Just acquired my grandfathers machine but im not sure the shift pattern. Where reverse is, and there is a lever on the left of steering wheel almost like a turn signal switch.
Are you serious Clark? Your yanking our chains......right?
You've never run any equipment? The lever is likely for forward and reverse in each gear. Would be good to get an operator's manual if you don't have one.
best you take a tractor safety course. A tractor is a very good way to get hurt
Hurt or dead. If you are not familiar with the basics of how to move the machine forward and back or the shifting PLEASE get some instruction from someone experienced before running it much. You could hurt yourself, your machine or someone else. That machine has the power to destroy things in a hurry. There are videos on you tube but in person works best for some while videos for others. Just take your time and you and the machine will be safe and happy
Welcome to HEF, Jim ! Use this link to get the operators manual. https://cdn.minnpar.com/partbooks/C...S/CASE 580B/CASE 580B CK Operators Manual.pdf
The turn signal lever looking thing is the forward neutral and reverse lever. And then you have the manual gearshift lever coming out of the floor for your different speeds. It's called a shuttle shift. It's sort of like a automatic tied to a manual 4 speed transmission. But there is no clutch. Make sure you have brakes and then try it out. Most of these machines have a black pull out knob to stop them. They need no electric to run. So make sure that long pull knob is pushed in, and see if it will crank over. To stop it pull on the black pull knob. Everyone has to start somewhere. When I bought my backhoe I didn't know how to start it or drive it, much less use it. The guy that hauled it for me put it on the trailer and unloaded it. Then I figured it out from there, how it worked, rebuilding some of the cylinders, pulling the oil pan, etc. What can be very frustrating is using it to dig. I had never operated a backhoe before, it looks easy watching someone else. I had a fairly large project, the reason I bought it. After about a week of using it, I found I was getting the hang of it without realizing I was. After that it's a little bit like riding a bicycle, though it takes a little bit to get back in the groove.
Best to know all the controls and how they work instead of just hopping on it and guessing how everything works. My track loader has a plate that says as much. Reading the manual is your best bet at this point.
On most of the 580’s, the shuttle has to warm up before it’ll move.. SO DONT put it in gear, forward or reverse and walk away.!!! They also like to stick & won’t move at all.. try going in reverse to unstick the brakes.(balls)
I can verify the above. I redid the brakes and they still stick some. What helped it the most was to adjust the brakes a little bit loose so you have some travel in the pedals, and to also lube, lube and lube again the parking brake system. All those linkages like to rust up and stick, causing the brakes to be sticky also. Like was said the more you use it, the less sticky they are.