Good evening all and hope everyone has a great new year. 580M series I Difficult question to ask and make the idea clear. What are the clues you use to determine when to downshift the transmission? Is it forward speed? Can’t be the engine rpms on this machine because at full throttle / 4th gear / rpms drop a couple of hundred and that’s about all on climbing an incline. I don’t have a ground speed indicator but I’m sure the tractor is slowing down on grades. just trying not to damage a transmission if possible. How can you determine the transmission is slipping or not? Hopefully most can understand the poorly worded message. Thanks, Mike.
You would really have to be continuously holding it against engine power to overheat the transmission, you are not slipping it as far as clutches are concerned but normal load versus converter action is what you are experiencing. I would shift it down when the ground speed gets low enough that it would go easier in the next gear down, none of the hoes of any brand are balls of fire on the road in high gear and certain grades in hill country may take you down two gears. It is normal for the engine to drop a couple hundred as you stated and even with the brakes locked it will hold that high RPM, IIRC about 22-2250 RPM. That is what we call stall speed which by the way is one predelivery check, proper high idle is essential so the rpm can settle into stall with full engine power. Many complaints of poor performance in a unit can be traced to low high idle settings.
Thank you very much. Exactly the information I was looking for. Have a great day!
Hasn't it got an AUTO mode - that changes by itself? From memory........ With engine running & in neutral, depress the button on the FNR lever & an 'A' should appear on the controller screen??
That would be kinda handy but I don’t think I have this option - no controller screen. Thanks for trying.
Ah! It's a Shuttleshift ......
Sounds appropriate. 4 speed with FNR on the column.