Horizontal directional drill with freewheel mode

A horizontal directional drilling machine comprising:

• a rotational drive unit having a hydraulic motor having an output member configured to connect with a drill string, wherein the rotational drive unit is operable in first and second modes in which torque applied by the hydraulic motor to the drill string through the output member is enabled and disabled, respectively;
• an operator input device that allows an operator to switch between the first and second modes of the rotational drive unit;
• one or more visual output devices;
• and
• a control system for signal communication with the rotational drive unit, the operator input device, and the one or more visual output devices, wherein the control system is configured to, in response to receiving input from the operator input device representing a command to change between the first and second modes:
• initiate a transition between the first and second modes of the rotational drive unit;
• monitor a status of the transition during a transition period in which the rotational drive unit is in neither of the first and second modes;
• while the rotational drive unit is determined to remain in transition between the first and second modes, provide output through at least one of the one or more visual output devices that identifies the transition period;
• and
• in response to identifying completion of the transition between the first and second modes, cease the provision of output through the at least one of the one or more visual output devices that identifies the transition period.

A horizontal directional drilling machine comprising:

• a rotational drive unit having a hydraulic motor having an output member configured to connect with a drill string, wherein the rotational drive unit is operable in first and second modes in which torque applied by the hydraulic motor to the drill string through the output member is enabled and disabled, respectively;
• an operator input device that allows an operator to switch between the first and second modes of the rotational drive unit;
• one or more visual output devices;
• and
• a control system for signal communication with the rotational drive unit, the operator input device, and the one or more visual output devices, wherein the control system is configured to, in response to receiving input from the operator input device representing a command to change between the first and second modes:
• initiate a transition between the first and second modes of the rotational drive unit;
• monitor a status of the transition during a transition period in which the rotational drive unit is in neither of the first and second modes;
• and
• in response to identifying completion of the transition between the first and second modes, changing an output of the one or more visual output devices to indicate completion of the transition.