Kubota M4700 won't crank

[TheFruitlady]

By turning the key I can't get my M4700 to even click. No dashboard lights come on. I just replaced the battery about 2 months ago, and the headlights and turn signals do light up, but anything that should happen when the key is turned does not happen. I replaced the ignition switch, and I have jiggled both gear shift levers and the PTO lever while the key is turned. Any ideas about where to go from here? Where do I find the safety switches?

 

[RobinC]

I just went through this same exercise. Working Saturday and wouldn't start on Sunday. First clean your battery posts and inside of your cable clamps, volts getting through to light your bulbs but not enough amps getting through to kick your starter. Second, your starter solenoid probably needs to be pulled out and cleaned & lubed and contacts sanded smooth and flat. That was my experience recently. Hope it's that simple for you.

 

[Tx Jim]

Welcome to TBN
Check/clean/tighten all FOUR battery cable connections. Load test battery.

 

[TheFruitlady]

Excellent suggestions all, Gentlemen! I'm on it and will let you know what works. Thanks!

 

[whiterose]

Excellent suggestions all, Gentlemen! I'm on it and will let you know what works. Thanks!

As your tractor solenoid is not clicking it looks like its not working.
All the solenoid is is a hefty switch that provides a pile of current to the starter motor. The tractor starter motor needs a lot to turn the engine over. Instead of having big heavy wires running from the battery to the ignition /starter switch then to the starter they just take heavy wires directly to the solenoid. That switches the heavy current to the starter but only a relatively small current is needed to get that switch, the solenoid, to switch. So they control a big current by using a solenoid to do the switching but it only needs a smallish current to get the solenoid to switch. There are three terminal on the solenoid usually. A small one that is the control wire to switch the solenoid on, That will come from the ignition switch or maybe a relay. The big terminal from the battery positive ( usually if) is the 12 volts input line. The other also big terminal is a short length one that links directly the solenoid to the starter motor.
OK so what's wrong. When you switch the key to 'start' it sends 12 volts to the small terminal on the solenoid. This causes the solenoid to switch. Try this and see if 12 volts appear at that terminal. If not there is a fault before the solenoid. If there is 12 volts there you should certainly hear the solenoid click ( switch). And there will then be 12 volts applied to the starter motor. If it does not turn it might be burnt out or the brushes might not be contacting the rotating armature. If 12 volts does not appear on the starter motor terminal then the solenoid is not making contact. It might benefit from a good clean or replacing.
If you don't have a test meter a very useful simple device a lamp holder with a 12 bulb in it. Connect to chassis anywhere and a place you are expecting 12 volts and it will light up
For instance with the starter in the 'start' position connect one end of the 'test lamp' to the chassis, solenoid body or starter body and the other to the small terminal on the solenoid it should light up. Then move to the terminal on the starter motor- it should light up. Of course the starter should be running by now but if not you have narrowed the problem to a faulty starter motor. bad brushes or commutator.