3-Point lift: Service, repair, or user error?

[BadDog]

Front Drive does not engage.

In following forum etiquette, I'm going to post each (seemingly) separate question in a separate thread, but with the same intro.

I have a sad little 89 B7100D. I just bought it last week, and today was the first chance to put it into use. Generally it is pretty much what I thought it was, but there are issues I've noticed. It's been many years since I ran a tractor, and never one of these, so it could be just user error.

Problem: Front drive does not engage.

When I tested the tractor, there was really no way I could figure out to really test the front drive. But when engaged, I thought I could feel/hear it in the steering. I wasn't too worried about it. 4WD would be nice, but it was cheaper than any 2WD I've seen, and seemed to work otherwise.

Today I used it for some box work on part of my yard and tried to use the front drive, and with the back tires digging, it was apparent the front drive is not working. Nothing I could see visibly wrong externally. And it's a gear drive trans.

Anything likely, or just need to go in and start trouble shooting? I had no help, so couldn't even verify if the front shaft is turning or not. I'll test that first when I get some help, depending on what (if anything) comes from this.

Any suggestions?

 

[BadDog]

Re: Front Drive does not engage.

Sorry about the incorrect title. I can't seem to edit it, and also can't delete to repost, so I sent a notify to the moderators to see if they can correct it. My apologies for any confusion this causes.

 

[big boy]

on the 4wd is the selector in the 4wd position

 

[BadDog]

Yes. Tried it in, out, in, out... It feels like it's still connected, the drag is firm but about what I would expect. No "clunk" or grinding, no lurch/jerk/noise as would be typical of some types of mechanical failure. If there is no "they usually fail like that when this part shears" or other "common point of failure", I'll just put it up on jack stands tonight and see if I can figure out at least which end of the shaft the problem is located. The rear tires are actually mounted backwards (so are the front), so I need to reverse them anyway...