Kubota b7800 what is the proper procedure to shift in and out of 4x4 and shifting from hi lo medium speed range for HST trans?
Shifting h lo medium and in and out of 4x4
- Thread starter Edke6bnl
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jyoutz
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Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Stop. Shift. Go. If you are having difficulty getting into gear then press on foot pedal and move a little bit. Or back up a short distance.
should you drop the rpms to idle and do you need to push in the sorta clutch? thanks for your reply
mcmxi
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25DLB
I've not owned a Kubota yet (four and counting) that's easy to get in/out of speed ranges and 4WD. Straight cut gears don't help in this regard. Sometimes I get lucky shifting between ranges, and the M6060 4WD is easy to engage/disengage, but in general it's typically a bit of a palaver. Comes with the territory I suppose.
Regarding in/out of 4WD, (stop shift go as mentioned above)and doesn’t matter for me whether in FWD/REV, personally I would not shift 4WD lever while steering turned and ideally especially coming out of 4WD don’t do right after a turn…go straight a little to allow some slop (drivetrain needs a chance to unwind/unspool however you want to call it)…basically I try to avoid if under load/tension. My B shifts in and out like butter…MX shifts pretty consistant but not unusual to need to tickle the treadle peddle to get the ‘clunk’. The shift on the MX much more pronounced. Regarding LMH transmission shift, it’s the stop shift go as mentioned above but on both mine it helps to be rolling if ever so slightly not under load, but both pretty seemless. I try to shift on a slight grade so it can roll…seems to help.
My Owmers Manual states to select 4WD when stopped with clutch disengaged. I’ve found that it soemetimes requries moving the tractor a bit if it resists engagement…..but that it engages easily and smoothly if moving very slowly.
bmblank
Well-known member
Equipment
2020 L3901HST, LA525 Loader, 66" Q/A Bucket, PFL2042 Forks, Meteor SB68PT Blower
That's strange. Both of my kubotas shift without any issues. Occasionally the range shifter will line up tooth to tooth, but oftentimes I can just rock it a little with my body and it goes in. If not that, a little careful treadle press and it finds home.
Full stop to shift ranges.
FWD can be shifted in/out while moving if travel is straight ahead and no wheels slipping.
I was curious about the proper proceedure, mine works easily but like you say sometimes just a bit of movement will let it slide in and out of fwd.
My manual (L4400HST) is very unclear on the procedure. It first stats not to engage when "traveling at road speeds". It later says to engage "with the tractor stopped" and with the clutch pedal depressed.
Mine is hit or miss. Sometimes it will engage easily but usually its a contest of wills. Moving back and forth, etc.
Mine is hit or miss. Sometimes it will engage easily but usually its a contest of wills. Moving back and forth, etc.
So on my b8200 I have almost no luck ever using the treadle/hst pedal to help engagement. VERY rarely does it help.
Sometimes rocking my body back and forth is enough but not usually. The best way i've found to move the tractor slightly forwards and back without being under power across the gears you're trying to engage, is just to use the FEL bucket (if you got one).
Just rotating the bucket up and down a bit while it is contacting the ground will move the tractor back and forth a bit. That always lets my range shifter engage smoothly. The only thing is at idle or near idle my bucket moves so slow it's irritating. If already revved up a bit, no issue.
Sometimes rocking my body back and forth is enough but not usually. The best way i've found to move the tractor slightly forwards and back without being under power across the gears you're trying to engage, is just to use the FEL bucket (if you got one).
Just rotating the bucket up and down a bit while it is contacting the ground will move the tractor back and forth a bit. That always lets my range shifter engage smoothly. The only thing is at idle or near idle my bucket moves so slow it's irritating. If already revved up a bit, no issue.
mcmxi
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***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25DLB
Yes ... palaver. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes I have to rock back and forth and/or fiddle with the range selector. It's a pain and borderline annoying that range selection is so hit and miss and inconsistent. It makes me not want to change ranges which isn't a good thing. Changing from 2WD to 4WD High and 4WD Low in my Jeep TJ is just so easy, as is my Ford Super Duty, but these Kubota tractors ... not so much.
This is my reality and yours maybe different. It is what it is.
mcmxi
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25DLB
Oh, and if the selector slides into N easily but won't move to the next range you can't use the treadle peddle to rock the tractor. You have to get back into L, M or H to be able to do that. Yep, palaver it is! 
I still love these tractors, but I wouldn't complain if shifting ranges was smooth, easy, consistent and effortless.
I still love these tractors, but I wouldn't complain if shifting ranges was smooth, easy, consistent and effortless.Have to stop and often engage them where they're set on/off to get them to move.
Only ever had 1 tractor where you could shift different ranges on the fly.
Only ever had 1 tractor where you could shift different ranges on the fly.
I would love that feature but i certainly understand why it's not present on most machines!
Like i said, most manually shifted things are just like manual transmissions, but in the case of a lot of old tractors and nearly ALL range shifters, they are 'unsynchronized' which means you cannot shift them while moving unless by applying a whole bunch of talent 'rev matching' the components you are trying to mesh. Race car drivers could probably learn to shift from low to high range on a tractor while underway, but even a mountain of skill wouldn't really let you shift from high to low range while underway unless you were already at a very low ground speed.
You could synchronize them, but then you'd be subject to a whole bunch of operator error and they'd still get broken. Because the 'gear spacing' of high and low range on a tractor is similar to say 1st and 4th gear in a manual transmission car. You could certainly shift from 1st to 4th. You'd have rev 1st way out before going to 4th, but it would work. But you could never really do 4th to 1st without going slow and rev matching or you'd wear out the 1st gear synchro in about 5-10 tries. So i understand why they don't just synchronize our manual gear range shifter.
The other solution is what i think some newer tractors actually have, which is basically an 'automatic transmission' between their HST and their axles. Wet clutch, planetary-gearset based. I think fancy new tractors have progressed to having 'drive by wire' electronic throttles in some cases as well. If that's the case the engine can 'rev match' a downshift and make the whole thing pretty seamless. I think some new tractors let you shift ranges while underway, AND tie your throttle to your HST pedal so that as you push the pedal further you also get more rpm.
I have a mx5100. Both operations can be sticky.
For range selection playing with the treadle helps. Selection on hills is often hard. The sure way I found is not letting the tractor roll to a stop but rather shove clutch and then brake to stop. The selector slides in easily every time.
Pulling out of fwd I raise the front wheels. Only works if you have a FEL
For range selection playing with the treadle helps. Selection on hills is often hard. The sure way I found is not letting the tractor roll to a stop but rather shove clutch and then brake to stop. The selector slides in easily every time.
Pulling out of fwd I raise the front wheels. Only works if you have a FEL