our Ford 5000's problem: gone a lot worse!!

[ford5000y]

Took the tractor for discing a tiny bit and now, I've got a much clearer description of the problem I have posted earlier (mainly because I was very frightened when I first heard those sound).

First, it wasn't a groaning noise, it was a grating noise as if your changing gears without pressing the clutch and it looks pretty much like it comes from the gearbox, not from the rear end just like Brian had replied, thinking it might be tight brakes.

The noise only occurs when I'm in the high gear and when I drive the tractor around, It doesn't occur when the tractor is in neutral and idling.

We called my father and I told him about it. And he says it might be... gears with stripped teeth

The question is, could that happen? And what are the causes of those? We still had to look for it, for the problem had just come out at the wrong time... very wrong time .

[Brian]

Check the gear oil for metal particles. If it is coming from the rear of the gearbox when you select"High" it could be a gear stripped or worn on the Hi/Low gear train which is at the back of the box.

Rear end split and the Hi/Low gears right at the back of the box under the rear cover.

[ford5000y]

Took the tractor out to transport the harvested corn today, of course in low gear because of the grating noise that I hear when I'm in some of the gears in the high range.

After the rather slow process of transporting, we took it to my uncle, who knows how to repair those tractors (he was the one who repaired the burst hydraulic pump gasket back last year). I told him about the noise and everything, so he took it for a run in high gear so he could hear the noise himself and he could diagnose what really is the problem and, of course, repair it. But, he heard nothing driving it. So, I decided to take it to a short run with him as a passenger. I drove it, in high gear, but we heard nothing, no noise at all. In fact I was driving in 4th high on rough ground yet nothing was heard, unlike before when I could even hear those grating sounds even if I am driving at 4th high in smooth concrete road . Rather disappointed that the "problem" didn't turn up, we headed back home. And, I decided to drive home in high gear (2nd and 3rd high, respectively) to see if that noise would come back again. But we reached home, and, we heard, nothing

So, I need help, again. What do you think that weird sound was?? I really am scratching my head now!!!!