Clutch not dis enguaging under load

[roundrockcrawler]

I have a L-3400DT standard 8 speed trans 4x4 2004 model 425 hrs , when using loader pushing trees and dirt into large piles and really working the tractor, on occasion the clutch will not disconnect power from the wheels, I can't get it to stop pushing and have to force "yank" it in to a neutral position to stop the forward movement, pushing the clutch in or out does nothing, if you shut the engine off then you are stuck in gear and will not start untell you force in to neutral. It's like everything is bound up. The clutch has no problems working properly at any other time, only during extremely heavy duty work with the frontend loader.....

 

[Russell King]

Just wanted to say hi since you were in Round Rock!

I would check the adjustment on the clutch pedal first off since it is probably the easiest thing to do.

I don't have a 4WD but you may be getting the front and rear axles into a bind while pushing. I live in Austin and work in Round Rock so know that you are probably doing most of your work on limestone/hard dirt so the wheels may be binding the drive train after some time. Try to take it out of 4WD and see if that resolves the issue.

 

[gpreuss]

Just wanted to say hi since you were in Round Rock!

I would check the adjustment on the clutch pedal first off since it is probably the easiest thing to do.

I don't have a 4WD but you may be getting the front and rear axles into a bind while pushing. I live in Austin and work in Round Rock so know that you are probably doing most of your work on limestone/hard dirt so the wheels may be binding the drive train after some time. Try to take it out of 4WD and see if that resolves the issue.

Yep,
The clutch adjustment is the only thing that makes sense to me as well. When you are in normal operation the gears can still pretty well slide about, but under strain they may want to stick. Do you seem to grind gears going from neutral to any engagement?

 

[Bulldog]

My L3000DT does the same thing. It will hang up in 1st when it's pushing hard. I've adjusted the clutch disc and the free travel, nothing has helped. Only thing my dealer said is that it probably needs a clutch. Sounded to him like it had weak springs or some other piece had broke in the clutch itself.

 

[ipz2222]

As a transmission specialist, I am really confused at your complaint. The hard to get out of gear after you shut the eng off is easy, it's because of the first complaint. The clutch not disengageing???? Is it hydralic??, never seen a tractor with hydralic clutch. Does the pedal go down normal? Will it kill the eng if it doesn't disengage while under this load? Is it wetter under water when it rains? ?????

 

[Bulldog]

IPZ2222, as far as mine goes it only fails to disengage when it's under a hard push and in 1st gear. The other gears act normal. When I kill the engine it will shift fine. Clutch pedal acts normal. I have adjusted the clutch and the free travel to what the book says. As far as killing the engine, it will either kill it or spin out. The clutch doesn't slip.

 

[ipz2222]

The only explanation I can come up with is , the splines on the input shaft are very rusty and the clutch can not recenter itself when the pressure plate is depressed. That being said, it should at least slip some when you press the pedal and not kill th eng or spinout. Strange!!!

 

[Bulldog]

Mine even has a dual stage clutch. I can push the pedal thru the first stage and all the way to the bottom stage and it doesn't change anything. When it's hung up it means business.

 

[roundrockcrawler]

Guys when my tractor is in a bind, the clutch position makes no difference, it always and only happens in 1st gear, so it just spins out, you physically have to yank it out of gear to stop forward motion, Iv adjusted the clutch slightly to see if there was any free play, with no noticeable change, as I said before tractor shifts perfectly fine all other times, tractor only has approximately 460 hrs

 

[roundrockcrawler]

Engine is running, under full power

 

[Thrawn]

Could be a bad pilot bearing/bushing or damaged input shaft.

 

[ipz2222]

Try this. Hit the clutch, shut the eng off. STOP, right there, don't let off the clutch, don't yank it out of gear, keep you foot as still as you can on the clutch, move the hi-low lever from one position to another several times. It may be hard to move. Now move the gear shift from 1st to neutral, is it still hard or did it come out easy??? Do the whole process again, load it down untill you have to hit the clutch. This time , after you move the hi-low lever several times, do not pull the trans out of 1st. Keep the clutch in and see what happens when you try to start it. Is it still trying to pull?

 

[Bulldog]

I haven't tried the hi - low shifter but after I kill the engine it's still hard to shift into neutral. When it binds up it stays that way until the shifter is forced into neutral engine running or not. Does any of this make since?

 

[Eric McCarthy]

The trick to hitting the dirt pile so you're not putting such a strain on the tractor is to drive into the pile with the bucket level and kida lift and curl the bucket backwards and let the dirt fall into the pile rather then hit it head on and push dead into it like your trying to move a mountain.

Alot of times for me I'll drive up the pile roll the bucket all the way down and from the top of the pile back drag the dirt pile down and make kinda like a ramp. I find its alot easier that way because you're scooping up dirt from and incline and when you get to the top you'll have a full bucket.

Yeah I realize dirt piles are not in this subject but its a helpful tip for future needs.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Your clutch disk's are hanging up on the splines, probably not a lot, but enough. I'd wager the reason that you're noticing it in low gear is that in low the input shaft has quite a lot of mechanical advantage over the secondary shaft and it does not take all that much friction from the clutch disk to keep things turning (or attempting to turn) hence the "bind". In the higher gears the input shaft has less mechanical advantage and the resistance from the secodary shaft is adequate to stop the friction disk and allow it to release & "re-center" between the pressure plate and flywheel.
Depending on the type of spline, it doesn't take much dirt/corrosion/clutch dust to gum things up enough to cause a problem.
On my old R75 BMW (dry clutch/4-speed) it took a good cleaning and a very light coat of good moly grease about every other year. Of course sliding the tranny back, cleaning/greasing the clutch splines on that only took a couple hours. Not so easy on a tractor.
Oh, and the reason they don't bind and cause grinding from neutral is probably because there is also just enough wear and/or possibly twist (maybe only a few thousandths) on the input shaft that it is only forcing the disk stay tight on one friction surface when under a load (likely the flywheel/front side). RC

 

[ipz2222]

bulldog, I think I know what it is but I need to know what happens when the hi low shifter is moved back and forth and does the trans shifter come out of 1st easy after that.?????

 

[Bulldog]

Next time it does it I will try the high/low shift and let you know.

 

[ipz2222]

eric, just go start your own thread about dirt piles!! (LOL) As allways , your knowledge of anything and all things are appreciated, except the farts!!

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Yeah sorry bout that, I was just kinda rambeling on that one. Had alot of other stuff on my mind and went back and thought about what I put up after I typed it all out. I was kinda thinking about life and typing without really paying attention!

 

[Bulldog]

Random typing is like a sneaky dog, it will slip around and bite you in the rear.