Case 580c Transmission Shuttle Shift

[Zigblazer]

Alright I've got a stupid question. I haven't used a real tractor in more than 15 years. Just compact tractors with Hydrostatic Transmissions. I've used Excavators and a couple front loaders, but the only tractors I used way back when had a simple manual transmission. Use clutch, select gear, engage and go. Both front loaders I used had the same type of transmission. Lever on the column, forward goes forward, middle is neutral, and back is reverse, twist to select gear 1-4, no clutch involved.

Now I'm looking at buying a backhoe, particularly a 580C and when I look up the shuttle shift transmission, I get a lot of conflicting information. Can anyone give accurate info on it, so I don't look like an idiot when I go check one out? Is there a clutch (I'm guessing yes)? Do you use the clutch to change direction? Does releasing the clutch begin movement, or is there a centrifugal clutch or torque converter that only starts movement once the engine revs? Can someone let me know what is what?

 

[DJ54]

The 580C should have a lever on the left side of the steering column. F-N-R, as you stated above. If it's like my 480C, it will have a manual 4 spd. trans., with a torque converter in front of it. Put lever in neutral to change gears, and best if stopped. It's also a lot easier on the torque converter if you completely stop when changing directions.

There's probably also a Clutch cut out switch on the dash. Flip it to the cut out mode, and it will act like you are clutching it, by applying the brakes, if you need to raise the bucket, as like loading a truck at higher rpms, but want to stop driving forward. Some also have a button on the loader control lever to do the same thing. Never really cared to use that function, because it seems if you want to creep ahead a bit and let off the brake it slams the torque converter pretty hard.

 

[Zigblazer]

Thank you, by the way. I did buy one. Used it a little, fixed it up a lot, put on 95 hours replacing the drain tile system of the house we bought. Paid for itself.

 

[DJ54]

Glad to be of help. They are a handy machine to have around. I don't use mine that often, but usually find an excuse to do a few gin jobs to keep things limbered up. But, when I do use it, I use it a lot..!! A couple pics from last Fall. Loaded out over 900 tons of bank run gravel, for a new building pad. Lucky for me it's only 1-1/2 miles away.

Property owner upped the price on me, he sold it to me, for $1.00 per ton 5 years ago. He told me last Fall, he thought he needed more. So price jumped to $1.10 per ton. I told him I thought I could swing that.