544C travel speed uphill

[DS@MBG]

I am a new owner of a John Deere 544C loader and when I am using it on level ground it operates well. If I am going up a hill the traveling speed drops quite a bit. It goes slow in both low and high range. On flat ground and down hill it travels fast. The transmission oil temp and pressure are good looking at the gauges. Is this normal or what could I look at to improve the speed it moves uphill?
Thanks

 

[512high]

Welcome.....I don't know too much, the seasoned people will chime in soon, great bunch of advice here. Is this a Hydrostatic transmission?(hi/lo)? I have a small loader, with hi-speed option and hydro. tranny going uphill speed is knocked down, depending on grade etc.

 

[DS@MBG]

Hi 512high, I think it could be called a hydrostatic drive. It has one speed in reverse and low and four in high range. I know it will travel slower uphill but it goes pretty slow in low range and I don't want to damage anything by creating to much heat in the transmission. If this is not a concern I can use it for more jobs as long as I am not causing damage.

 

[512high]

Others will chime in......Tranny filter? solenoids on tranny? I'm shooting darts!

 

[mg2361]

Welcome to HEF DS@MBG!

Travel speed slow is a relative term. Those old units had lots of complaints like that when compared to newer units. What you may perceive as slow others may feel it is OK. Oil level OK? It is checked with the engine idling. Did you actually measure travel speed in each gear with a chase car on a flat road? Engine rpm's meeting fast idle spec? Perform a turbo boost check and a converter stall test to see if the engine power is where it should be plus the transmission integrity? Does it have plenty of power performing loader operations?

I think it could be called a hydrostatic drive.

No, it is an Allison powershift transmission.

 

[Lindsey97]

I have a 1985 Case w20C with allison ttx21 transmission. Owned it 17 years. It's always been slow when uphill is involved. I have reverse one speed, and foward 2 speeds. Low foward is a sprag clutch and is slow but very forgiving. Reverse is a gear and pressured clutch and is faster than foward low. Foward high is very fast, not good for hills at all or loading of any type, and is a gear and pressured clutch.

Change the oil and change the filters yearly whether you change the oil or not, and make sure you have a working temp gauge. Also buy yourself a infrared laser thermometer.

 

[DS@MBG]

Welcome to HEF DS@MBG!

Travel speed slow is a relative term. Those old units had lots of complaints like that when compared to newer units. What you may perceive as slow others may feel it is OK. Oil level OK? It is checked with the engine idling. Did you actually measure travel speed in each gear with a chase car on a flat road? Engine rpm's meeting fast idle spec? Perform a turbo boost check and a converter stall test to see if the engine power is where it should be plus the transmission integrity? Does it have plenty of power performing loader operations?



No, it is an Allison powershift transmission.

 

[DS@MBG]

Thanks mg2361, I will follow your suggestions. I am a novice working with this size of equipment could you explain how to preform a turbo boost test?

 

[DS@MBG]

I have a 1985 Case w20C with allison ttx21 transmission. Owned it 17 years. It's always been slow when uphill is involved. I have reverse one speed, and foward 2 speeds. Low foward is a sprag clutch and is slow but very forgiving. Reverse is a gear and pressured clutch and is faster than foward low. Foward high is very fast, not good for hills at all or loading of any type, and is a gear and pressured clutch.

Change the oil and change the filters yearly whether you change the oil or not, and make sure you have a working temp gauge. Also buy yourself a infrared laser thermometer.

Thanks for your suggestions

 

[mg2361]

could you explain how to preform a turbo boost test?

First thing is to check that the engine is reaching full throttle. You will need to have some sort of external tachometer to do that. The engine fast idle spec is 2400+/- 25 rpm.

There is a fitting on the intake manifold. You connect a gauge to that port. With the engine at full operating temperature, you leave the park brake on, apply the service brakes, place the shift lever in High forward, then run engine at full throttle to stall converter (careful, hold the brake pedal hard because the machine will want to move), then while stalling converter feather your bucket curl into stall and watch the gauge for the maximum reading. Spec is 6-8 psi. You may have to do this 2-3 times to get an average reading. Just don't stall it too long (15 seconds max). You could excessively heat the transmission. Let it idle a minute or two between attempts to let the transmission cool.

 

[DS@MBG]

Thanks mg2361, I will preform these test.

 

[DB2]

For what it’s worth we had a couple of 544B’s back when they were current and both lost a lot of travel speed negotiating any kind of hill. If the trans temp isn’t climbing I would say your fine.

 

[DS@MBG]

Thanks DB2.

 

[John C.]

If it is digging and loading normally and the transmission temperature stays within the design limits, no alarms and within gauge indications, just keep working. If you feel you have to run a test to satisfy an operator, then I suggest a full stall test. This works for a standard power shift transmission and torque converter machine. Raise the boom all the way up or tilt the bucket all the way back against the stops. Now hold the service brakes tight and put the transmission in third gear and floor the accelerator pedal to get full engine output. Check the engine speed in this condition and write it down. Now while holding this condition hold your hydraulics over relief by dogging in the bucket tilt or boom and and read the engine RPM again. Write it down. You should also watch the transmission temperature while doing this test. It should raise up pretty quickly. Once done put the hydraulic function in hold and let off the engine speed and take the transmission out of gear. Watch the transmission temperature and it should drop as quick as it rose up. Now you have a specification that you can compare against the manufacturer's specification to know that the output of the engine and condition of the drive train and hydraulics is normal or not. If you have a high
If you have a hydrostatic drive machine, all that I know that you can do is check cycle times, pressures and watch your temperatures.

 

[DS@MBG]

If it is digging and loading normally and the transmission temperature stays within the design limits, no alarms and within gauge indications, just keep working. If you feel you have to run a test to satisfy an operator, then I suggest a full stall test. This works for a standard power shift transmission and torque converter machine. Raise the boom all the way up or tilt the bucket all the way back against the stops. Now hold the service brakes tight and put the transmission in third gear and floor the accelerator pedal to get full engine output. Check the engine speed in this condition and write it down. Now while holding this condition hold your hydraulics over relief by dogging in the bucket tilt or boom and and read the engine RPM again. Write it down. You should also watch the transmission temperature while doing this test. It should raise up pretty quickly. Once done put the hydraulic function in hold and let off the engine speed and take the transmission out of gear. Watch the transmission temperature and it should drop as quick as it rose up. Now you have a specification that you can compare against the manufacturer's specification to know that the output of the engine and condition of the drive train and hydraulics is normal or not. If you have a high
If you have a hydrostatic drive machine, all that I know that you can do is check cycle times, pressures and watch your temperatures.

Thanks John.