TC35A won’t move

[Notavegetarian]

Was mowing the roads, then moved up to a small field been rolling along a good 4 hours. I wasn’t mowing fast was in low range and third gear moving about 3 mph or so. Had made several passes. It’s starting to bog down a bit not too much it’s a big ant bed got past it rpm’s picked back up and the tractor stopped moving. Engine is at PTO rpm, PTO is spinning. Thought maybe I had knocked it out of gear. I disengaged the PTO lifted the mower, tried every gear, mid rang, high nothing. Did not hear any noises before it stopped, no jerking nothing. Let it sit there overnight, checked all the fluids, looked to see if anything may have popped up from underneath and wedged into anything. Just in case it was to move I had the trailer in front of it ready to load. Started up fine, nothing in low range, tried mid range nothing, felt it lock in high range and it moved. Drove it on the trailer. Does anyone have any ideas what may be going on with it.

 

[Notavegetarian]

Sorry gang noticed I didn’t have the year and model. It’s a 2006 TC35A. Stays covered, or in my shop. Try to keep maintenance up. Any ideas what’s going on. It’s has about 650 hrs on it. Use it to mow the roads and small fields, carry stuff in the bucket.

 

[5030]

Plugged filter or strainer possibly?

 

[Midniteoyl]

Linkage bent, maybe?

 

[Harry in Ky]

Was mowing the roads, then moved up to a small field been rolling along a good 4 hours. I wasn’t mowing fast was in low range and third gear moving about 3 mph or so. Had made several passes. It’s starting to bog down a bit not too much it’s a big ant bed got past it rpm’s picked back up and the tractor stopped moving. Engine is at PTO rpm, PTO is spinning. Thought maybe I had knocked it out of gear. I disengaged the PTO lifted the mower, tried every gear, mid rang, high nothing. Did not hear any noises before it stopped, no jerking nothing. Let it sit there overnight, checked all the fluids, looked to see if anything may have popped up from underneath and wedged into anything. Just in case it was to move I had the trailer in front of it ready to load. Started up fine, nothing in low range, tried mid range nothing, felt it lock in high range and it moved. Drove it on the trailer. Does anyone have any ideas what may be going on with it.

The fact it moved in high range says the issue would probably be in the range portion of the transmission. No low or medium range, right? So what do you "feel" when shifting the range into low, neutral, medium, and high? Can you feel distinct positions where the detents hold in place? If so then the levers and shift rails are working as they should, and the problem could be a sheared roll pin on a shift fork.

 

[Notavegetarian]

Have it off the trailer and in my shop. Will take a good look at it tomorrow. One tech told since I had the lift cylinders rebuilt the maybe some trash or clogs in the hydraulic system. I’m changing all the fluids tomorrow as well. Will let y’all know how it goes. Thanks

 

[LouNY]

Is it a hydrostat or a gear drive.
Either way I'd be looking at the range shift linkage.

 

[Harry in Ky]

I find it interesting that people come in with problems and/or questions concerning possible drive or transmission concerns, yet don't bother to mention what transmission version they have. The details DO make a difference.

 

[5030]

Probably a hydrostat. Most smaller units are today. Very few gear drive units below 75 horse today.

 

[Notavegetarian]

It’s a 35 hp 12 speed hydrostatic transmission, 4 wheel drive.

Did take it off the trailer and it shifted through each gear cleanly locked into each detent . I’m at a loss as to what happened. It’s in my shop. The tech that rebuilt the front cylinders earlier this year said there may be a bit of trash in the system. Ok I’m changing the fluids now. Will let y’all know if I find anything in the oil

 

[Harry in Ky]

"A bit of trash in the system" won't cause it to not drive in two out of three ranges. (if indeed that was the case) The tech is blowing smoke at you. If you can feel all the detents, then the lever, linkage, and shift rails are all moving when you shift. Problem must be deeper than that.

 

[ning]

OH THAT SURE SOUNDS LIKE A HYDROSTATIC

 

[Notavegetarian]

Ok here is what I have done. Changed the transmission and hydraulic fluid and new filter. That was a messy job for me, glad I had coveralls and gloves. Let the tractor run a bit and double checked my fluid levels. Had to add a little bit more. Let it run to operating temperature and everything seems to shift as it should. While I was under it I did pull all the stuff out that had been stuffed up into the under side. Man I’m stumped, I’m not a mechanic by any means. Maybe something was stuffed under it somewhere and kept it from shifting. I don’t know

 

[Harry in Ky]

So just what does that mean? It's all fixed now, shifts and moves in all speeds again?

 

[Mud2Money]

Do these have the auto 4x4 lever ? It’s on the left side. My 45 has it. It’s a lever for manual 4wheel , and like a auto sense 4 wheel.

Edit
*** they call it the full time 2wd lever. I wonder if this is perhaps between range.

 

[5030]

What 'stuff' was stuffed under it? Curious minds want to know?

 

[Notavegetarian]

Yessir it has the 4x4 lever on the left side pull it up for 4wd. Some of the stuff under and in the crevices was picked up brush from cutting a summers worth of growth, blackberries bushes and stuff. It’s parked in the shop until this storm blows through. It seemed to work ok around the shop, have more work to do with it. Will let yall know how it goes

 

[Mud2Money]

Yessir it has the 4x4 lever on the left side pull it up for 4wd. Some of the stuff under and in the crevices was picked up brush from cutting a summers worth of growth, blackberries bushes and stuff. It’s parked in the shop until this storm blows through. It seemed to work ok around the shop, have more work to do with it. Will let yall know how it goes

It’s another in the file item 29 on the far right in the parts diagram. That’s the full time 2 wheel drive. I wonder if it got snagged and was between range. It’s one of the lowest shaft/levers on the trans.

 

[Notavegetarian]

It’s another in the file item 29 on the far right in the parts diagram. That’s the full time 2 wheel drive. I wonder if it got snagged and was between range. It’s one of the lowest shaft/levers on the trans.

Got ya you are probably spot on . It works ok now I have all trash out from under it. We are still getting slammed with rain. Try to keep the fluids changed every winter regardless of hours. Purged the fuel tank this year scum kinda builds up over the years, replaced the fuel lines. Been changing the filter every year. I’m no mechanic but can do the basics

 

[Mud2Money]

Yeah it’s worth it to do yearly fluids if you use it but not heavy/ at the hours. Even more so because moisture accumulation. I usually change my oils before hours if it’s close and spring work is near.