I did a bit of logging Sun morning with my D6C.

It was probably around 20F outside when I fired it up.

I have not run the machine in probably 2 months. I let it warm up for maybe 5-8 minutes before I slowly moved my way to where I planned to push over some trees. It went in 1st gear forward ok, but I noticed when I tried to go in reverse, I had a harder time than normal getting it in that gear, the selector lever was stiff. When I did get it in reverse, it went much slower. In fact, it would go about 10 ft, and then stop, like it was struggling to go any further.

By the time I got to where I was going to log (drove about 200 ft), reverse worked normal. I logged for about 6 hours, no problems.

Did I not let it warm up enough, or is this a sign of something that is going away? If I don't let it warm up properly, could I be causing damage to the transmission?

On my d2 it wont shift when its below freezing either, have to get it warmed up before it shifts.Got water in the trans. when I pressuer washed it last fall.Leave it in 1st gear when I park so I can move it.Hope your problem is minor.
Joe

Warm it up and make sure the drain plugs for the clutch compartments are removed to allow any melted water to drain. The plugs are there to prevent water from getting in when used in muddy/high water conditions. Also for washing out housings with diesel. Snow melt and rainwater drain into the compartments and freeze making it impossible to move components. A few years ago, my friend and I were going to pull start my D4 (gas tank was being sealed) and he pulled with his D4. When I engaged the clutch, my tractor became a boat anchor. Clutch compartments were frozen. In the spring, I pulled the plugs and drained alot of condensate from them.

5-8 minutes of warm-up time in 20 degree weather isn't quite enough. I've run D6C in the winter here in Upper Michigan quite a bit, and the transmissions can be sluggish until they warm up. We generally let them warm up at 1/4 throttle for at least 20 minutes before moving. Also when you first get ready to move the tractor, lift your blade all the way up, then all the way down breaking the tracks loose from the ground. This not only loosens the tractor from the ground, but mixes the cold hydraulic oil in the cylinders with the warmer oil from the tank.

Happy Pushing!!!! D6's are great old machines!!!!

Rick

"lift your blade all the way up, then all the way down breaking the tracks loose from the ground"

Yeah, I always do that...

I'll let it warm up more...

"B4D2" wrote:

Warm it up and make sure the drain plugs for the clutch compartments are removed to allow any melted water to drain. The plugs are there to prevent water from getting in when used in muddy/high water conditions. Also for washing out housings with diesel. Snow melt and rainwater drain into the compartments and freeze making it impossible to move components. A few years ago, my friend and I were going to pull start my D4 (gas tank was being sealed) and he pulled with his D4. When I engaged the clutch, my tractor became a boat anchor. Clutch compartments were frozen. In the spring, I pulled the plugs and drained alot of condensate from them.

There is no compartments that need to be drained on the D6C. If you remove the drain plugs Oil will come out. The D6C is not like the older machines that had dry clutches and brakes. Everything runs in oil.