CT 230 moves forward without driver input

[Das Karl]

Hey!
Love my 230. Good power, even in high range it pulls a loaded hay wagon full of people and hay. Loader is good. But...

I've had the dealer work on it 2x so far because it intermittently starts to go forward without the pedal being touched. No trends, warm and cold tractor, warm and cold day. Dealer replaced a bent linkage part underneath the first time, they replaced the valve that attaches to the pedal the second time. Recently, the wife was dumping the loader into the manure pit, and it drove forward up to the edge. Later it started to pull forward when we were hauling around the Pre-K class!

Not happy! Was there a batch of bad parts that was installed that are causing this issue? - I know I'm not the only one with this. The dealer said we are his only problem CT 230 - so be it. Dealer gets one more chance and this goes to corporate. We have 9 months left on the warranty. I especially would appreciate comments from the dealers out there.

Thanks
Karl
Faith like a Mustard Seed Farm

 

[tcartwri]

When my unit is cold, I have to recenter the hydro pedal with my heel. Once it has been cycled a few times it returns to a neutral position on it's own. Having had a few hydro tractors I find this normal, but I'm always conscious of this characteristic.

If you're saying the tractor just randomly starts moving on it's own, that is a different story.

 

[Das Karl]

Case in point - today, tractor was warmed up, sat at idle for a few minutes, got on, released park brake, advanced throttle, and tractor started forward. Never touched the pedal.
It's not always when the throttle is changed. It does it at idle as well as higher throttle settings. My wife's manure pit episode was at mid throttle. She stopped the rig, lifted the bucket, started to dump and the tractor started forward uncommanded. It's about 8 feet down - that would have been ugly.
If it only did it when cold, that would make some sense. But it's 70F today.

 

[94BULLITT]

What all have they done to it?

 

[Das Karl]

Fixed a bent linkage piece from the pedal, and replaced the valve right by the pedal.

Not knowing how the inside of the hydro is designed, I would say there is a spring that is supposed to keep the valve that controls the hydro fluid seated for moving forward is not working, or a seal that is cut. It only goes forward, never backwards.
I have recently noticed that when you advance the power it will just start to drive off.

Thanks
Karl

 

[kiotiken]

Welcome to the sticky HST issue. Lots of people have lots of ideas about adjustments, but none of them ever seem to fully resolve it. They replaced my HST under warranty to resolve mine. I've seen a Bobcat service bulletin posted here on TBN that gave some suggestions to dealers to try, and then basically says it's just the way it is if that doesn't work.

I don't think yours is starting to move uncommanded. Your example about taking the parking break off, moving the throttle up and it starts moving is more about it was always trying to move forward but couldn't overcome the parking break at a low idle. Mine used to drive several hundred feet without touching the pedal. I have video of it on TBN, just do a search under my name.

 

[94BULLITT]

Welcome to the sticky HST issue. Lots of people have lots of ideas about adjustments, but none of them ever seem to fully resolve it. They replaced my HST under warranty to resolve mine. I've seen a Bobcat service bulletin posted here on TBN that gave some suggestions to dealers to try, and then basically says it's just the way it is if that doesn't work.

I don't think yours is starting to move uncommanded. Your example about taking the parking break off, moving the throttle up and it starts moving is more about it was always trying to move forward but couldn't overcome the parking break at a low idle. Mine used to drive several hundred feet without touching the pedal. I have video of it on TBN, just do a search under my name.

Will a hydro unit even fix these tractors? If everyone is having problems with them and they put a new hydro on the tractor I think it will give the same problems unless they have a updated unit. How many hours do you have on the new hydro on your tractor?

 

[kiotiken]

Will a hydro unit even fix these tractors? If everyone is having problems with them and they put a new hydro on the tractor I think it will give the same problems unless they have a updated unit. How many hours do you have on the new hydro on your tractor?

A new HST unit fixes the problem in the short term. I had 70 +- hours when they replaced it in Oct/Nov, I now have 155 hrs and I think it's still good. The reason I'm not %100 sure is that they added a cab in December and there's some material that surrounds the centre console that rubs slightly on the pedal making it stick. I pushed that material out of the way a couple days ago and did a test and it was a little slower then I would have liked, but it centred itself and stopped.

