Slips out of highest gear

[Pascal]

Hi guys,

Today I brought back the cultivator to a friend of mine.
On the way back the gearstick slipped out of the highest gear twice... When I put it back in (so for the 2nd time) 3 Hi it stayed in no problem.
I shift from 2 Hi to 3 Hi.
But after this, I shifted from 3 Lo to 3 Hi...because it was rushour in Amsterdam and I didn't wanted to cause a huge traffic jam.
The gearstick didn't slipped out anymore.
I heard some ratling from either the gearbox or the rear axle..

Do you have any ideas what this can be? Is it risky to drive with my tractor?
I hope I don't have to get my gearbox out again...

[henk]

Bad news Pascal,

I'll cross my fingers, and I hope you don't have to split here.

[Gubbels]

Hi Pascal,

that not so good to hear, have you got a look at it yet? Do you have the sound in every gear?

regards,

Arno

[Brian]

Pascal,

Just to confirm, do you mean the main gear lever slipped out or was it the High/Low lever?

[Dandy Dave]

In the main trans there are springs and balls that hold the forks and gears in place. Sometimes the springs get old and break. In many transmissions, these are in the top cover with the forks and sliders. It appears that the Fordson is not that way, and the forks and sliders are part of the main trans case. Dandy Dave!

[Pascal]

Hi Arno,
I totally agree. I don't know if it's in every gear or just 3 Hi.
I will check and let you know.


Hi Brian,
It's the main lever.


Hi Dave,
Maybe I should just drain the oil out abd check for peaces of iron?
Maybe some of the springs in the inspection plate (near the clutch) broke?

[Dandy Dave]

The problem is that the springs and balls do not fall out as they are internal. There will be a cross hole drilled between the fork sliders that contain the balls and springs. The springs break and twist themselves together leaving no pressure against the balls and detent groove. Of course you may also have worn bearings, or gears causing it to slip out also. The spings and balls are the least expensive to repair if that is the problem. Dandy Dave!

[Pascal]

Hi guys,

Last weekend Itook the inspection plate of and drained all the oil.
I didn't found any pieces of metal, when draining, so that's a good sign.
I did see a little bit of "iron dust" (I hope you understand, wwhat I mean) in the oil floating. Is this sometime to worry about?

I hope to take a look at the inspection plate this weekend.
I'll keep you updated.

[Pascal]

Hi guys,

Last weekend I took the inspection plate apart.







I expected this spring would be broken, but it's not.



The only thing that suprised me was the sticky stuff at the bottom of the spring. Could be some old grease , but could
some metalised stuff from the broken bearing of last year?





Just to be sure I removed the stuff and I will put some new grease on the spring.
Then I will put it all back together. It worries me a bit, that I haven't really found something broken.
It seems to me I haven't found the cause of the problem?

The last thing I will do, is check the play on the axles of the gearbox.

Does anybody has any other ideas?

[henk]

Pascal,

Was the left pin on the picture put in the right way? Seems to me it has two different ends. One round and one a bit flat with a camfer.

[Dandy Dave]

Looks like some filings also in the mix. This could have prevented the detent plunger from moving smoothly. If the plunger was sticking from the filings, it could very well have caused your problem. Be sure that the plungers slide smoothly in the bore, and are clean before reassembly. Yes, check the shafts and bearings before putting the fork cover back on for excessive play. Also, the condition of the gear teeth for chips, or unusual wear. Be sure that the gears are engaging fully and smoothly, and that there isn't any more chips, or debri, caught behind pieces that they slide into. Dandy Dave!

[Pascal]

Hi Henk,
Thank you for your remark! I didn't noticed, there was a difference. Maybe I mounted this the wrong way last year?

Does anybody knows if this difference is caused bij wear? Or should there be two different ends?
Do I need to renew mine?


Hi Dave,
Thank you for your advises! How can I check, if the gears are engaging fully? Mount the inspection plate, put it in gear and remove
the plate again? And repeat this for all the gears? Also for Hi and Lo, or just R, 1, 2 & 3?

[Brian]

You do not have to keep mounting the selector plate to check engagement, just slide the gears into position with the plate off. Just make sure there is no lift in the bearings on the main shaft.

