Neutral not engaging

[IronDuke 4]

Hi, i just got a lawn ranger this weekend,it does not run yet, i shifted it into N loading it, then put it in gear so it wont roll around in the bed of the truck, i put it in N to roll it off the truck, then put it in gear to park it so it wouldn't roll. Now this morning i tried to put it in N to roll it out of the way for another tractor to move by and it is not popping out of gear, my shifter handle has a lot of play and i am hopping that it didn't come out inside the transmission. If anyone could help that would be greatly appreciated.

 

  Duke

 

 

[wallfish 18,585]

Pull the shifter out and look inside the hole. The forks should form a small rectangle opening. You can move and align them with a large screwdriver. It sounds like both forks moved at the same time. A loose shifter or worn ball or both will cause that to happen.

[IronDuke 4]

thanks

[IronDuke 4]

but what about all the play in it

[stevasaurus 23,445]

The set screw that holds in the shifter is called a "dog point set screw", it has a lock nut on it.  When you put the shifter back in, the point goes into the hole in the ball of the shifter...snug the set screw into this hole and the back out a touch and tighten the lock nut.  Extra play in the shifter should be gone.

[rmaynard 16,515]

The play could be from a loose set screw.

 

Oops..our posts crossed Steve.

Edited February 18, 2013 by rmaynard

[IronDuke 4]

Thanks so much guys!!

[IronDuke 4]

I pulled the shifter handle out and it is a perfect ball at the end, the oil is full, i took a screw driver and i cant feel anything except the socket that the shifting handle goes in, i put it back together and still cannot go into neutral, does anybody know what else i can do, we have it off the ground and the tires still do not move

 

Thanks, Duke

[Duff 206]

While you had the screwdriver stuck down into the tranny, did you try to maniplate the shifter forks? Your should be able to move the shifter forks back and forth with the screwdriver. May need to rock the tractor just a bit if they're bound up gainst the gears. If my memory serves me right (and don't bank on it - I'm getting old!), if both forks are lined up to form a small square opening, that shoudl be neutral. If there are offset little square holes, then I think the tranny is in gear. 

That might tell us something....

 

 

Duff      

[IronDuke 4]

They were lined up perfectly

[stevasaurus 23,445]

It may be possible that your transmission has some water in it and it is froze. It does not take much water to do this. Try taking off the belt guard and belt (as long as it is off it's wheels), see if you can turn the input pulley by hand...counter clock-wise is the correct direction, but you can turn it by hand in either direction.  If you can, see which way the wheels are turning. If you can't turn the pulley, you are going to have to warm up the transmission and then drain it. Drain plug iis on the bottom of the trans, near the back.  Takes 1 1/2 qts of 90wt oil to fill back up.

[IronDuke 4]

ya i the input pulley rocks because it is stuck in gear 

thanks 

[stevasaurus 23,445]

You should be able to turn it by hand even when it is in gear...no matter what gear...when the belt if off the pulley.

[IronDuke 4]

it does not turn so my only assumption is that it is frozen

[stevasaurus 23,445]

I have a feeling it is froze also.  Can you drag it into a warm place?  Use sleds under the back tires...be careful...the trans is cast iron and ice can crack it.

[IronDuke 4]

ya im going to try to get it somewhere warm then, should i drain it, or should i take apart the trany instead????

 

  Duke

[IronDuke 4]

like drain and put new oil in it 

[stevasaurus 23,445]

Get it thawed out...slowly...then warm it up a little with a space heater (summerish heat)...drain it and see what the oil looks like.  Any water on top of the oil may be clear, the oil will maybe look milky if water is in it.  Does it run?  If so and the oil is not gunky, you could throw in about 2 quarts of diesel and run it on blocks for about 20 minutes to flush it out.  Drain the diesel and see what it looks like...repeat if you think necessary.  Then add about 1 1/2 qts 90w oil (until it starts to come out of the plug just under one of the axles).

[IronDuke 4]

I got her the inside, so now we just wait till it thaws out.

 

   Duke