2WD to 4WD & back Difficult L2800

[placervillebob]

Hi - New to the forum and just purchased a new (to me) 2005 L2800 HST with 91 hours on it. Just performed the 100 mile service and all is well except I am having difficulty engaging and dis-engaging the front wheels for 4WD. I have the manual and have tried using the clutch while stopped, even turned the wheel a little while trying; spoke to a Kubota dealer who said to try barely rolling forward and pushing or pulling - still very difficult. Is anyone else having this problem - is there a technique to make this easier. As the previous owner said he changed the front axel fluid at 50 hours, I have not changed it - Should I?
Thanks
placervillebob

 

[Hook]

I once had an L3400 that was almost impossible to get into and out of 4wd. The problem was the linkage on the underside of the tractor had been bent due to running over a stump or some other object. I straightened it out and it worked fine. With my current tractor I do as your dealer suggested. I ease forward slowly to engage the 4wd and I roll backwards slowly to disengage the 4wd. It has been my experience that the tractor needs to be moving to get it to engage smoothly. I think the 50 hour service calls for the front axle fluid to be replaced with Super UDT. If the previous owner did so you should be fine.

 

[chim]

Sometimes it seems more difficult than others on my L3200. Yesterday we were doing a project at the church and it involved a number of short runs between a slippery, almost muddy area and paved areas. I needed the 4WD for part of the trip and especially since there was turning involved on the pavement I went back and forth between 2WD and 4WD. Two things helped:

1. Shifting from 4WD to 2Wd was easier when it was done prior to hitting the paved part of the route. Only the farthest part of the unpaved route was so slippery that 4WD was needed.

2. If the tractor didn't want to shift between 2&4WD it helped to come to a stop and inch it forward or backward a tad.

 

[placervillebob]

Thanks for the comments. I have checked the linkage and nothing looks bent or out-of-place. I tried putting a little lube on all the pivot points. The previous owner stated he never shifted out of 4WD. Maybe after a little "exercising" things will loosen up.
placervillebob

 

[Burt]

Sometimes it seems more difficult than others on my L3200. Yesterday we were doing a project at the church and it involved a number of short runs between a slippery, almost muddy area and paved areas. I needed the 4WD for part of the trip and especially since there was turning involved on the pavement I went back and forth between 2WD and 4WD. Two things helped:

1. Shifting from 4WD to 2Wd was easier when it was done prior to hitting the paved part of the route. Only the farthest part of the unpaved route was so slippery that 4WD was needed.

2. If the tractor didn't want to shift between 2&4WD it helped to come to a stop and inch it forward or backward a tad.

Our neighbor has one of those that does the same thing. He just turns the steering wheel a bit, sometimes back and forth, and then it will pop right in or out. All the suggestions you have received are accurate. Sometimes our neighbor will just go forward or back up a bit and it will change from/to 4WD then. It's just an operating technique that seems to be endemic to that tractor.

Good popping,

Burt

 

[Benhameen]

This is a little off topic but I didn't want to start a new thread.

Before I bought my Kubota I assumed that 4 wheel drive tractors were always in 4 wheel drive and that you couldn't turn it off. So should it only be turned on once there's wheel spin? Does it damage it to leave it in 4 wheel drive?

 

[kubotasam]

Any chance the tractor has had non standard size tires put on? With 100 hours I would guess not. However if the size ratio from front to rear is wrong then the gears will be under pressure and it can be extremely difficult to shift out of 4 wheel drive.