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Groundsmaster 4100--D/4110--D Hydraulic SystemPage 4 -- 11
Traction Circuit: LOW Speed (Mow)
The traction circuit piston pump is a variable displace-
ment pump that is directly coupled to the engine fly-
wheel. This pump utilizes an integral electro--hydraulic
servo piston assembly that controls the rate and direc-
tion of hydraulic flow. Pressing the traction pedal rotates
a potentiometer that provides an input to the machine
TEC controller. The controller in turn sends a corre-
sponding PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) output to the
electronic pump control to rotate the pump swash plate
accordingly to control pump output and direction. Trac-
tion circuit oil is directed to the dual displacement front
wheel and rear axle motors. Operating pressure on the
high pressure side of the closed traction circuit loop is
determined by the amount of load developed at the
wheel and axle motors. As the traction load increases,
circuit pressure can increase to relief valve settings:
4350 PSI (300 bar) in forward and 5000 PSI (345 bar)
in reverse. If traction circuit pressure exceeds the relief
setting, oil flows through the piston pump relief valve to
the low pressure side of the closed loop traction circuit.
Traction circuit pressure can be measured at test ports
attached to the sides of the piston pump. The forward
traction port is on the right side of the pump and the re-
verse traction port is on the left side.
Front wheel and rear axle motors are positive displace-
ment, two speed variable motors that allow operation in
either LOW (mow) or HI (transport) speed. T he motors
are spring biased to maximum displacement for LOW
speed and are hydraulically shifted to minimum dis-
placement f or HI speed. The rear axle motor includes a
flushing valve that bleeds off a small amount of hydraulic
oil for cooling of the closed loop traction circuit. The
charge circuit replaces oil that is bled from the circuit by
theflushingvalve.
The Smart Power
TM
feature prevents the engine from
slowing down in heavy load conditions (e.g. cutting tall
grass) by automatically decreasing the traction speed if
necessary. With a reduced traction speed, the cutting
blades can continue to be at optimum speed.
Traction circuit components use small amounts of hy-
draulic oil for internal lubrication. Fluid is designed to
leak across traction pump and motor components into
the case drain. This leakage results in the loss of hy-
draulic oil from the closed loop traction circuit that is re-
placed by the charge circuit. The gear pump sections
that supply the steering, cooling fan and lift/lower cir-
cuits also provide charge circuit oil.
Gear pump flow for the charge circuit is directed through
the oil filter and to the low pressure side of the closed
loop traction circuit. Charge pressure is limited to 250
PSI (17 bar) by a relief valve located in the piston pump.
An optional traction circuit flow divider splits traction
pump hydraulic flow between the front wheel motors
(approximately 43%) and rear axle motor (approximate-
ly 57%) to prevent excessive circuit flow going to a spin-
ning wheel.
Forward Direction
With the armrest console HI/LOW speed switch in the
LOW speed (mow) position, solenoid valve (S12) in the
combination manifold is not energized which keeps the
front wheel motors and rear axle motor at their maxim-
um displacement. With the motors at maximum dis-
placement, a lower traction speed is available for
mowing conditions.
When the HI/LOW switch is in the LOW speed (mow)
position and the traction pedal is pushed in the forward
direction, oil from the piston pump is directed to the front
wheel motors and rear axle motor through a parallel sys-
tem. Oil flow to the front wheel motors drives the motors
in the forward direction and then returns to the piston
pump. Oil flow to the rear axle motor drives the motor in
the forward direction. Oil returning from the axle motor
entersthereartractionmanifoldattheM8port.Flowby-
passes the PRcartridge through theCV check valve, out
manifold port P2 and returns to the piston pump.
When going down a hill, the tractor becomes an over--
running load that drives the front wheel and rear axle
motors. In this condition, the rear axle motor could lock
up as the oil pumped from the motor increases pressure
as it returns to the piston pump. To prevent rear wheel
lock up, an adjustable relief valve (RV) in the rear trac-
tion manifold reduces rear axle motor pressure created
in down hill, dynamic braking conditions.
Reverse Direction
The traction circuit operates essentially the same in re-
verse LOW speed (mow) as it does in the forward direc-
tion. However, the flow through the circuit is reversed.
Oil flow from the piston pump is directed to the front
wheel motors and also to the rear traction manifold. The
oil to the front wheel motors drives them in the reverse
direction and then returns to the piston pump. The oil to
the rear traction manifold enters the manifold at port P2
and flows through p ressure reducing valve (PR) which
limitsthedownstreampressuretotherearaxlemotor
to 380 PSI (26 bar) so the rear wheels will not scuff the
turf during reverse operation. This reduced pressure
flow is directed out rear traction manifold port M8 to drive
the rear axle motor in reverse. Return oil from the rear
motor returns to the piston pump.
Hydraulic
System