Hello all, not sure but thought this should warrant a new thread, kinda new at this. Lookin at a 1994 case 580 super k 2wd extendahoe showing 2600 hours. Only problem is the guy says that it will not move at all. Apparently the transmission is junk. Talked to the local Case dealer and they said to run away fast that that transmission was only used for a few years (series 3) and that depending on the seriousness of the issue could cost ten to twelve thousand to repair. He said many tractors of this model have been salvaged due to bad transmissions, just not worth the money need to repair. Is this guy shootin me straight or can it be overhauled elsewhere or by a mechanic with a factory manual? Are parts that expensive or is it mostly labor involved? Kinda long winded post, but really needing some sound advice from knowledgeable folks. Thanks....
The phase 3 transaxles are pricy to rebuild. If the transmission need a ring gear and pinion, carrier, bearings,sycronizers and brake plates which are the normal parts for a trashed trans rebuild you could get into the $10000 range for a rebuild at a dealership. Even doing it yourself you could run into 6-7 thousand just in parts.
Hey Goose, I don't know much abouth the phase 3 tranny. Is it common for one to be trash with just 2600 hrs on it?
Atco: Those early phase 3 transaxles had a few known problems. #1The ears on the brake piston would sheer off and cause it to spin in the housing, if the bore was screwed up enough even the over size piston didn't help you needed a new transaxle housing. #2 there was a small welch plug/ frost plug with an orifice for the lube circuit. There was a fix for this however if not repaired it slipped out of place robbing the pinion shaft of lube. Usually a complete disaster gears, synchro's, and of course a crown and pinion set. Some real early ones had a "pill" with a small hole drilled in it for lube. Thing was some got taken apart to repair brake problem under warranty the pill would fall out and noone would notice. Same disaster with the pinion. #3 There were some with mismatched cones and bearings in the axles eg Timken cones with say SKF cups. Usually filled tranny with lots of sparkly matter. Usually took out charge pump and clutch packs had to be resealed. Most should have been repaired under warranty or under the mod program by Case. Once these areas were repaired there was never another problem at least at our dealer, and the later SK transaxles were fine. Thing is there were no doubt that some slipped through the cracks. If a contractor had it he could easily put 2000 hours on a year and experience this failure under warranty. A private guy may buy it...move or never take it to a dealer if he's only putting on a couple hundred hours a year. And never receive his letter for the mods from Case.
Wow! Well, I guess if a mfg is going to screw up a few designs...might as well get it all over with on one series. I guess I haven't worked on one of these, worked on all the earlier 580's up to the early K and the L model. Somehow I managed to miss the phase 3. I'm curious if the machine millwrightguy is looking at is, in fact, trashed; or if it's something more simple? How would he know?
While it not that common to trash the transaxle with that low of hours it is possible with the right operator or machine neglect/abuse. Gggraham hit the highlights of the problems very well. One of the other problems on the later transaxles was the thrust washers behind the spider gears would break up and destroy the carrier and gears and more depending on how long the machine was ran after it started chewing itself up.
I appreciate all the replies. So i gather there is really no way to tell how serious the damage is without tearing apart? Would this machine even be worth considering? What would it be worth in this condition? Would it even be worth messing with at all? Having said all this, it is actually going on the auction block this Saturday. Let me know what some you think.. Thanks.
Unless you know for sure the updates were done....I'd shy away from it. Could end up costing a lot of money to repair. Lots of machines out there in this economy. I forgot about the thrust washer in the diff Goose. But I also forgot about the ones that had the pinion bolt back off because they were not torqued at the factory. Didn't ever mess anything up at least the ones we ran across. That bolt later had a lube hole drilled in it because guys were taking out 4 WD bearing. But Goose is right....we had SK's with 7,000 - 12,000 hours on them. Takes the right operator or should I say wrong operator and some abuse. Leave the 4WD engaged on these machines...the lead of the front wheels will tear a pinion shaft out in about 1 week. Not to mention the steel effects the charge pump and torque converter.
This post might be a little late but if a 2wd had a broken axle - it won't drive. Raise the machine & spin the wheels by hand - if one spins easily that will be the problem, & not too expensive to fix.
Does it shift? Can you feel it "clunk" into all 4 gears? If not, there are two shift rods attached to your T handle and they tend to break off at the clevis down at the shift levers on the trans. Long shot, but it wouldn't hurt to look.
you can not tow the machine more then 100 feet or faster then 1 mph. As it will take out the main clutches. thats in the service books