clutch in and out helps too. Easy on the shift levers or they could be damaged by jerking and snatching, grinding the gears is not good for any equipment.

 

[Marshall Pennington]

If your 4510 is the same as my 4110 in the trans., the 4x4 shift fork is very easily bent and/or broken. It really isn't fork shaped, it's just a single rod that engages the collar of the 4x4 gear. The gear is splined inside and slides along the 4x4 shaft inside the trans and the outer gear teeth engage it's corresponding gear that is on the rear differential pinion gear/shaft - it has no syncronizers or anything and with the leverage of the 4x4 shifter it bends that single finger inside very easily. Mine used to get bent simply from my left leg resting against the shifter all the time. I heated my shifter with a torch and bent it away towards the fender more and haven't had a problem with my shifter fork since. I'm also very easy on shifting it, rocking the tractor back n' forth between forward & reverse to shift it in or out of 4x4 and being very light on the pressure I use on the shifter. Unfortunately you have to drain the hydraulic oil in order to remove the side cover with the shift fork to check it but it is very simple to check. You can use a screwdriver or similar to try to move the gear once the cover is off to see if it's OK. I've had to do a rear split on mine once to replace the rear bearing on the 4x4 shaft - it had disintegrated and I lost 4x4 because of it. Was one big job to install a bearing that cost me less than $4 at NAPA !! Hopefully yours is just the shift fork. I get mine from Galen at Lawall's and it's less than $20 if I remember correctly. Good luck !!!

This is the kind of info. that I am looking for.My 2003 Mahindra 3510 standard shift with 2200 hrs has similar problem.Will not stay in 2 WD. but 4 WD is fine with a good solid detent .I have lost the detent for 2WD . I have been holding it in 2WD with a rubber strap.Sounds like I may have the same rod or fork issue if my 3510 is
the same as your 4510.I am going to change the Hyd fluid soon so if it,s the same maybe I can get into it.By the way I always stop tractor when I shift the 4 WD selector and sometimes have to shuttle shift to fwd. or rev. to engage 4WD.Looking for more info.