I'm attributing the issue to driving relatively long distances on the road in high gear and letting it bog down slightly on hills. It was never the same after I did that and kept getting worse. I now only move the tractor at 2200 RPM or more and when I am in high on the road (did 3 trips of 5KM each way last weekend pulling a trailer full of S**T), I make sure it never gets below about 2400 RPM and I back right off as soon as it starts to fall. I can't be sure this is what damaged it last time, but that's when it started and it hasn't happened again.

 

[Das Karl]

Interesting hypothesis about running in Hi gear pulling a load. We also moved about 3 miles last summer, and I pulled several hay wagons of stuff to the new farm, and then used it - like a farm tractor. I was impressed how much power it had in Hi, contrary to a lot of peoples experience. Still had lots of power in all the ranges, just has a mind of it's own. I'll call the mechanic today to see what he did, and ask about the service bulletin.

Thanks

 

[Das Karl]

Update - warranty is almost up. My red headed Irish-Sicilian wife just went off on our service manager since we just got the tractor back from $1200 annual service and hydro adjust (again) and while she was working she stopped and the tractor took off uncommanded towards the barn & kids.. When gentlemanly logic fails.... They came to pick it up...again.

 

[kiotiken]

I'm sorry to hear it. My dealer and I both said the same thing, it has to be fixed because there are kids around. Mine was one of several tractors my dealer has fixed, and even so, they got a little of the run around from Kioti over it, but they know the problem and what fixes it, so they stood strong and Kioti replaced the HST and the problem was gone. I really do think that working the tractor to it's limit in 3rd gear damages something on the inside of the HST and causes the issue. Unfortunately, Bobcat put out the service bulletin about the issue and it's pretty clear they're not getting into the HST replacing business. I don't think you'll ever adjust this behavior out of the tractor.

Sooooo, $1200 annual service??!!!???!!!! Do they replate the tires in gold? For the life of me, I can't think what regular service needs to be done that could cost that much. The 50hr service should only cost $600 - $800 if they do it for you, and then you only do it every 400 (I think) hrs. Any other work should be done under warranty, including the attempt to adjust the HST.

It sucks, but even a red headed Irish-Sicilian wife isn't going to argue well enough to get Bobcat to replace the HST if their Service Bulletin was any indication, and if anybody here believes me or not, that's the only way you'll fix it. I have yet to see a post on TBN of anybody FIXING the issue any other way. Lots of people claim to make it better, but mine was the only one to be fixed that I can find. I would say if it's something you can't live with, you need to trade for another model or brand. It's almost like the jerky hitch issue with Kubota, you either live with it or get a different tractor.

 

[Das Karl]

Never doubt the redheaded Irish Sicilian! Bobcat sent a tech rep to our dealer and aggreed to replace the hydro unit and give a 1 year warranty!

OBTW - $1200 includes a new hydraulic cooler that ruptured out of warranty- $350.

 

[94BULLITT]

Never doubt the redheaded Irish Sicilian! Bobcat sent a tech rep to our dealer and aggreed to replace the hydro unit and give a 1 year warranty!

OBTW - $1200 includes a new hydraulic cooler that ruptured out of warranty- $350.

Sounds like they talked to Laurence. I hope you realize that the hydro that is in your tractor is the same as the replacemet hydro, there are no updates to it. You run the risk of getting a bad one again!

 

[birddriver]

I have a 230 and it does this when it is cold. Once warmed up there is no problem at all. Bought it in 12/2010 and only have 120 hours on it.

 

[krazsk]

..... I have yet to see a post on TBN of anybody FIXING the issue any other way. Lots of people claim to make it better, but mine was the only one to be fixed that I can find......

Ken, replacing the pedal dampener with the new version with the stronger spring FIXED MY STICKY HYDRO!!!

 

[Das Karl]

Thanks all. Im going in eyes wide open. That's why we got the year warranty. It don't work - they are a phone call away. We'll run her hard this next year, and see. As long as the wife can be safe working it - I'm good!

 

[94BULLITT]

It is over $4,000 to have the hydro replaced out of warranty.

 

[murphy1244]

It is over $4,000 to have the hydro replaced out of warranty.

Wow!

 

[Willl]

Curious, does this 'un-wanted' forward movement happen if your foot brake is applied ?

 

[philkk]

Ken, replacing the pedal dampener with the new version with the stronger spring FIXED MY STICKY HYDRO!!!

My 235 was fixed by the updated dampener as well.