HELP! Dexta Stuck In Reverse

[bhayden]

Title says it all. I was using the front grading blade, not under much load when my Dexta decided it was only going to go backwards. I could have swore I was in 1st Low and maybe I was shifting into neutral or reverse but was surprised when that was suddenly the only option. Well, high range/low range (or neutral) but as far as the main gear selection reverse only, I can move the lever and without the clutch there is some small amount of grinding. With the engine off I can move it to what feels like neutral but it's still in reverse.

Ideas

-Bernie

[Tubal Cain]

In all probability the gear stick has slipped out of the selector, due to wear on the end of the stick. If you remove the four set screws which hold the gearshift cover to the gear box and lift the cover away you can access the gearshift selectors. Facing the front of the tractor and looking down, the two matching pair selectors on the left are the ones for changing gear. Using a pry bar move the right hand one in line with the left hand one and the tractor should be in neutral.

If you examine the end of the gear stick it should be spherical, you may need to replace it or build it up by welding. Or it may be the selectors which are worn or a combination of both.

Gerald

[bhayden]

Gerald,
Spot on. Seeing how this works internally what I suspect happened is I had the tractor in 1st gear and bumped the selector lever sideways. With the work end it was able to slip out of the outboard 1/2 gear selector fork and wedge in behind the other fork pushing it forward into the reverse position. I'm going to have to be extra careful until I can order a new selector lever.

In this first picture, taken from the right side of the tractor, you can see the shift fork closest to the center in the forward (i.e. reverse) position.

The box end of a Craftsman 5/8" combination wrench is just the right width to match the shift selector forks. This picture shows the neutral position:

Here's a picture of the end of the Main Selector Lever. It's about 3/8" at the top and tapers to about .310" at the end. The ridges must be from the original part? I can't see how that pattern could get worn into it:

It's difficult to tell from pictures of replacement levers what the end is supposed to look like but it certainly looks larger than the shaft above it:

Turns out this little learning episode may have be fortunate in that it prompted me to change the oil in the transmission. It looked low and when I drained it it had obvious signs of moisture and also appeared to be perhaps hydraulic fluid rather than the recommended straight W30 oil:

According to the Operator's Manual the transmission oil capacity should be 23 pints. I put in a full 3 gallons and
it is still a good inch or so below the oil level inspection plug