[w5yk]

I have a 66-page service manual for it, in english, with lots of fold-out diagrams. I can stick it in the mail if you want to take a gander at it.

 

[w5yk]

Is that the legendary TwinDisk?

No, but some similarities in function. The hydrostat bolts onto the back of a standard manual transmission, and allows independent PTO and driving speeds up to 20km/h in gears 1-4. The TwinDisc completely replaces the manual transmission with a fully automatic transmission and torque converter, and it has the same ability to deliver independent PTO and driving speed. But it will go up to 85mph. I have the manual for the TwinDisc if anyone is interested. (also have a U2450 with one installed, plus a spare one)

 

[w5yk]

looking through the manual, there are detailed instructions on how to get it going. There should be a switch on the dashboard to turn it on, and that should light up when it is operating. The switch should be installed to the left of the red hazard light switch. Switch it on only when the hand lever is in the center position and the clutch is disengaged. Then pushing the hand lever should make the vehicle move. You can move the hand lever back to go in reverse. Only change gear, stop, or brake when the hand lever is in the off (center) position. When unit is off, truck drives like normal manual transmission.

That's the executive summary. 65 more pages available. Do you want it mailed to Montana?

 

[w5yk]

. What about speed ? Do
you use the "accelerator" pedal for speed, or is that also determined by the position of
the Hydro Control lever ? I'd guess pedal...but there is a range of movement on the lever
that might account for speed as well.

I think the idea is to set the engine speed at a fixed value, say 2,000 rpm, using the standard engine hand throttle (ie the one beside the throttle pedal). So now your side-cutter or whatever is purring along taking most of the engine power, at a fixed RPM. Then you use the hydrostat lever only to control the speed of the vehicle.

This is a big advantage over the normal transmission, where if you change the vehicle speed, the PTO speed is going to change as well.

A lot of tractors work like that too.

 

[w5yk]

One disadvantage I see, if the truck were to be converted to "normal" recreational use,
would be the added complexity of carrying a system that you may never use. Or would
you ? Hypothetically, If you were to take this truck, after it shed all of the Snow Cutter equipment, to Moab, let's say, would you find a use for the Hydrostatic drive in that situation ?

I don't think it is of any use for rock crawling. It will get too hot if there is any resistance to the vehicle movement. You can still stall it, and if you do that you have to wait 3 minutes for cool down according to the book. The book also says you can damage it descending a hill due to the wheels over-revving the motor.

Might be useful in a slow-tractor race.

 

[w5yk]

Truktor, slightly off-topic, but in the first photo above, there is big honkin' shaft sticking out of the dashboard right where the 4WD knob needs to swing. Any ideas?

 

[w5yk]

Do you still have that manual? I am going to install on on my 1200, it does not really look to bad to do. I would love to have a look at that manual!

Sorry - sold it with the U2450L38 a few years ago. Will DM you the contact info for the new owner.