The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Sometimes I read posts on the board and feel like passing a comment but refrain, thinking, I'll leave that up to someone else. Time goes by and I forget to go back to it.

I have searched the old board using different terms to search for, but haven't been able to find a particular post. The post by a novice owner was about difficulty in changing gears. The respondent must have been another novice as he said that you select the appropriate gear for what you are wanting to do and start off in that gear.

Although I drive a few different makes of tractors from time to time both in the field and on the open road without any major problems changing up or down I'd prefer if someone like Brian, can give a more definitive explanation of the correct procedure for changing gears in motion that novices might understand and practice so they get the most enjoyment from their investment. There is an operators manual on this site I think but I'm certain it doesn't explain the process. I remember that by the fact that reading it through a long time ago, I was surprised it wasn't mentioned.

How about it Brian

Regards,

Rick

Rick,

The Major was never designed to change on the move. You should select the gear you need and start off in that gear. If you have a "Live" gearbox it is virtually impossible to change on the move. You are moving massive gears and the loading and pressure on the shafts does not allow slick changes and the braking effect of the transmission can leave you parked by the side of the road if you try a double declutch.

Having said that, it can be done if you are careful to match speed and engine revs. I tend to use the high/low lever to change up and down when loaded, on the road.

However you cannot really change up through the gears as the jumps between them (4th to 6th) is rather large and any other way would mean shifting both levers.

In hilly country I would not advise trying to change on the move as you can soon find out how good your brakes are

Dextas are different and it is quite possible to shift up and down the box (if you can remember where the gears are) using the double declutch method. If you are really really good you can even do it without using the clutch at all but here you have a lighter gearbox and a more free running tractor than the Major.

A little story about shifting on the move. A few years ago back in the 1980's Massey brought in an electronic gearshift along with electronic controlled hydraulics. We got used to stories, and I got called out to a number of tractors, that kept lifting the plough out of the ground when crossing the field near power lines.

The best one was the man who thought they were so good that you could instruct the lift what to do on the CB radio. He demonstrated this to his boss by standing beside the tractor and saying "lift the plough" into his CB mike, then pressing transmit and the plough came off the ground!

However the tractor going down the road with a load of grain, in top gear, that changed instantly down to bottom gear as it passed an electrical sub station was rather dramatic!

Brian wrote:Dextas are different and it is quite possible to shift up and down the box (if you can remember where the gears are) using the double declutch method. If you are really really good you can even do it without using the clutch at all but here you have a lighter gearbox and a more free running tractor than the Major.

I've never been able to shift down on my Dexta when moving, only up.

Brian wrote:Rick,

The Major was never designed to change on the move.

The best one was the man who thought they were so good that you could instruct the lift what to do on the CB radio. He demonstrated this to his boss by standing beside the tractor and saying "lift the plough" into his CB mike, then pressing transmit and the plough came off the ground!

Yes, that's true. To shift down to 4: gear in a hill is nothing to recommend with a Major.

I have a friend who had a MF with the electronics and he allways said that the tractor was more in a hurry for the coffeebreak than he was because when he make call with the CB to his mother to put the coffee on, the tractor immediately lifted the plow

Rick
I've hardly ever got the "changing on the move" perfect, but did have more seccess with changing between high and low ratios on the move. Have thought about putting a foot throttle on her, to save having to operate the throttle at the same time, as changing ratios.
It's good to know that it wasn't just me.
Kiwi Kev

Thanks Brian and Others,
Just shows you how long it is since I drove my marooned NPSM, eh I can remember changing gears on it but it must have been H <-> L. I wouldn't change gear when going down hill on any tractor.
My cousin loans me one of his tractors when I have a bit of work to do and it's nearly always a DB 990 or 1210. They have foot throttles which make it that much more easier and safer. It is 22 kms door to door and we are 200M higher altitude. Lots of ups and downs along the way. They can manage the whole trip in H3 but I prefer to change to H2 when they load up. For small one day jobs I borrow my neighbours MF135 or 165. She's only 4 km away. Mind you, I spend a lot of time doing unpaid work for both of them so it's not a case of making a nuisance of myself.
I can remember the day I bought my Fordson from a Farm Sale in 2000. I drove it all the way home via back roads as it was unregistered. That was about 35 km and undulating and I can clearly remember changing gears regularly that day. As I said, maybe it was only H<>L. The brakes kept locking up on the right. I stopped a few times got under loosened the adjustor. After a while I had to slacken them both right off until there was no brakes and I relied on the gears and engine rpm.

Regards,
Rick