Trick to using differential lock on GC2310?

[FredWalter]

Today I was moving earth, in 4WD, and a few times I ended up with some tires up in the air. I tried pushing down on the differential lock (while in slow), and nothing seemed to happen, and pulling up on it had the same effect.

Is there a trick to using the differential lock on a GC2310?

Or is my differential lock busted?

 

[HeavyHitch]

Sometimes the differential lock will not engage right away and you'll need to slowly move forward while depressing the differential lock down. Sometimes it takes a while, but it should engage and drop to the floor. Whatever you do, make sure you are turning the wheels slowly and do not force the lever.

 

[irvingj]

Ditto- it will seem like it's never going to budge, then it'll drop all the way to the floor. Patience, steady pressure, perhaps tickle the forward/reverse pedal just a teensy bit while moving SLOWLY.

I always think mine will never make it, then get surprised. Same for disengaging- take foot off, move slowly and gently tickle the pedal (between accelerate & decelerate)-- while moving in a straight line.

BTW, the few times I've had it stuck that diff lock has worked beautifully to get me out!

 

[Max2310]

Yup, that's pretty much how mine works too! Don't press hard and move slowly. Sometimes it takes a little longer than others.

 

[FredWalter]

Sometimes the differential lock will not engage right away and you'll need to slowly move forward while depressing the differential lock down. Sometimes it takes a while, but it should engage and drop to the floor. Whatever you do, make sure you are turning the wheels slowly and do not force the lever.

I've tried a number of times to get the differential lock to engage, and it wouldn't engage for me. I'm assuming that something is seized. My tractor is (I believe) still under warrantee until March 2010 (I bought it in March 2008), so I'm debating having it go back to the dealer where I bought it, to get the 250 hour service, and to get them to look at the differential lock. If I do this, is there anything else that I should have them look at, that is a common problem (that would be fixed under warrantee)? I recall that sometimes there is an issue with the loader not floating (I've never gotten that to work right either - is there a trick to it, or is that seized on my machine too)?

 

[ray66v]

You probably need someone to try these, who has experience with it.

Once engaged, occasionally the diff. lock does not disengage right away, either. You will know, because you can't turn tight.

I rarely use my diff. lock. I don't need it

Most don't know it, but there is a float on the backhoe bucket too.

 

[VigII]

...8<...I recall that sometimes there is an issue with the loader not floating (I've never gotten that to work right either - is there a trick to it, or is that seized on my machine too)?

I just level my bucket and set it down on the surface w/just a slight bit of pressure. Put my foot on the brake, back the throttle down a bit and push forward on the FEL control till the first stop is reached and continue to push a bit harder, all in one smooth motion. The control should go forward to the first stop, push against the resistance and another stop will be reached. You'll feel what little pressure that was on the FEL drop. I took a look under the control valve boot and there's a machined ring around the lift/lower rod. If that ring is not even or just below the face of the FEL valve head, I'm not in float. Push a forward to the next stop and that ring on the rod should drop even/just below the valve's face. I'm floatin'!

 

[FredWalter]

Don't press hard and move slowly. Sometimes it takes a little longer than others.

What's "a little longer"? The most that I've ever waited is 10-20 seconds before giving up trying to get the differential lock to engage.

 

[Cyrilca]

I know this is an old thread, yet few questions:
1) differential lock pedal drops down to the floor from a gentle push. Is it normal?
2) how long before it engages? When stuck, I tried little by little to pedal forward/backward for a minute or two, yet can't say differential got engaged (one rear and one forward rotates, the other two don't)
3) how to tell that differential got engaged?

 

[irvingj]

I suppose you'd have to raise the rear, in 2WD, and see if it really does lock or not. I'd also guess you could do this without the engine running, but I'm not sure. I have no experience otherwise. Let us know what you learn -- I've also wondered how you could tell, other than getting un-stuck, if it was working or "broken."

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

The diff lock on the old 2wd tractors I was raised with, you pushed it down with your heel to engage it, and it would stay engaged so long as you stayed in forward gears. Backing up about three feet popped it back out.

My TYM subcompact, it appears that if i put it in 4wd, the differentials front and rear lock, and stay locked so long as I’m in 4wd. In 2wd the diff lock appears to function just like the old ones did. Step down on the button to lock, back up and it disengages.

 

[Cyrilca]

Hmm... if I raise back and run the tractor rear wheels will both spin, how do you tell whether the differential engaged or not?
I would feel unsafe trying to hold a wheel of a running tractor

 

[CobyRupert]

I can tell mine is engaged:
1) Because both back tires are spinning. That’s the reason I engaged it, or would need to engage it. Either I engaged it before I got to the muddy spot and was worried only one tire would spin, or I got myself into a tricky spot and need both tires to spin to get out.
2) If I press only one tire’s steering brake, the tractor wants to stall. Now, on some tractors the different lock will pop right off when you do this, but not mine, not right at first.
3) Tractor turns very poorly, wants to go straight. I’m probably using the diff lock in mud, tractor wants to plow straight ahead even with wheels turned because both rear turns are going same speed.
4) The lever is still pushed down and I felt it engage when I pushed it.

 

[old and tired]

Mine you have to push it down AND hold it there! It's not an On / Off thing.

 

[GeneV]

I know this is an old thread, yet few questions:
1) differential lock pedal drops down to the floor from a gentle push. Is it normal?
2) how long before it engages? When stuck, I tried little by little to pedal forward/backward for a minute or two, yet can't say differential got engaged (one rear and one forward rotates, the other two don't)
3) how to tell that differential got engaged?

Most commonly, the diff lock is a pin that slides into a hole to lock it together as one unit. Unless you're lucky, the pin and hole will not be aligned...it takes one wheel to slip or move faster than the other wheel for everything in your axle housing to align in such a way so that pin can catch that hole.

That's why the instructions are, when you're stuck and only have one wheel spinning, to stop, press down gently on the differential pedal, give it a little gas so that the one wheel turns slowly, and the pin will drop in the hole when the turning wheel aligns with the non-turning one. That's what that is when the diff lock pedal goes all the way to the floor.

So, with all that said, if you're pedal always goes to the floor when you press down on it, at any time, I'd venture to say you've got a sheared off pin and no more diff lock. Usually that happens when somebody keeps trying to engage the differential lock while having the wheel spin rapidly.

 

[WranglerX]

On my GC 1715 I usually stop, press diff lock tab down and get back on "go" pedal.... Always seems to engage when back on go pedal....

 

[hube2]

On my GC 1715 I usually stop, press diff lock tab down and get back on "go" pedal.... Always seems to engage when back on go pedal....

This is my experience as well. Also the only thing that keeps it locked it the pressure on it from the transmission. As soon as you let off the peddle it will disengage. You push the diff lock and apply "go" in one direction and you keep going in the same direction. It is possible that if you are in 4WD that pressure is still applied if the front wheels cannot slip similar to the way it can sometimes be difficult to get it out of 4WD unless you rock forward and reverse.

 

[Dmacleo]

a broken return spring (on gc2400 its on lock lever on transaxle end left side) can make the lock pedal go down very easy and not return and can cause locking to happen when not desired. ask me how I know....

 

[PILOON]

I suspect those differential locks are a pin that needs to fit a hole, or a key that must align with a notch.
Slow but sure and you will suddenly feel the lock peddle depress when it is engaged.
Now to disengage you often simply need to ease off the go peddle and it should pop out.

 

[cdaigle430]

I can feel mine lock with my foot. I slooooowly spin or go forward\reverse until it hits the sweet spot then I throttle it up.