MX4700 Loosing Pulling Power...

[jerrod_brown]

Hi Everyone-

I have a 2009 MX4700 which has developed a problem with it's pulling power... Even in low gears and slow speeds, it is very slow to start moving forward, and pulling hills is almost impossible in anything but 1st gear. Any use of the tractor over 20 or 30 minutes makes the problem much worse, and it will almost not move at all. Using the tractor to push any heavy load is also very difficult. The engine seems to have no loss of power, and is strong, never missing a beat. The clutch pedal does not have any excessive play, and seems to engage normally.

As the tractor has right at 100 hours on it (I only use it 3-4 times a month for little jobs around the property) it seems like a very low amount of time on the tractor for the clutch to be worn out, but from what I've read so far, the symptoms are sounding like the clutch is shot. I have often used the tractor for repetitive tasks with short range of motion, such as moving piles of brush and spreading piles of dirt, so I am wondering if this kind of activity can cause a clutch to wear out this quickly.

While I love my Kubota, I'm no tractor expert, and I am afraid that I might be causing premature damage to it. Are there any adjustments that can be made so that I don't have to go through a clutch replacement..

I'm looking for advice and I hope that there is good news to be heard!

Thanks for all of your help, and this is a great community!

Best,

Jerrod Brown

 

[hodge]

How experienced are you on tractors? Not to insult you, but have you been riding the clutch? If you know how to operate one, back and forth motion won't tear the clutch up. If you don't, you can ruin one in a heartbeat.

 

[jerrod_brown]

This is my first tractor, so I don't have a lot of years of experience driving one.. No offense taken, I just didn't have the chance to grow up around them, but I love what I can do with it....

I'd say that I have ridden the clutch, as with the repetitive back and forth work, I don't know of any other way to drive one other than the stop and go.... Needless to say, there wasn't a tractor driving school available when I purchased the Kubota

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Jerrod,
Riding the clutch means that you always have pressure on the clutch peddle, causing it to slip all the time.
Going forwards and backwards will not hurt the clutch as long as you release it fairly quickly and fully after shifting gears and directions.
You really shouldn't have the clutch going out with 100 hours on it.
I would send it back to the dealer and have them check it out. I would think it would still be under warranty???

 

[Tx Jim]

Does clutch pedal have any free travel(1"-1-1/2") before resistance is felt?

 

[jerrod_brown]

No, the clutch pedal isn't sloppy and has no play in it... It has full strong pedal, and when the clutch is engaged, it does not slip or chatter, it only seems to be just underpowered and not pulling itself or the load forward. Additionally, Sometimes when it's in gear and engaged, I do have to really rev the engine to a much higher RPM to get the tractor to move even close to normally...

And I'm afraid that the warranty has expired since it was purchased in 2009, but when I take it to the dealer I can see if that's something that they might cover, but I'm sure that it was a 24 month / 1200 or 1300 Hour warranty...

I am conscious of riding the clutch, and I do try not to do that, although there is a lot of stop and go in the applications that I use the tractor for.. I had a VW once which had a worn out clutch disc, and it seemed to act similarly.

 

[hodge]

Do you have a friend, family member, or neighbor that is more versed in tractors? They could drive it and maybe determine whether it is a clutch issue, or something else. Or, post a video of you driving it, and highlight the condition. It is hard to diagnose without more information.
Hopefully it is something simple and correctable, but it does sound like a clutch issue. When you ride the clutch, you never completely release pressure on it. It can be engaged, but there is enough pressure on the release bearing that it allows a marginal amount of slipping- enough that through time, wear is accelerated. A clutch can be used up over many hours of riding, or in just a few minutes. Riding the clutch, coupled with a high load, will destroy one fast. Riding it lightly can do one in over the course of 100 hours, easy.
That may not be the problem- it is a first place to look, though, because it is common. It could also simply be a clutch issue- my dad knows how to use a clutch like a pro, and had one go out in his truck at less than 15,000 miles. He was climbing a grade pulling a gooseneck trailer, with the clutch all the way out, in low gear, and his left foot on the floor. It just started to slip. Turns out some springs in the pressure plate were broken.
Without point fingers at either riding or a defect, it is important to isolate the problem to the clutch, or somewhere else. Any solid diagnosis made here can at least save money when it comes time to fix it. And, don't limit yourself to a dealership- there are plenty of competent mechanics out there who can do the work, and charge less than a dealership will. If it is out of warranty, there is no need to restrict yourself to the dealer. I'm not trying to talk bad about dealers or take business out of their pockets, but they have much more overhead than the standard mechanic, so they typically charge more. I have a close friend who can break tractors down and change clutches in his sleep, and he can afford to charge much less than a dealer while still making a good living.

 

[Kubota_Bob]

Hi Jerrod,

First things first............STOP using your tractor!!!!!!

Next find somebody that can adjust your clutch to put in some free-play and you might be lucky enough that you still have enough clutch left to use your tractor without a clutch replacement.............

With no free-play the pressure plate fingers rest against the throw out bearing and reduce the clamping pressure of the pressure plate causing the clutch disc to slip and wear out....

Maybe you will be lucky...

Bob

 

[jerrod_brown]

Thanks for all of the help, guys... I am going to get a cousin to come down this weekend and check it out, and I'll report back. Hopefully it will be something that is correctable, or at least is not as bad as having the whole assembly replaced.

I appreciate everyone being kind and taking the time to help answer my questions... I'll share what I've learned after I get it looked over, and maybe you can lead me in the best direction forward!

 

[hillbillyss]

i second stop use as flywheel will be fried also.

 

[Kubota_Bob]

Well.........................It's been over 2 weeks


What did you find?????????????????/

Bob