3205 seens to hard stop with rocker pedals

[moverbaugh]

Thanks for haveing me in group. I have owned a outdoor equip repair service in NE Indiana for 25 yrs. (one horse shop)I recently had a 3205 come in for no hydro. The owner decided not to fix and was going to trade in on Zero turn. I offered him the trade in value with hydro out. Got the hydro fixed and decided to keep it. It seems that the neutral between forward and reverse is a hard stop. It comes to a complete hard stop and is hard on my back. I can slow my foot and that helps. I have adjusted hydro gears before but couldnt see an adjustment. I dont have a service manual yet but will be getting one in future. I was hoping someone may have delt with this already, or maybe it is the nature of the beast. TIA friends

 

[moverbaugh]

Sorry about wrong model on header, should say 3205. I dont know how to edit header. Thanks

 

[jbaker]

Mickey Welcome, can't help you at the moment but we do have a guy named Marlin that might help,

give him a day to find this

 

[mhomrighausen]

Welcome Mickey. Thank You Jeff for the kind words. I've sent an e:mail to a gentleman very familiar with the newer Cub Cadets and their linkages. Mickey ... You should be getting an e:mail from a gentleman named Troy S. Check your SPAM folder in case it goes there. I'm thinking the inkage is somewhat rusted and out of adjustment. Make sure everything in the linkage is clean and non rusty. Sticking valves ususally give s sluggish response. Put your tractor up on SOLID BLOCKS so there is NO WAY it can fall or roll off and then start the tractor up and follow the linkage travel. Look for spots that may be bent or rusted. A GOOD rust penetrant helps loosen things up. BE CAREFUL taking a hammer to jiggle things while the tractor is on blocks and running. SAFETY FIRST!!!! Keep us posted.

 

[moverbaugh]

Thank you Marlin, Thats a possibilty, I have a notion it set outside during all the snow last winter. I have a rack set up with a hoist for such test. I will remove deck and get it in air where i can inspect. the linkages.

 

[nbextermueller]

Does it hard stop both forward and reverse? I'm thinking if it is only one direction, it might have a broken spring or something allowing the linkage to "snap" back to stop instead of being more balanced.

I know my hydro's will stop on a dime if I pull the hand control lever back hard/fast enough. But my hand is the "return to stop" mechanism. Foot controls usually have springs to auto return them to the stop position when you take your foot off. So it might help to use the parts look up above and find an exploded view of the controls and make sure you have all the parts accounted for.

It doesn't sound like a hydro pump issue if you can slow it normally with your foot.

It may also have a trunion wear issue if that tractor even has a trunion similar to our older cubs.

Again check all the springs you can find for broken or worn spots.

 

[mhomrighausen]

Nic B also has a good suggestion. Like Nic.... It is probably in a rusted/broken linkage part. I know I keep recommending STONG ARM Spray to everyone however that stuff works beautifully for loosening up rusted parts and leaves a protective coating on.

On another note.... I found a very nice 3000 Series Cub Cadet with only 415 one owner for $425.00. OH man that little guy is sweet and well taken care of. I just can't bring myself to sell one of my other Cubs to bring it home.

 

[moverbaugh]

Thanks Nic and Marlin. It is in both directions. The pedals feel good, doesnt seem to be sticking.Its a symptom like, when i adjust a hydrogear brake inside to tight it locks up in nuetral. I am thinking it should be a softer slowdown to stop, than a abrupt stop when you move to neutral. I can slowly return to nuetral and soften stop but that seems anoying. if I let off either the forward or reverse it will jerk me forward or backwards accordingly. Just like i slamed on the brakes. My thiking is it should ease to stop in maybe a foot or less, it just seems more abrupt than any other hydros I have encountered. If the nature of the 3000 series is to stop on a dime with rocker peds it would just take some getting use to, and a good back LOL. thanks again folks for input

 

[moverbaugh]

Thanks again for the replies. I think you was right Marlin. I hadnt had a chance to check linkages out, I was on the road this evening and when I returned home, my pops had fired the beast up and gave it a work out on about 3 acres. I ask him about the pedals and he said they are working fine now. At 78 years old he sid he enjoys this machine better than his JD 318 granted he has wore the 318 out. It needs alot of TLC. Maybe now that the CC 3205 is working out, I can get the 318 back in shape. We have been doing 5 acres with a JD320 38 inch cut last few weeks do to deck needing rebuilt on JB318. I had a few Zero turns come in for deck issues that took the load off the JD 320 as I tested the decks out for leveling. I have an old IH Cub out back with a K17 50"cut. hasnt been ran for years. I need to get it back in service so I can sale it.

 

[mhomrighausen]

Mickey O. Thank You and that is great to hear that everything is working as it should. Should you get a chance please post some pictures of the 3205 and your Dad having fun driving it. And what model is the Cub Cadet with the 50" deck and KT17?

 

[jbaker]

Mickey, glad its working out, and thanks to Marlin our Resident Hydro transmission guy.

your 3205 is what MTD calls a true garden tractor capable of ground engaging work.

It was made in 98 and 99 and came with a 20hp kawasaki liquid cooled engine.

Does yours have the rare optional front hydraulics?

 

[toconnor]

Mickey, it took me some time to get used to using the foot controlled hydro. Mine will stop very quick when you lift your foot off the pedal too. I was thinking this can't be good if your on concrete because it really jerks the rear but the same will happen on all hydro's if you slam them to neutral. Once you get used to using it you will really like it.