Go BottomB7200 Transmission Trouble
 | studioe
Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Greenwich, NY 
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2010-01-05 167905
I have been using my Kubota B72000D 4WD for about 6 months now for mowing. I just bought a blower for the rear PTo to do my driveway, and have discoverd that it is a challenge to say the least due to the machine being a standard. Snow clogs, etc. only after the first time using it this weekend.
However, about an hour after using the blower for the first time, I started noticing that the clutch was having trouble engaging (or is that disengaging?). I'd push the pedal to the floor, and it still wanted to drive. Additiionally, it was becoming more and more difficult to put it in and out of gear, which became a dangerous situation.
I tried adjusting the turnbuckle on the clutch arm and also adjusted the screw to allow for more pedal travel, but no good. the pedal goes as far as I can push it, and the engine still wants to pull.
I called my local Kubota dealer, but since I do not have a trailer large enough to haul this, there's little he could tell me other than he though the rear case would have to be split and the clutch looked at to determine the issue...around $1000 task including $200 in parts if indeed a failed clutch was the issue.
My questions are,
1. Could the attachment of the blower be causing this?
2. Could a low fluid level in the rear trasmission cause this?
3. Is this an accurate assessment?
My second part of the question is....
What would you suggest on a minimal budget as a solution? I need to mow 2-3 steepish acres with apple trees (low clearance), and clear a steepish 250' long driveway. Plow on my truck is expensive and would kill my transmission faster. Maybe a small riding mower with a wide cut and pay for plowing? Quad with a plow and a pull-behind mower? Trade this rtactor in for a newer small Kubota?
The main idea is to leverage the value of the tractor I have, which includes 200 lb weights, 60" belly mower and a 52" blower and do the tasks I have to complete at minimal or no cost. The 4WD I have is nice (and safe), and the reason the crappy little murray mower I had wasn't (excuse the pun) cutting it. But I can't afford to run out and spend $15-20k on a tracrtor.
Suggestions?
Happy New Year!
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 | earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan 
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2010-01-05 167908
For situations like yours, either pay for plowing or buy a beater truck come spring and have the rest of the year to get it running or get the bugs worked out.
Sure the blower could affect the clutch in my opinion if there is drag in the blower if there's a bad bearing in it. Not sure if it would prevent tthe clutch from working though---likely it it would wear it out first.
As far as the clutch it sounds to me like a bad throwout bearing. A grand for lab or seems steep. You could buy a service manual and do it yourself, or find a buddy to assist.
Have you power washed the tractor to where water got in the clutch housing and froze the clutch? ....
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| studioe
Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Greenwich, NY
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2010-01-05 167911
Hey Earthwks...
I thought about the truck thing, but worried about digging up the gravel drive and rolling up the sod. Plus, that doesn't solve my mowing issue.
The blower is nearly new, so it's not creating any additional drag due to being worn out or bearing.
They're saying likely a grand (including parts) to fix.
I didn't powerwash. ....
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 | auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2010-01-05 167912
How many hours are on it, and did you adjust the pedal in the right direction?
I can't see how a blower could cause this, but if it worked OK before, would it not be easy to try it without the blower?
I'd hire someone to move your snow in the meantime, invest in a service manual, and decide if you want to tackle the job yourself. If not, look at it this way. Clutch parts can't last forever, and what you have now is a driveway decoration. Once those wear items are renewed, you'll have an essentially new 7200. Is that not worth a grand? ....
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| studioe
Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Greenwich, NY
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2010-01-05 167913
I'm in the process of building my house and raising two kids.....I don't have time for another "project".
Dealer wants to give me $3500 trade at the most, and has a BX-2200 with a loader, mower and blower for $9500.
Hate to get a loan, so I thought maybe of trading up.
The B7200 has a full, non folding roll bar, which makes it impossible to mow under my trees. Thought another option might be to leverage the tractor for a very nice riding mower, and just pay for the driveway, but I hate to rely on someone for anything....ugh. ....
