Vermeer Flextrack 75 wont turn

[rditz]

Thank you in advance for any opinions or advice that helps us getting this machine to turn as it should...

boss bought a vermeer flextrack 75 from auction a couple of years ago.. it is a vibrating plow for installing cable, conduit, etc... this things runs good, but it has a couple of problems that we need to fix... first, it doesn't want to turn. it would turn to the right when it was cold, but after three hours of plowing it wouldn't turn at all. it is a track machine but has a steering wheel.. if turned all the way to either the left or right the machine either stops moving or it starts to go backwards slowly.. it is also hydrostatic drive (or some form of it..) second issue is track speed, there is a switch on the dash for high or low track speed, but it doesn't make any difference.

thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated..

rod

 

[Tones]

Pressure check the track drive system, both sides, to get a comparison. Check the casedrain flow at the hydraulic motors, again to get a comparison. A worn drive motor has internal leakage and that oil goes into the casedrain. Check the gear oil level in the planetary hubs, over full tells you theres leakage from the hydraulic motor and no the hub doesn't always need to be pulled down if it's over full but drained, flushed and refilled is good. One of the reasons for all of this in regards to the planetary hub is that casedrain flow can be more than the hoses can handle, pressure builds and oil goes into the hub.
The 2 speed, check that you have power to and from the switch, check you have power on the 2 speed solenoid on the hydraulic control bank. If its good so far check the solenoid is moving, there should be a click when it moves. If all this checks out OK then the problem is in the hydraulic drive motors.

 

[rditz]

thanks Tones... now i have to find all this stuff to start diagnosing... but great advise to start...

 

[rditz]

would anyone out there have parts manual for this Felxtrax75?? was able to download operations manual directly from Vermeer... but looking for parts manual...

thanks

 

[Tones]

How are you going with this so far? If you remove the cover off the hydraulic motor there maybe a tag on it which will give you the information you need but not necessarily the planetary drive. Some can be a mix and match.

 

[rditz]

tones, sorry, haven't got there yet, going today... managed to get an operators manual, which is going to be helpful as well.. several of the switches have no labels... will report back after i see how far i get today.. thx again

 

[rditz]

Tones, ok, spent a bunch of time on the tractor yesterday... left gauge doesnt work, right gauge registers about 500-700 PSI in short bursts. i actually switched hoses so left track was on right gauge and still had nothing..
drained hubs of about 2/3 ltr of oil... after that i was able to turn in both directions... so at the very least we know we can restore turning in that fashion.. just dont know how bad the motor(s) are leaking and how often we will have to do this...

looked at the trackspeed switch and i do have power to the centre terminal and when clicked to "fast" i get power to the bottom lug. click to slow and nothing to the top lug.. also this appears to be dbl throw switch and there is no power to the left bank of terminals at all..

trying to get a parts manual from vermeer or anyone that would have one they would share or sell...hoping that there is a wireing diagram in it to help in trouble shooting...

thanks..

 

[Tones]

2 to 3 litres of oil in the hubs is probably the correct amount, a service manual will confirm. Can you check the pressures on the transmission drive pump actually pressure and flow test would be ideal. I know doing these checks is a pain but it's less painful than fixing stuff that ain't broke. And doing a casedrain flow test on the hydraulic motors is helpful in determining the health of the system. I can't be of any help on the electric side things here. Each manufacturer breads their own kind of mongrel.