6th gear is selected on the lower shaft with the sliding gear entering the small teeth in the large output gear. Make sure you do not have wear on the small teeth in the main gear which the sliding gear enters.These could be worn, you have increased the HP and what might just have been holding previously just cannot hold the extra power. The problem seems to have appeared since you put her into work.

Take the pulley plate off on the other side and check that the castleated nut on the pulley drive gear has not broken its lock tab and come loose.

[Dandy Dave]

Brian has you covered. In most transmissions, high gear is one to one with input, and output. Unless you have an overdrive trans, and then input is greater than output so that you may have an input of 1 turn to an out put of 7/8ths, or even 3/4th. But not in a Fordson tractor. I had a 1955 Ford F750 truck at one time that had a 5 speed overdrive Clark sincromesh transmission. I put the motor and transmission in a 1962 Ford F-250 FWD Truck, but that is another story. As Brian has said, I think you only need to be concerned with the main transmission and the way the gears slide. I would also check reverse while you are there. All that you are doing is sliding the two collars which give you 1,3 - 2,4 on one shaft, and 5,6 - and reverse high and low on the other. If there are any chips stuck behind especially 5 and 6, which locks the trans one to one, it could be holding it out just a little so that the detent plunger and spring is not fully engaged and allowing it to slip out. If everything checks out OK, Brian could vey well be right about the exta power, and possible wear on the teeth where the trans locks up one to one. Dandy Dave!

[Pavel]

Jus a couple of things, if I may add my 2 bobs worth.
You mentioned that you accessed the selector assy. a year ago but that the problem has only appeared recently. Other than the points previously mentioned, one would suggest that it could be caused by just plain wear and tear. The left hand detent on the lower shaft would appear to indicate that. Typically it happens on the over-run [engine braking].
Even though the shaft is hardened, the application of a [slightly] oversized drill bit [preferable cobalt, but a new titanium will do] to the chamfer usually cleans this up; but make sure any drill burrs are removed afterwards.
As well, because of the inconvenience or impossibility of obtaining new detent springs, one can place 2 or 3 small packing washers inside one of the plungers to increase spring pressure -- but be aware of coil compression binding.
Pavel

[Pascal]

Hi guys,

Thank you so much for all your help! What should I do without you.

Since I have done all the hard work with the cultivator in 1st Hi, I guess it should be worthwhile to check this gear too?
But where is it?
I have put letters with all the gears. Would one of you be so good to tell me which gears are for 1st Hi?
Gears A & B makes 3rd Hi, I guess? Where's gear H for?



Thank you in advance.

I'll keep you updated...it might take some time since the little lady of our family is keeping us quite busy.

[Dandy Dave]

"E" is the input shaft gear. "G" is the reverse idler gear. "D" is input to the lower shaft which is low, and second gear. With "B" engaged as the photo shows you should be in low. Slide "C" back to engage in "D" and you should be in 2cnd. Shift "C" and "B" to neutral so that neither is engaged. "F" is power to the Reverse Idler which also looks locked in at the moment. It will not work if you have it locked in two gears at once. Besure one set is in neutral. when you slide "F" and "H" back to "I" you should be locked into high gear which is one to one with the input shaft. "I" is the output shaft. "H" and "I" are the ones that have been jumping out on you. You need to look at the teeth where they engage, and also be sure that there are no particles of metal stuck in "H" that are preventing it from sliding in fully. Also, inspect for wear. Pavel has also offered good advice about wear and tear. Dandy Dave!

[Pascal]

Hi guys,

Yesterday I inspected the gearbox of my Super.
At first I thought there was some damage on gear B.



But gear C has the same pattern, so I guess Fordson shaped the gears like this to make the gearshift easier?



When gear B is in A, there's no play at all, so that's great!



I couldn't find any wear or loose pieces of metal in one of the teeth. Therefor I decided to put the inspection plate back on and make a little
testdrive. It seemed all worked well again.


Hi Dave,
Thank you so much for the explanation of all the gears: very helpfull!


Hi Brian,

Take the pulley plate off on the other side and check that the castleated nut on the pulley drive gear has not broken its lock tab and come loose.

Is this the nut at the small axle in the primary gearbox? See the round nut with four wholes in it on the picture below.