L3130 Manual : Extremely hard to shift in and out of 4wd

hendr1x

Member

Equipment
L3130
Jan 21, 2021
30
1
8
New England, US
Hello everyone,
I have an L3130 with the manual transmissions (not shuttle shift). The last few times I've used the tractor I've found it almost impossible to shift in and out of 4wd. I had to give up and then try 15 minutes later...sometimes it worked then, sometimes I waited another 15 minutes. Obviously the time in between doesn't matter but I fiddled with the thing driving forward/backwards for at least 5 minutes each time without success. Everything else seems to work fine....no grinding noises ever. Once in or out of 4wd it works as expected. Any thoughts/help would be appreciated.

-Justin
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
9,254
5,451
113
Chenango County, NY
If you have a loader, try lifting the front wheels up with the FEL and try it.

Some folks have luck turning the front wheels, then it engages easier.

Have you changed wheels or tires recently?
 
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85Hokie

Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
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Bedford - VA
Even on my two BX's - I find it very easy to what RCW said - raise the front in off the ground a bit and it will slide into 4wd.
 

hendr1x

Member

Equipment
L3130
Jan 21, 2021
30
1
8
New England, US
The tires are not new/changed recently. I've had the tractor for 3-4 years and I feel like its gotten worse the last month or so. I need an approach that will work when I have a loader full of stuff.
 

Henro

Well-known member

Equipment
B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex., Beer fridge
May 24, 2019
5,805
2,995
113
North of Pittsburgh PA
The tires are not new/changed recently. I've had the tractor for 3-4 years and I feel like its gotten worse the last month or so. I need an approach that will work when I have a loader full of stuff.
Are you running on pavement a lot? Because of the hills here I keep my tractors in 4x4 nearly all the time, but I'm always on dirt or a gravel driveway type surface...

Perhaps you could do the same unless pavement is what you have a lot of. That of course would require shifting in and out of 4x4 a lot...

But you mention it has gotten more difficult recently. Guess the possible reasons for that change is the real question...no help here...
 

ferguson

Active member

Equipment
L3130
Jan 19, 2022
296
115
43
w.v.
Hello everyone,
I have an L3130 with the manual transmissions (not shuttle shift). The last few times I've used the tractor I've found it almost impossible to shift in and out of 4wd. I had to give up and then try 15 minutes later...sometimes it worked then, sometimes I waited another 15 minutes. Obviously the time in between doesn't matter but I fiddled with the thing driving forward/backwards for at least 5 minutes each time without success. Everything else seems to work fine....no grinding noises ever. Once in or out of 4wd it works as expected. Any thoughts/help would be appreciated.

-Justin
Had my L3130 split to change HST trans. There not much involved only a sliding spline coupling , there is a bushing were the shaft goes into the trans. go under & see if you can move the shaft left &righ up down to see if that bushing is going bad.