Hello. I run mine in High in 4x4 all the time while plowing on asphalt. I drive it up the street to my neighbors when I plow hers and I never take it out. I am plowing with the bucket not a snow blower but I don't see any harm in it. JD would put warning stickers on the tractor or have it in the manual if you couldn't do that. They wouldn't want to be replacing a bunch of axles or gears under warranty.

You said the tractor bogged down? Did you have the throttle up to where it is supposed to be when running the pot? Also wondering which pto selector switch you were in? Not sure it matters?

Last question, how heavy was the snow? I know from using a walk behind one that going to fast in wet heavy snow bogs them down big time and there comes a point where it just isn't worth the effort.

Good luck!

 

MY QUESTIONS ARE:

• Does running the tractor in 'HIGH" mode automatically disengage the front 4X4 system?
• If not... does moving at full speed in 'HIGH" mode with 4X4 engaged harmful?

No and No

What you do NOT want to do is use 4x4 when there is traction. It is for loose/slippery conditions

 

No and No

What you do NOT want to do is use 4x4 when there is traction. It is for loose/hslippery conditions

The 1 series is the same (I think) as the 2 series manual in that it states to use MFWD when doing loader work as well, with no qualifications on surface.

 

Running it engaged in 4WD, high or low range, is fine. As suggested, you don't want to operate it in 4WD when on dry, hard surfaces- like concrete or asphalt.
You noticed that your front tires were not spinning- did you notice if your rear tires were? If you were engaged in 4WD, yet the back tires were spinning but the fronts weren't, then there is a problem. 4WD is a 100% mechanical link between the front and rear axle.
What I suspect was happening was that because you were in high range, neither the front or rear tires were spinning. There is an overload valve in the hydraulic system, so if you demand too much (in your case, pushing snow in high range with sufficient traction), the oil will bypass. In low range, there is sufficient gearing advantage, so that you will break traction before activating the bypass valve in the hydraulic system.

Or, it may not have been fully engaged in 4WD- but you had double checked that.

 

Does he have loaded tires? If so, the pressure could be to low, and the rims are spinning inside the tires.

 

Thank you all for your quick responses.

Phew.... I feel better knowing it was nothing 'I did.'

I do not have loaded tires, but I do use a 'ballast box' with about 700# of sandbags inside as instructed to counter the front end loader/snowblower attachments....as a protective measure against pre-maturely wearing out the front drive gears per the manual.

I wonder if it was indeed the 'oil bypass' thing that the poster above stated? I wonder how I can test the front drive wheels operation without screwing up the front of my unit pushing against something?

I never run 4X4 engaged on dry surfaces..... I have owned a few 4X4 pickups and own a new Jeep Wrangler now.... so that precaution is always in my mind.

Everywhere is slippery right now, or I would be able to do a brief 'dry pavement' test while turning to see if I feel the 'choppy/stepping' that front wheel drive engagement would produce. I don't think a second or two would hurt it. Other than that, I am unsure how to test operation without going to extensive trouble.

I still have 3 or 4 years left on my warranty, so I guess I could always have the dealer pick it up and look into it..... just don't want to do that unnecessarily.

 

I still have 3 or 4 years left on my warranty, so I guess I could always have the dealer pick it up and look into it..... just don't want to do that unnecessarily.

If the machine is under warranty STOP RIGHT THERE. If you've checked the fluids and ensured that your moving the correct levers then there is likely something wrong with the tractor. Have it serviced under warranty before any further damage occurs.

 

Isn't there a shear pin on the front driveshaft & axle connection? Driving 1/4 of a mile on asphalt in high range with the weight of a snow blower on the front wheels will put a lot of stress on the 4x4 drive train. Something could have broken.

 

Before I went and paid for delivery charges to take the tractor in and bring it back, I would try a couple things. I know it’s muddy here, and looks like its muddy in a lot of places. Find you a muddy place, put it in four wheel drive, low gear, and stick your bucket in the ground. Hit the gas, see if those front wheels will spin. If it’s muddy, shouldn’t be hard. If all you have is asphalt, put it in four low and drive straight. You should feel the ratcheting effect of these tractors. I know I can feel if I left mine in real quick. Try those first before you haul your tractor off.

 

Think I would see if the rears were spinning and the fronts not first. On my hills just mowing I can't use high gear. It feels like it's working the hyd. to hard and doesn't want to climb the hills very good. Even in high I can't get to the top of the hill any faster then if I was in low. That's how much pressure I have to put on the foot feed to get it to go up hill in high. The pressure on the foot feed is also harder going up hill in high. I put it in low and the pressure goes away and I can go faster. I don't think I could spin any of the tires in high, going up hill.

 

If you were in HI you had the hydro stalled . Kevin .

 

He either overloaded the hydro in high hear and no tires were spinning, or the rims slipped in the tires, I have seen this happen with underinflated tires.

There is no way he "broke" the front axle, they're overbuilt on these little machines. The practice of not using fwd on dry surfaces is to avoid premature component wear (u-joints).

 

Back to the OP. I know it is a different machine and I don't have a high/low range. On my X585 there are a couple times I thought I wasn't spinning my front wheels. I actually was but was spinning the wheel on the other side. One quick test that you might be able to do is put down pressure on your front attachment (blower I think) so the front tires come off the ground. Try and move forward and see if the front wheels turn. I would rather do this with a blade as I scrape the driveway quite often like this but you should be able to do this with a blower. There should be more than enough limited traction around this time of year to test it. You could take it in for a warranty issue but personally I would hate to do that at this time of year. At least in MN. I can predict when I need to cut my grass or get by for a while with a machine in the shop. The weather man can't tell me if we will get 1" or 1' of snow tomorrow with any accuracy.

Personally I would speculate that the pressure relief bypass was activated. With a heavy ballast you might have had too much traction on the rear wheels and it bled off the pressure to protect the drivetrain.

 

Just checking the operator said both fronts did not spin the reason I ask is that it has happened to me on several occasions locked into 4x4 high gear and just one front tire will spin and one back tire will spin engage differential lock and both rear tires spin but still only one front tire spins. I do believe that all is well with my tractor as when it comes to mud all four tires will spin in the right conditions.

Doug

 

Doug I just picked up a new 1025R and was out plowing snow on a hill with the bucket and noticed my left front tire was was not spinning with 4 wheel drive on and 4 wheel lever engaged. All other tires where spinning are the front tires a limited slip.type or should both tires be spinning? I assume the back is slip limited that's why you push lever down I assume.thats how my simplicity prestige lawn tractor works..

Let me know maybe have to call the dealer to find out