[otherwiseyep]

Sorry in advance for being a complete noob, but reading through the manual doesn't make this clear...

Just got a JD D100 a few weeks ago. The motor/tranny kicks like a mule when first putting it into gear from stop unless I throttle waaayyyy down. The tractor literally pops a wheelie when putting it into gear from stop at high throttle. My only controls are a throttle lever and a so-called "clutch/brake" pedal. It appears I cannot operate the clutch without also applying brake.

In short, my question is: is it harmful to change forward fears without clutching/braking? The tractor seems to handle "live" gear changes just fine (obviously I'm not throwing it into reverse without stopping), and that approach seems to work much better, I just want to confirm that I'm not damaging anything by shifting from 1st to 2nd on the fly, or vice-versa. My only experience with manual trannies is cars, where you have to step on the clutch to change gears. I'm not quite sure what to do with a "clutch-slash-brake"-- I certainly don't come to a stop on the freeway before engaging fifth gear(?)

Thanks in advance for answering a dumb question!

 

[gotdeeres]

The owner manual provides the following information for using the travel controls on a gear transmission.


1. Push brake/clutch pedal (A) all the way down to stop machine.

2. Move transmission shift lever (B) to desired travel speed.

3. Release brake/clutch pedal slowly.

SLOWLY! is the important point.

You should use the brake/clutch to change gears. A new machine can be jumpy until the belts and pulleys get broke in. Try starting in fifth gear and release the clutch very slowly letting the belt slip a little before engaging. Do this 3 or 4 times. If this does not help, it may be necessary to adjust the belt tension.

GotDeeres