1989 JD 2155 4x4 4wd operation, dash lights?

ROADPOWER · Jun 11, 2010

Hello,
This is my first post, but I've been lurking here forever, great resource, thanks to all of you.
I purchased my first tractor a couple of days ago, came with no manual, manual from JD coming next week.
Anyway, it's a JD 2155 4x4 with loader.
I can't seem to figure out how to engage the 4wd. There is a dash switch on the upper right hand dash that looks like it 'could' be the way.... and it causes a green light on the instrument panel to light, but I don't have any idea what the JDglyphs mean. So, lifted the front up on the loader, jacked rear up in the air, and regardless of the position of the dash switch my result is the same. If I put the tractor in gear, release clutch all the way, the front tire spins as does the rear. However, I can grab the front tire and stop it- it is not locked in, gear driven, it feels to me like maybe just the lube oil swirl in the TC is what's causing this front right tire to rotate. The front left tire is stationary no matter what, if I grab the right tire to load it, the left tire still does not move. I strongly suspect that I am just not activating the 4x4 properly on the tractor.
Everything else on the tractor is awesome, rear diff lock works great... just need help on troubleshooting the 4x4. Am thinking I will reach under and grab the front shaft to see what kind of torque 'it' has... then at least I'll know if the TC is locking in.
Any help or thoughts on this would be appreciated. I hate to go to dealer if this is a solenoid or someting I can check myself. Educate me, PLEASE.

AKfish · Jun 11, 2010

I'm pretty sure that your tractor has a "mechanical" 4x4. Not hydraulic or electrically controlled.

When I looked here: http://jdpc.deere.com/jdpc/servlet/com.deere.u90490.partscatalog.view.servlets.HomePageServlet

It looks like a lever on the right side of the tractor seat. In close proximity to the PTO shifter lever.

Appears from the diagram to shift forward and back.

Good luck.

AKfish

ROADPOWER · Jun 11, 2010

No sir....

On mine, from left to right, sitting in the seat, Reverser/Hi/Lo, then there's a lever for the pto, then there's a lever for the four gears. No other lever. Any other thoughts out there?

ROADPOWER · Jun 11, 2010

Hello again,
This is what I found today.
Jacked the tractor up again.
4wd appears to be engaged (how, and to what switch or lever's credit I don't know).
Front shaft spins, firmly locked in, can't stop by holding with hand.
Front left hub knuckle spins, within the front left hub, appears to not be connected- sheared pin?
Front right hub knuckle spins with the shaft and does not appear to have a sheared pin.
Two questions.
1. Is there a shear pin the in the front left hub/knuckle that would explain the lack of connection between the spinning knuckle, can I replace myself?
2. Anybody else out there have a clue how to engage/disengage 4wd on a 2155?

As info, there are no odd sounds, grating, anything at all out of the front left hub.... it seems completely normal, except for the freewheeling knuckle.

Thanks for any help.

AKfish · Jun 11, 2010

The front differential in nearly all tractors is not a posi-traction or locked differential. That is; one wheel will have traction - be engaged - while the other wheel will be "free".

It depends on which wheel engages "first" or which wheel loses traction first.

Did you go to the JDParts web link and look at the various schematics for the 2155? There were a number of different ones - depending upon transmission type and MFWD or 2-wheel, etc.

AKfish