How do you shift?

[AmalgamousProxy 2]

I've been lurking around a few sites and on YouTube and found people shifting their tractors differently. Some use the stop and shift approach which in higher gears can result in a jarring experience from a stand still. Others just open hand slide shift, actually one guy went through 3 gears like he was driving a car. Although I didn't hear any perceivable gear grinding and he was able to fly through the gears and speed up remarkably fast. Opinions?

[hbrooks49 12]

Well, I shift it like you do a bigger old tractor - select the gear you are going to use prior to moving........ this is not a synchromesh gearbox and without a foot throttle there is no real easy way to double clutch. Even if that were plausible I don't know why you would want to. That jarring experience goes away quickly with a bit of experience - haven't done that in quite awhile.

Just my two cents, others may offer a different point of view.

[sorekiwi 761]

Stop, select the gear that you need and go. You shouldnt need to shift on the fly.

It is possible to shift while moving, but it is very easy to grind the gears.

The most fragile components in the gearbox are the dogs that keep top gear engaged. It doesnt take too much to taper these dogs, and when that happens the gearbox will start jumping out of gear.

On a six/eight speed you absolutely need to be at a dead stop to shift between Hi and Low ranges. Otherwise you WILL bend or break the shift fork.

[Cole 25]

I agree with mike, usually pick one gear and go. When mowing i use 2 H when going for a joy ride i use 3 H when pulling i use 2 L.

[can whlvr 993]

i speed shift when going up,but to down shift its a must to stop

[sscotsman 166]

I asked this question awhile ago concerning some wording I found in the 1964 model 854 owners manual, which says:

"While in motion do not shift gears without depressing the clutch pedal"

Which implies, to me, that Wheel Horse was saying you *can* shift while in motion, just be sure to clutch first!

here is the thread:

The concensus was..with some transmissions you can technically shift while in motion..

but that doesnt mean you should! and it doesnt mean there is any good reason to do so..

personally, I always stop fully before shifting gears, no matter what gear I want..the "jarring" from a stand-still into the "high speed"

of 3rd gear (top speed) isnt a big deal at all..and being kind to my transmission is more important to me than attemting the unnecessary

trick of "shifting on the fly"...I never even bothered to try it, and never will..

Scot

[dsholler 54]

Maybe I have some problem that I do not know about.. but my tractor pretty much stops when I depress the clutch, or at least does so in a very short distance (unless I am on a downhill of course). It would take quite a bit of skill to keep it moving while shifting, and I cannot get between high and low range without stopping and putting the shifter in neutral. I still do the occasional wheelie start in high gears when I am not paying attention, but that is clearly operator error.

I was kind of under the impression that the whole point of a tractor was that it had plenty of torque in every gear. The only reason you have to shift a car is because the engine does not produce enough torque to move it from a standing stop in 4th gear (or whatever) and you use the throttle for speed control. Since you do not use the throttle that way at all, choosing a gear on the tractor is only about what speed you want to go, no?

[AmalgamousProxy 2]

I always felt the stop then shift was the safe bet, blowing up my transmission isn't worth it however you slice it IMHO. I just wanted some input from other people as well.

[sorekiwi 761]

For what its worth, a new drive belt will often help with the "wheelie when you leave the line" problem. A new clutch return spring often helps as well.

An old belt will stretch and get glazed on its sides. This causes it to slip until the point where it suddenly grabs A new belt will engage a little more progressively (and predictably).

Now let the arguments begin about what kind of belt to buy... :)

[can whlvr 993]

as far as the machine stopping when you press the clutch,this is normal and its supposed to do this

[Hydro 131]

On gear at a time for me although I have gotten used to a little wheelie for Hi 3rd! :eek:

[Wheel-N-It 2,969]

I can understand the occasional up-shift. Sometimes you may want to go from 2nd to 3rd on the fly. I think you will find you can do this easier if you drain your old transmission oil, and replace it with something super slippery like LUCAS. This will help with shifting while in motion. Unfortunatly for us, Advance Auto does not sell " Liquid Tranmission Synchronizer In a Can".

[blackdogfarm 0]

I always put it in the gear I want to use, stop the tractor before shifting to another gear

BUT!

It is possible to just slam it into another gear fast with no problems

This is only because WH gears kick ass

If you did that with any other tractor you would be :angry-banghead:

[groundhog47 347]

Stop, select the gear that you need and go. You shouldnt need to shift on the fly.

It is possible to shift while moving, but it is very easy to grind the gears.

The most fragile components in the gearbox are the dogs that keep top gear engaged. It doesnt take too much to taper these dogs, and when that happens the gearbox will start jumping out of gear.

On a six/eight speed you absolutely need to be at a dead stop to shift between Hi and Low ranges. Otherwise you WILL bend or break the shift fork.

Have a C-120; Quote from op.manual "Never attempt to shift gears with the unit in motion. Severe internal transmission damage may result." Also quote: "Always release clutch pedal slowly..."

[blackdogfarm 0]

You can do the same thing with a car

its just WAY easier on a tractor like this with big teeth on the gears compared to the transmissions in cars and trucks

If you do it on a car you have to do it even faster

its just physics

If you do it right it harms nothing.

If you are scared to hurt it or unsure of yourself..... do what my Groundhog up there is saying from the "manual" :roll: