First HST frustration (maybe)

[cmsedore]

I was out cutting a field today when I discovered an old stump. I thought perhaps it was small and old enough for me to push/lift out with the bucket. While attempting to push it out, I got to an angle on it where (in low range), the transmission wouldn't spin the tires.

I was a little surprised as I've never previously driven a machine that wouldn't either spin or stall (this is my first HST, however). I did stall it yesterday in medium range (that caught me a little off guard), but today, it just labored (dropped about 200-300 rpm from 2100 to ~1800 and that was it).

I was only pushing a little on the HST pedal (having read before about not using it like a throttle and expecting more torque from pushing it further down).

In it's defense, I did have some lift on the loader (OK, so I tried lifting it but it couldn't, but loader stick was in "neutral" when I was pushing). This is with my L4610, with a 5' Woods rotary mower, and loaded rears. Total weight of the rig was probably just under 6000 pounds.

I could certainly spin the wheels in 2WD, and I approached it at a slightly different angle and spun some, but it bugged me a little to not be able to spin them. The old Ford 1700 had low enough gears you could have just about wrapped winch cable around one of the rear rims and ripped stumps out of the ground.

So, should not being able to spin or stall worry me? I assumed that if I could stall it in medium range, I should be able to do so in low range as well (if the gearing is post the HST transmission, it shouldn't matter which range it is in--max torque out is max torque out, right?)

-Chris

 

[ns_in_tex]

I would doubt you have anything to worry about. If you have stalled out the lift on the fel, you probably have in excss of 10,000 lb weight on the front tires & the forward pressure may increase this greatly. The HST I think can produce up to 5000 lb pressure with the oil before bypassing.
You are probably lucky one of the front wheels didn't spin. I have found I can move things with my L4610 4x4 that I can't move with a 105 HP 2 wheel drive with loaded rear tires.

 

[hayden]

Go ahead and push harder on the hst peddle. The wheels should spin or you should stall the engine, just like you did in M range.

 

[Alan L.]

I don't think I would worry about it too much. When the moon is full and the planets are line up just so, and when you aren't holding your mouth right, and with just the wrong amount of pressure on the HST pedal, the tractor wheels will stop spinning without killing the engine.

 

[cmsedore]

Sorry--I should have said that I tried different pressure levels on the HST pedal, but it would always just open the relief valve.

-Chris

 

[cmsedore]

I happened to be out in the field again, and gave the stump another push. I could either a) spin b) stall in each case I tried. Must be just an oddity of the day.

Unfortunately, c) moving the stump, was not one of the options /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif.

-Chris

 

[art]

Low range should produce the most amount of torque, Medium the next and naturally high range is just for traveling. The RPM range you mentioned is good, and in low range or Medium unless to much lift on the bucket is locking the tires to the ground you should have spun the tires.