By Bill Entringer (Billyboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I've got a 2001 max II, lately the left stick catches when (after pulling it back and letting it back forward) it is about to engage the wheels. I talked to RI and they said to lubricate the upper plunger rod rubber plug on the transmission. Sure enough that is where it was catching, but the lubricant only helped a small bit. Any suggestions?

Thanks

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Bill, I think, unless you want to tear down the tranny, that you will just have to put up with the "plunger hang". You could check your lateral springs and make sure they are tight and try more lubricant with the lever as far forward as it goes. What I think is happening is: there are two o rings that keep the oil in. As they slide back and forth, they lack enough lubricant to move easily. Whenever I tear down a tranny, I put lots of Vaseline all over the o rings and between them. It is real hard to get lubricant past the first o ring from the outside.

The other thing you could check is the pivot point where the laterals are mounted to the frame. Put a little lubricant down each lever occasionally to keep them from rusting. I had a fellow bring me a Max II to work on that had one lever rusted solid (stick wouldn't move but a fraction of an inch - sure had me stumped for a while trying to figure out what could make the tranny lock up like that).

By Bill Entringer (Billyboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks Fred, I'm pretty mechanically inclined how hard is it to tear down and fix? I bought the repair manuals when I bought my max, will they show me how to do it?

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Bill, The skid steer booklet shows you how to dismantle the tranny. You would go through the same process as changing bands. Personally, I would just live with the snap and if you ever have to get into the tranny, then lube the o rings up good (I'm not even positive that my solution is the solution). Would be discouraging to spend six or so hours and not even have it fixed.