4WD not engaging.

   / 4WD not engaging. #1  

stormpetrel

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
353
Location
Block Island R.I.
Tractor
ym2210D
I got stuck a few times while mowing. Tried the differential lock, no luck. Shifted into 4wd. Nothing. I can usually get out of almost anything with the differential lock, UNLESS the tires dig a hole.....:eek:

I'm wondering where to begin; I doubt anything is mechanically wrong with the 4wd system. Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks!!
 
   / 4WD not engaging. #2  
I don't really understand when you say "nothing" but go on to say you don't think there is anything mechanically wrong. Jack one front wheel off the ground. Engage the four wheel drive with the tractor in gear. If you can turn the raised front wheel something is amiss. If so, I would start by removing the drive shaft cover to trouble shoot just where the problem is.
 
   / 4WD not engaging. #3  
hmm sounds like sumthing is wrong anyway. i wood look at the 4wd shaft to see if you can see anything wrong. i no of a tractor had the same problem but and it was a solenoid valve was the proplem.
 
   / 4WD not engaging. #4  
I don't know how the 2210D works, but on my 240D there is a shift fork that engages a drive gear for a drop-box that spins the front drive shaft. I've bent the engagement for the low range on one before, and if the designs are similar, that would do the same for yours. On my 186D I've bent the finger engagement as well.

You can kind of see what it's like. On the 2000D, the linkage is parts 29 (shifter), 30 (linkage), 31 (bracket thing) and 28 (engagement for the shift fork). It's kind of a complicated arrangement, held together with roll pins and stuff. It's easily conceivable that something bent or broke in there.

When I bent the one on my 186D, it was just the bent finger part of piece number 6 here. You can see a picture of the bent component after you scroll down through a lot of me blabbing.

The 186D is more straightforward than the 2000D/240D. There is a splined gear with three prongs that engages a corresponding gear on the driveshaft. The shift lever moves a pawl that slides the gear in or out along the splined shaft on the transmission output.

Your 2210D may have a different setup, but if it's similar to either of these, you should be able to figure out where the trouble is with only minor disassembly, if any.

As the others advised, you can isolate the area of the problem by jacking one side of the tractor up, and, in 4wd, trying to spin the lifted tire by hand. If the driveshaft spins, then it isn't engaging with the transmission of the tractor. If it doesn't spin, then the problem is from the driveshaft engagement to the pinion gear or closer to the tire.

Good luck!
 
   / 4WD not engaging.
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Lifted the front wheels w/4wd engaged and tractor in gear...they spun.

The 4wd lever goes into some kind of gear box that's behind the 4wd drive shaft..........
 
   / 4WD not engaging. #6  
You probably know this but if you lifted both front wheels at the same time one would spin one direction and one the other. If you lift only one front wheel it should not spin at all with 4 wheel drive engaged.
 
   / 4WD not engaging. #7  
Lifted the front wheels w/4wd engaged and tractor in gear...they spun.

The 4wd lever goes into some kind of gear box that's behind the 4wd drive shaft..........



Did the drive shaft turn? If they are all the same,There are some small steel balls in the end of the drive shaft. Have you had a chance to check to see if the balls are still in place ? you may not have to go into it that far but, it's no big deal to remove the drive shaft
 
   / 4WD not engaging. #8  
You probably know this but if you lifted both front wheels at the same time one would spin one direction and one the other. If you lift only one front wheel it should not spin at all with 4 wheel drive engaged.

What Winston said, here and in his first post. You'll be able to determine where the trouble is, at least, with this test and looking at the drive shaft.

If you have a parts diagram, you may be able to find the "weak link" in the system. On the 186D, it was the small 5/16" or so rod bent into an "L" shape that was weak enough to deform is pushed too hard.

I hope you get it figured out. Take pictures as you go, too!
 
   / 4WD not engaging.
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks guys, good info. I missed the part about only one front wheel off the ground:eek: . But they spun as they should, opposite one another. I am leaving this morning for a far offshore fishing trip, won't be back til tomorrow night and then too tired to look at the tractor 'til Wed or so. I'll update the situation when I can. Thanks again!
 
   / 4WD not engaging. #10  
Take a look at my restoration thread in my signature. I had a shift dog get bent and walked through the repair. May be your issue, may not, but that is certainly a weak point and easy to diagnose.
 

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