Howdy. Trying to figure out what's going on with this Gehl skid steer. I don't know the model because the decals are gone almost and the other day when i took a look at it i was running tight on time. So first to maybe figure out a model it has the rust red color paint and what i think at one time was similar to a primer gray color. It's got a lot of rust and corrosion. Runs pretty good just ain't pretty. So what years did Gehl use that red paint? I haven't come across many Gehls. I have worked more on i guess the big three. Bobcat,CAT, and Deere. Atleast those are the bigger ones around here. So i'm trying to use the paint color to identify a year window to narrow it down. I know the last two of the model decal on the lift arm are 00. The first two appear to be a 6 or 8. So maybe a 6800 or 8800 model? Anywho if yall can help i would appreciate it on figuring this out. It's about 15 miles from me and don't have gas to make a special trip to get that info off an ID tag if i can even find one. This thing has been used and abused. Here is the issue it's having. When you are in it the front left wheel won't spin. I took a look with a light and from what i could see it is chain drive. It appears the chain runs in a triangle shape. So at the base you have the sprockets for the wheels and the peak you have the dual gear sprocket for both chains that's driven by the machine. So any idea what could be going on? I'm thinking a few things. 1. The sprocket at the front left wheel got rounded off and the chain cant grab 2. The bearing went completely bad in it and ceased up. 3. The sprocket is fine but the splines on the axle shaft are worn and not meshing causing the wheel not to spin. Guy said he was clearing snow with it and that wheel just locked up. Didn't hear any odd sounds or anything. Ofcourse it's a pretty loud machine and he is right on a state route so a lot of traffic. Any help is appreciated. It's similar in appearance to the 4300 so maybe it's from whatever time period that is. I'm gonna give the nearest dealer a call monday if i don't find any info.
The way these are set up is one hydraulic motor per side between the front and rear wheels with a chain to each wheel on that side. If the left rear wheel is working and the front free wheels, the chain to the front most likely either broke or jumped off the sprocket due to wear, the slack is supposed to be adjusted on occasion. If the front is seized up tight then the bearing is probably done as you mentioned but it will take more investigating to be sure.
HL3000 possibly? If only the front wheel on one side is locked there could be something binding it or a bad bearing. Each wheel has its own chain that meets at a common center point driven by an individual motor on each side. I dont know if gehl uses a single chain case (bobcat, Mustang etc.) or a double chain case (new holland, deere, CAT). Either way the concept is the same, single chain cases just have the motors mounted outboard with the chains all in a common case under the seat, double chain cases have the motors inboard with individual chain cases at the exterior of the machine. Single cases are generally accessed underneath the seat through a panel, doubles are egenerally accessed through a removeable exterior panel between the wheels. Some run tensioners others have slideable hubs to take up the tension. The concepts for all skids are the same, just a couple different ways of going about it. Good luck.
Thanks for the input. This has to be a dual chain case because both sides have the access panel. Oddly the panel is inside the cab so gotta figure out how that comes out. Can't be any worse then taking my truck dashboard apart. I'm going back over monday to pick my parents car up from the guy he had to put an alternator on it so i'll get that wheel in the air and see if it will spin. Atleast if it's locked i know it's something with the bearing. Now the task of finding parts. Let's hope they still make parts. If not tractor supply will be seeing me. I'm hoping i can fix this because i owe the guy some money on a car i'm buying off him and he said if i can ever help him with things he will knock some off of what i owe. He is an ASE mechanic skidloaders are foreign to him. So hopefully this works. Thanks for the input i'll keep yall updated if i ever figure the model out.
they still have parts for them. I just got parts for an old OMC through them this summer. Many of the parts are machine specific so TSC won't be much help, but could be. Honestly that store is a joke IMO. For the hobby farmer/ horse farmer more than anything, they really have nothing of use anytime I walk in there and what they do have is overpriced. You say there are two individual panels inside? Then yes it could be dual chaincases. Don't let two external panels fool you, on some single case machines like the older OMCs they just covered the tensioner and motor. Good luck.
Yeah. So far i have actually had decent luck at TSC. Atleast when i need to take a universal part and make it work. Like the mount bushings for my toro riding mowers plow wore out. Rather then pay top dollar at the dealer got a couple shaft collars from TSC and some grade 8 bolts and for $10 or less it was fixed. So it comes in handy i will say it beats lowes and menards by a long shot. I hate the hardware selection at those stores. Seems they are always out of what i need. Anywho glad to hear i can get parts. Hopefully looking at it tomorrow and the mystery of model and issue with the wheel is solved.
Is this machine a gas or diesel? Take a look on Iron Search for Gehl skid steer loaders and there are several older red colored machines that may help give you a comparison to narrow down the model.
Thanks for the help. Wasn't able to find an ID tag on it for serial number or anything but i found a parts manual on a site for a HL2600 and it's a match based on appearance. I did find out it is a gas engine. Not sure if it's the stock engine because it looks like it may have been replaced at some point. Looks a little too nice and neat for the shape this thing is in. He had tinkered with it over the weekend and said he found the chain jumped the sprocket. He shortened the chain and went to the performance shop next door and got a new master link i think he said. He said he has used the machine but it's still not fully grabbing the wheel. His words are you can feel the slop in it but it's atleast grabbing part of the time now. So i'm thinking he probably needs a new chain and sprocket? I haven't opened it up and he put it back together so i didn't get to look at it torn apart. I figure if the wheel is moving fine and it's just slack in the chain probably is nothing bearing or axle related and tied to the drive chain and sprocket.
If its a 2600 it originaly had a onan nhc series engine about 24 hp. the 2600's where red with a yellow or gray/white roll cage. The serial number is on the cross bar above the engine on the rt. side, near where the boom/lift arm attaches to main frame . My brother has one still a pretty good machine. Pretty simple /basic to work on. Your problem with the front wheel may be the same problem we had once. The axle shaft goes through the wheel bearings and is splined for the sprocket, on the sprocket there is a "adapter" hub of sorts welded to the sprocket that has the splines cut in it to go on the axle. On ours the weld joining the hub to the sprocket broke. Our sprocket was in bad shape and we had to replace it. A local machine shop said it was a common sprocket and got a new one in two days ,welded it to the old hub and back in business under a hundred bucks. If we did not need the new sprocket a simple re-weld would have been fine (free). I don't know if this will help but here is a 2600 manual, http://pdf.germanbliss.com/HL2600SkidSteerLoaderpartsManual.pdf pages 10-16 show the drive system. Hope this may help, good luck. A problem we also some times have is the sprocket and chains are in a "well" that can get debris in it. Some times rocks, nuts or bolts and stuff like that falls in and gets between the chain and sprocket, locking it up. Remove the debris and your are all set, if that is what happened.
Thanks for the info mark. I think it is the 2600 based off the color scheme you said. I could see some yellow to it, very faintly. Got a feeling this will help a lot.
Roller chains stretch and then do not mesh properly with the sprocket. For example, a #60 chain has a pitch (center of pin to center of pin) of 5/8". Industry standard recommends that the chain be replaced at 3% stretch. Therefore if you measure 10 links, new it should measure 6-1/4". 3% stretch on 10 links would be 3/16" so 10 links would measure 6-7/16" at max acceptable range. Next to misalignment, worn chains are the most common cause of sprocket wear. Hope this helps.
I just realized I had a typo. My example of roller chain says #60 is 5/8" pitch. That is incorrect, #60 chain is 3/4" pitch. My example is for # 50 chain which is 5/8" pitch.
Well Dinger I think even in error, you are correct. If my feeble memory serves me the 2600 takes a # 50 chain. So your numbers will work for him.