Can't shift / get out of reverse

Jmsmithy · Feb 14, 2015

Hello from Great White North of northern NY!

My DKSE40 HST been sitting in my barn over a month. Came up and have tons of snow to move. After shoveling my way to the barn I started her up. Glow plugs worked fine and she roared to life. Let it warm up good 10 mins, checked all fluids etc. I have 54 hours on it and 50 hour service scheduled.

Problems: can't shift from to any drive gear (L, M, or H) to neutral or vice versa without shutting down. Sounds like grinding gears like tranny constantly turning. Also, when I get into gear (only letting me go from neutral to M) it keeps going in reverse. As soon as I let up on my forward throttle, instantly start moving backwards. Also, when I pull up to snow bank to drop a bucket load, if I don't stand on the brake, I start rolling backwards as well...

Thoughts???? Advice???? Help!!!!!

Illini22 · Feb 15, 2015

My dk40 started creeping in reverse just after my 50 hour fluid/filter service. I thought I over filled hst so I removed 2 gallons, it still creeps. I looked over the linkage and saw no visible signs of anything bent or mis aligned. I have just read another thread of linkage being bent. Next time I'm at my property im going to look a little closer at the linkage. I hope this isn't another hst problem as I bought this tractor because my new ck 35 continued to drip hst fluid after being split in half at least 2 times. I traded it when it was being split for the third time.

VictorW · Feb 15, 2015

It sounds like a problem with the tredle or I think you have one pedal for forward and one for reverse. 10 years and 800+ hours on my CK30hst and no hst creep. Maybe I'm just lucky. There has been some with the creep problem but I think a small percentage. With it sitting a month and all of a sudden you have problems, it's probably the linkage under the right floorboard or where the control shaft enters the trans case. If the shaft is binding/rusted/corroded, spray it with a penetrating oil like WD-40, PB Blaster or similar to losen it up, work it back and forth, and hopefully once lose, then a lubricating oil like white lithium spray grease. Check all the other linkage, lube the pivots, some have had a stick jambed in the linkage. If it worked when you parked it, I think something is just binding up or stiff. I hope it's just this easy fix. Somebody else with a 40hst should reply and hopefully have more model specific ideas.

Jmsmithy · Feb 16, 2015

Yes Victor. I was hoping that would be the case but I let it run good 1/2 hour. Also did some light duty snow removal with it. Problem kept happening. I stopped as I didn't want make whatever the issue is any worse. :drink:

TJP89 · Feb 16, 2015

How hard does it go in reverse? That sounds like a linkage problem, straight forward fix, somebody here with a DK should be able to help. Shifting issue is weird, I would check all the linkages by the shifter to make sure something isn't bent, broken. If I recall correctly, there is no clutch on the DK, one just moves the lever to shift correct?

VictorW · Feb 16, 2015

You know your tractor better than me but when mine started to get stiff, a warm tractor didn't help with the control shaft entering the trans. It was just getting rusty/corroded. This also happened to my range selector and shifting from high, medium, and low was tough. I was hoping for an easy fix for you.

phiferpharm · Feb 16, 2015

Mine has occasionally been reluctant to go between gears and will barely creep occasionally, but never got to the point of requiring a shut-down. It seems I've noticed it more when I'm on an incline. I think with that number of hours on it, I'd be getting with your dealer.

Patches · Feb 16, 2015

I don't have a HST, but, everything I've heard about Kioti's issues is the entrance point of control rods entering cases; corrosion

Jmsmithy · Feb 16, 2015

Spoke to dealer and sent him videos. Tried telling me maybe due to extreme cold? I thought kinda crazy. I did run it for few hours and still happened. Anyway I'm heading back up Wednesday (I live in Jersey but my unit is in Adirondacks in No. NY) told dealer I'll look at linkages when I get up there. If needs dealer maintenance my selling dealer (here in Jersey) will hook me up w/ local dealer up north. Everything looks good though, unit like new (54 hours) and is garage kept. Haven't noticed any sign of corrosion or any bent linkages but I'll look harder...