Is my rear diff lock working correctly?

[General Lee]

I was operating the B3200 in some wet slushy muddy stuff yesterday and engaged the diff lock when needed. Both rear tires seemed to skip and jump quite a bit and really couldn't gain much traction. I felt the peddle engage because it would drop all the to the floor when it found its spot, but tires jumping and skipping had me wondering. Also I really don't notice any traction gain whenever I use the diff lock. Any thing I can look for to see if something is damaged?

 

[sms0000]

On my B3200 I know when the diff lock is working.......I haven't experienced any wheel hop. Where you pulling or pushing some serious weight? Soon as I see the one wheel spin I stop and engage the diff lock and drive away .

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

On my B3200 I know when the diff lock is working.......I haven't experienced any wheel hop. Where you pulling or pushing some serious weight? Soon as I see the one wheel spin I stop and engage the diff lock and drive away .

Same here. Do you have it in Low or Higher range when you do this. Put it in Low and see if it does it.

 

[AMR]

I can't say correctly or not but my B3030 did the same thing last week.

I was plowing at night after a wet snow and it started to ice up. On the way up my driveway I lost traction and went for a nice ride backward about 70 feet. I stopped the tractor, engaged the differential lock for the first time that I have had the tractor and then started up the hill slowly, the lock went to the floor as I started moving and just a few feet up the hill the tires started spinning again on the ice and hopped around some. I tried twice with the diff lock and still couldn't get up. I finally ran one tire in the snow bank and made it up.

Long story short, mine did the same thing.

 

[keyman1808]

I would be that the wheel hop was the tires grabbing then loosing traction quickly again. Had the same experience while clearing snow onmy hill when the pavement flash froze and iced over.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I can't say correctly or not but my B3030 did the same thing last week.

I was plowing at night after a wet snow and it started to ice up. On the way up my driveway I lost traction and went for a nice ride backward about 70 feet. I stopped the tractor, engaged the differential lock for the first time that I have had the tractor and then started up the hill slowly, the lock went to the floor as I started moving and just a few feet up the hill the tires started spinning again on the ice and hopped around some. I tried twice with the diff lock and still couldn't get up. I finally ran one tire in the snow bank and made it up.

Long story short, mine did the same thing.

Wow! That's the same thing my 4WD Dodge Dakota done the other day trying to come up my drive way except I had to get my tractor out and cut some of the ice down to ever get it up the drive way. I hate that sliding backwards feeling. I believe any will hop when you hit ice but it shouldn't do it in low in snow. Ice....yes.

 

[General Lee]

I had the tractor in medium range 4wd and had a decent load of firewood in my carryall box as ballast. I've been replaying the incident in my head trying to figure if I did something wrong. The only thing that may have caused it would be I was also trying to turn to stay on course in the direction I wanted to go. I know they say you aren't supposed to turned with the diff lock engaged?? Either that it was just to slippery for the differential to make a difference. Like I said previously differential has not impressed me on this tractor. I'm soooo tempted to take it back to the dealer to get some R1's

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I had the tractor in medium range 4wd and had a decent load of firewood in my carryall box as ballast. I've been replaying the incident in my head trying to figure if I did something wrong. The only thing that may have caused it would be I was also trying to turn to stay on course in the direction I wanted to go. I know they say you aren't supposed to turned with the diff lock engaged?? Either that it was just to slippery for the differential to make a difference. Like I said previously differential has not impressed me on this tractor. I'm soooo tempted to take it back to the dealer to get some R1's

You tell that you did some things wrong that you know your not supposed to and that you were on ice but your not impressed with your diff lock on your tractor. And what are the R1's supposed to do differently with you doing what you know is wrong and on ice? I suspect your turning, which you admitted to doing, and know your not supposed to do, and the ice is the problem, not the tires or the diff lock. In this case it looks to me to be driver error instead of tractor or tire error.

 

[coreshot]

Diff locks aren't that complicated. If both tires are under power when it's engaged, it's working correctly. You probably had conditions too slick to have it make a difference. Zero traction is zero traction no matter how many tires you have pushing. Once you put one side in the snow bank, you increased your traction sufficiently to make it up. You may consider some chains if your icy conditions are common. I know I need some.

As for turning when it's engaged, it's fine to make longer sweeping turns. Tight turns will be difficult as the rear will try to push the front tires straight through the turn. On hard surfaces, you will experience the rear tires hopping or your inside tire will grind on the surface as it has a shorter distance to travel. This will wear your tires quickly. Hope this helps.

 

[devildog1]

I agree with other reply, my B3200 Just digs in in the snow when I had an occasion to engage the diff lock, both wheels will spin for traction and you will go. But maybe on ice It's a different story as wheels try to find traction they graband then slip causing what you referred to as wheel hop.
Devildog