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 | kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2010-01-05 167914
Are you sure pushing the pedal is working the clutch? If it has a clamp on rod running out of the transmission I would look to be sure it is not slipping or has slipped. Not a mechanic but guess it is possible the problem could be due to the load on the clutch from the pto for the blower. Don't guess your pto shaft is too long and has shoved the pto shaft in the transmission some has it? ....
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| studioe
Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Greenwich, NY
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2010-01-05 167915
Oooohhh...scary thought.
I did have to get an extension on my pto due to the fact that the pto shaft is surrounded by the rollbar clamp on cage. However, I had the drive shaft cut to size so it wouldn't bind.
I'll look anyway - not sure what that mess would look like, but, it frieghtens me....
I'll also look for a clamp, but I did see a turnbuckle and an adjustm,ent screw. ....
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 | harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY 
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2010-01-06 167917
I like kthompson's thought. Me thinks shaft could be slipping. More likely throw out forks slip or pin shear. Possible pressure plate comming apart. Sounds like a small tractor worth hanging onto.
You can not buy anything to replace for less than a grand and you have a piece of junk rusting in the yard in the off season.
Bottom line. Even if it cost a grand to fix you'd lose that on trade anyway or get back if fixed.
I used a straight shift tractor non live PTO for years to blow snow. I use gear that handle snow easy take a little longer. As I came to end of push or where I want to stop I never touch clutch but would slide shifter into neutral let blower clear clutch back into gear and go. As long as transmission is not loaded heavy you should not damage anything. But if tractor working hard to move tractor you stand chance breaking tooth off gear. ....
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| kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2010-01-06 167918
Studioe, I pushed a pto shaft with a rear mower enough to cause me problems and it was not detectable looking at it. Was told as Harvey said bent a shifter fork. ....
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| studioe
Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Greenwich, NY
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2010-01-06 167922
Well, I only was using it for the first time....maybe an hour into it, I had trouble even getting it out of gear.
I'm planning on detaching the PTO tomorrow night, and seeing if the problem persists.
I also noticed - as a likely seperate issue - after leaving the tractor out in a storm for a night, that it took like 5-10 minutes for the hydraulics to respond after stertup. I'd try and raise the rear 3 pt hitch, and nothing would happen....then after it sat idling, and me scratching my head for a bit, it finally started working all of a sudden. Is this common on cold days? ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7248 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2010-01-06 167924
Hmmm........ somehow missed this thread.
I agree with the others, I think you'll find the problem is the too long PTO shaft.
As for the hydraulics problem, yes it's common. Not necessarily always manifesting itself the same way either.
The basic problem is this, snow blowing is hard work on a tractor, that means it gets warm. When the unit gets good and warm it melts any snow that gets (blown) onto it. Then later when you shut it off the melt water and humidity generally (it's snowing remember?) gets drawn into the transmission / hydraulic reservoir by the vacuum caused as the whole thing (hyd. fluid included) cools down and contracts some. When you go to start it back up next time it's covered in ice, and likely has some in the system too. Most hydraulic fluid is "hydroscopic" (which means it absorbs water up into solution, this is what gives it the milky, frothy white appearance) so there is a bit of ice in the system till it runs long enough to make enough heat to melt it.
Best of luck. ....
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| studioe
Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Greenwich, NY
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2010-01-06 167925
hang on a sec...too long a shaft? Before I cut the shaft, I neasured the length from both high and low points to make sure it wasn't too long or too short. I have plenty of room for lifting and lowering without any binding. Was the binding what concerned you as far as affecting the clutch? ....
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| kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2010-01-06 167926
It is the level position where too long of shaft shows up if it is too long. All the way up or all the way down is where too short a shaft shows up. ....
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| studioe
Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 15 Greenwich, NY
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2010-01-06 167927
I knew you were going to say that. But for some reason mine is different - maybe because of the shaft extension, but there was only 2 inches difference at any angle.
....
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