L2850 Grind When Engaging PTO

[SWMI2850]

Hello,

I'm a newbie to this forum but I'm sure I'll be here a lot!

I recently purchased my first Kubota, an early 90's L2850DT with BF500 loader. 1270 hours.

Everything works great on it but I'm having issues engaging the PTO and I'm not sure if its user error or something out of adjustment or broken.

Here's what happens:

If I go to engage pto with hand lever without any implement attached, it goes into 540 or 1000 just fine, no issues.

If I have an implement attached (for example a brush hog that I have), it grinds something terrible, to the point where I haven't forced it enough to get it into gear.

The only way I've found to make it work for now is to engage PTO with tractor off and start it up.

Any ideas? I see in the owners manual that this model can have either a single clutch or dual clutch PTO. I'm not sure which one this has. How do I tell?

Any time I've tried engaging PTO, engine was always at low idle. I've tried clutch all the way in, no clutch, in gear (but not moving) out of gear, etc. Every time it still grinds if something is attached.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I do believe your clutch is gone and needs to be replaced. And if I remember correctly your the L2850 should have a 2 stage clutch. One way to tell is when you change direction and let the clutch out the PTO will turn on and off if its transmission driven. If its a 2 stage clutch the PTO is then "live" and stays running when you change direction.

 

[traildust]

I do believe your clutch is gone and needs to be replaced. And if I remember correctly your the L2850 should have a 2 stage clutch. One way to tell is when you change direction and let the clutch out the PTO will turn on and off if its transmission driven. If its a 2 stage clutch the PTO is then "live" and stays running when you change direction.

Eric,
I remember that 2 stage clutch operation.

Ufortunately, I believe your diagnostic assessment is correct.



Scott

 

[SWMI2850]

So I thought I'd try to see if everything was adjusted correctly before jumping to a clutch replacement.

First I checked the free play on the clutch pedal, then (after removing the loader, and brackets) took off the inspection cover on the right side of the flywheel housing (per owners manual instructions) and adjusted the bolt 3/4 turns out.

Unfortunately, with clutch all the way down and PTO lever engaged, the PTO still spins (I'm being told it should be stopped in this situation).

I know the consensus is that the "clutch needs to be replaced" BUT, as far as driving, the clutch never slips- even under a heavy load such as driving into a pile of dirt with the loader in 4x4, and has a good solid engagement and feel.

So, what actual component in the clutch is stuck/siezed up/wore out that would be causing the PTO part of the clutch to stay engaged?

Thanks!

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Id hate to tell ya brother but the whole clutch pack will more then likely need to be replace. My dad has an older L275 with your same exact problem. All the gears worked fine and never skipped a beat but his PTO would not work correctly. So he had to have a new clutch pack installed.