Differential Lock on 1969 Model 544 Hydro??

Indy · Aug 21, 2008

I preface this post by saying that I am somewhat new to the tractor world. I realize that Int'l had a heel engaged lever that locked in the differential on some models, that worked only when you keep it pressed down. I know that other newer tractors had such a locking differential that would stay engaged once it was pressed. Has anyone ever heard of holding the split-brake for the wheel that is spinning to get traction for the other wheel and releasing the brake once the other wheel is spinning so that it locks in the differential so that both wheels spin? Is this an auto differential Lock ? Ever heard of this?

Tractor,Tractor · Aug 21, 2008

No I have never heard of this, if you had a limited slip the spinning of the wheel would have locked them up. What I think you are referring to is when you loose traction the easiest wheel to spin will spin, using the brake to stop that spin forces the wheel with better traction to pull, until it breaks loose and spins then you hit the other brake again bascially walking your traction back and forth between the drive wheels until you are either buried up to your asxels or you regain traction and start moving again.

Tractor,Tractor · Aug 21, 2008

Then again I did not pay attention to your post and you said a Hydro, I have no experience with a hydro, but what I was talking about was a regular 2 wheel drive tractor.

rustyfarmall · Aug 21, 2008

John Deere 3010s through 4020s, maybe others, had a differential lock that stayed engaged until you pressed either of the brake pedals.

Indy · Aug 21, 2008

Did you ever hear of a differential lock that Engaged with pressing the brake?

mkirsch · Aug 21, 2008

The only reason it would work like that is if something is wrong with your differential. Worn shafts or bushings causing misalignment and binding of gears...

Are you SURE it's actually locking, or are both wheels spinning due to lack of traction?

I suspect that:
1. It's muddy and/or otherwise slippery.
2. One wheel loses traction.
3. You step on the brake to get the other wheel to spin.
4. The other wheel spins and loses traction too.
5. You release the brake.
6. Both wheels spin because neither has any traction.

Indy · Aug 21, 2008

You may be on target here. We had put the bucket up against a tree to check to see if the Hydro was working ok, when the right wheel dug in and spun up the dirt he stepped on the right brake, and then the left wheel dug in and spun. When he took his foot off the brake both wheels spun. Maybe it just seemed like they were spinning at the same time. So there is no such thing as an automatic differential lock at all?

formerly ny bill · Aug 21, 2008

i don't believe that US-built ih had a difflock until the 66 series. the 544 (56 series) wouldn't have one. the heel lever showed up in british built models. the 66 series had a plunger on the floor behind your right heel.

Hugh MacKay · Aug 22, 2008

Indy: There never was a diff lock or limited slip differential fo any of 504, 544, 656, 666, 686 or any of the hydros derived from the same tractors.

Farmall tractors quite rugularly spin both wheels, it's simply because traction is the same on both tires. You can go all the way back to H and M, it's because they are well balanced.

Differential Lock on 1969 Model 544 Hydro??

Indy

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