MX135 Power Shift Operation

MHarryE · May 22, 2013

I know most everybody on the forum owns CUTs or SCUTs, but I think there are a few around with larger Kubotas. My M135GX is due to be delivered today or tomorrow. I picked up the manual and went over the controls with the dealer yesterday. First, I assume the power shift transmission is similar to the M135X except for an extra range. In shifting between ranges, it states in the manual that you must both depress the clutch pedal and press the clutch button on the shift handle to shift ranges. Is this true? Our New Holland TS115A has something similar, a clutch pedal and also a clutch button. You can use the clutch button alone to shift between ranges. It appears that except for starting, the button performs the same function as the pedal. Our John Deere 7720 and 6630, however, have no button. They require using the clutch pedal to shift between ranges. Not a big question but there will be other people driving the Kubota and a couple are used to driving the New Holland and Deere. This tractor is different in that according to the book you need to depress both. You can't see the button - it is on the side away from the operator so you need to find it by feel. If a person switches from the Deere to the Kubota, they may not know/remember the button. If a person switches from the NH to the Kubota, they may want to shift using only the button. So curious as to experienced users. Anxious for the tractor to arrive although we have done most of our spring planting with the other tractors and just had 4 days of rain so once it is here it will be the wait for ground to dry.

wmonroe · May 22, 2013

Congrats on the new tractor! Unfortunately I can't help with your question but I do remember seeing a couple 135 owners on the board.

Grateful11 · May 22, 2013

The CaseIH Maxxum here has Powershift and you have to depress the clutch pedal when shifting through the synchronized ranges but in a true Powershift, like the Maxxum, you should be able shift through the whatever number of speeds in each range it has without clutching. I doubt if this really helps though.

BTW: I got in the cab of an M110GX this past Sat. And I have to say it was really nice and roomy, controls looked to be really well laid out. Enjoy it !

MHarryE · May 23, 2013

Yes, like the Maxxum, this is a true power shift through each of the 8 gears in a range, but to be very frank, ths is one f the worst operator manuals I have seen from a company doing business in America for a long time. It appears as if it was translated from Japanese by a recent graduate of an English as a second language class who does not know equipment nor its operation. Maybe they even tried something like Google Translate. Today I got the word one of the options was missing two parts, being overnight end, so I ave to wait yet another day before I can start experimenting.

DDM84 · May 23, 2013

You absolutely do NOT have to depress both the clutch pedal and button. They are as you said just a redundancy to each other. Pedal in to start, then either to change ranges.

I am curious about how it is written in the book. If possible could you post a picture of the page you found the information? The reason I am curious is because behind the clutch pedal there is a hydraulic pilot pressure dump "button". This is a fail safe feature. If the electronics malfunction there is a physical "clutch" disconnect.

MHarryE · May 23, 2013

Here is the page from the OMM. Under Power Shift / Range Shift it says to select a speed range, stop the machine with depressing the clutch pedal. Then hold down the clutch button on the PS lever and shift the PS lever to the desired position. Also on the previous column it says if the clutch is operated in a partially engaged condition, the clutch will disengage automatically.... Then it says to fully press the clutch pedal and then press the clutch button and shift the shuttle lever to neutral.

Since it says "clutch button" I assume it is not a lock button that holds the lever in position so you don't accidentally knock it out of range. Maybe I inferred that because our New Holland has a true clutch button that seems identical to this one.

Can't wait for mine to arrive. We are switching the New Holland out from pulling the fertilizer spreader and switching this one in to get some break in time at low power. The book says to change the transmission oil at 50 hours so with any luck that will be in 3 days.

Mseriesfreak · May 28, 2013

I have a 05 M105X with the powershift trans.The only time you have to use the clutch on mine is to shift from low to high and you have to be stationary and not moving.

MessickFarmEqu · May 29, 2013

if the shift points seem really tough, call your dealer and ask them to calibrate it. We re-calibrate every one of these as its possible to make the shifting much more smooth with some software tweaks.