[Lamontcountyfarmer]

I got a 79-80 835 Versatile 4wd with just over 4000 hours on it. Overall she has been a solid machine up until this spring; She locked up on me In 2nd and 2nd. Found that the problem was in the shifter; one of the sliding rails that ride on ball bearings had slid past the normal movement point and become lodged. It ended up taking around 3 and a half hours that time to properly get at and dislodge it and reassemble everything that was required to get at it.
Then in early summer it happened again, But this time I replaced all the ball bearings and had her up and running in just under 2 hours. After that she worked flawlessly up until last Friday when I had just finished my fieldwork for the year and went to move from 2nd and 2nd to 2nd and 3rd, I heard and felt the familiar click and slip that told me she was locked in gear again!
Now My question is: Does anybody know of a way to rectify this or is this problem just the final outcome of a underlying cause that has not made itself known yet?

 

[Lempey8430]

i was told that on are 555 when it did this it was the cab mounts

 

[AbCan]

Hi, I've got an 80 875 and had a couple older 800's. Same problem on all of them after they get worn to a certain point. After a while, I got the right "feel" of shifting. Before pulling it out of gear or into gear, don't put any side pressure on the stick. Try to push or pull straight with the rails, as the side pressure will cause it to pop out.

As for fixing it, over the years I found 90% of the time I could crawl underneath with a 2 or 3' crowbar and force it back into position by prying and pushing the two shifting rods. Did it on a few neighbors tractors too. If you can't get it, then it's the 3 hour job. Haven't had to do mine in a few years, and when it did get jammed, it was always an employee unfamiliar with the side pressure.

 

[Sunniegrove]

Have a 79 875 that has a replaced clock with more hours than that. Make sure to always pull out of second away from you, not in towards you. Otherwise a big crescent wrench is handy and crawl up and wiggle the linkage until it comes out of gear. Just takes a minute. Key is in how you pull it out of gear. You grip one of the two arms that come out of the transmission it will be the one moving the shifter isn't trying to move. First instruction to somebody new is pull away usually no problems.

 

[coolio]

Happened to us also, we just turn the tractor so you can put a 2x4 in from the back and hit the stuck linkage, and it was a 1 minute job. Like everyone else has said, when shifting gears be slow and methodical, the only time this has happened to me is when I was trying to shift to fast. Hasn't happened in over a couple years, but slow and steady is the key when shifting

4000hrs on an 875 are really low hours, but they are really reliable tractors. our 835 has over 7000hrs and still pops right off, I wish all machines were this simple and dependable.

 

[Lamontcountyfarmer]

I have tried various pry bars; even rigged up a snipe to one of them but have found that she would not budge. My biggest worry is that the shifting forks in the transmission might have taken a beating this spring seeding under such soft soil conditions; Had to keep steady momentum otherwise she'd sink in that gumbo. As for the slow steady shifts, I agree as a matter of fact that's probably what caused it to lock the first 2 times but the last time I had her clutched to a stop on a dead idle and before I could do much more than grasp the shift knob she slipped out and locked up.

 

[scott]

I have worked on many of these ladies, cab mounts and transmission mounts wear out, shift rails wear out, BIG Tractor Parts ( google it ), is a lot cheap on frame rail part than CNH. Get strong armed individuals that are bound and determined I can git out of gear, shift rods are hollow, are supposted to be straight, have straighten many, hollow pipe. Tractor needs to be stopped to shift, one of the biggest issues I have seen is clutch is out of adjustment, plain and simple tractor, Scott.

 

[AbCan]

Not sure about the 835, but on the old 800's, you could easily pull the floor rubber back, and there would be a small square plate you could take off around the shift lever and get a peek in there with a flash light (might need a little mechanic's mirror too) and see which way it's popped out. If it's stuck in 2nd gear, should be the inside rod needing to go back.

 

[Nodust]

Could

 

[Nodust]

Could the tractor have more that 4000 hours? You should look at the end of the shifter. It is probably worn bad. You can build it up with weld until it is like new! We just did a 13 speed and have done V875 a couple times. If it is worn it allows extra clearance to go astray! All other previous comments apply especially shifting technique. When coming out of second or reverse bring the lever in a straight down motion (away from you) and come past neutral point to make sue it is out of gear then across! Don't let uninformed drive it!

 

[3creeks]

There is a grease nipple under the floor mat on the left side of the shifter housing. If you keep that well greased it helps with the problem. There are also plastic grommets that go on the end of the shift rods, to take up slack between the shift rods and the levers on the transmission. If these become loose it is more likely to lock in two gears. The easiest way I've found to unlock them is to remove the cotter pins on the end of the shift rods, remove them from the side of the tranny and then move the levers down below into neutral. Then get in the cab and move the shifter to neutral and hook the rods back to the tranny. When removing the rods from the tranny be careful not to pull the other end out of the floor boards, not a fun job to get back in.

Hope this helps, Ian.

 

[SouthernSK]

Nodust is right. You correct this problem by buiding up the bottom of the big black shifter shifter handle on the floor. If I remember right it is four sided and comes to a point. Keep lots of grease on the side rails. Once you build it up and grinding it you will correct the problem.

 

[Nodust]

Have changed the grommets and I've never seen them worn! If your lucky enough to have a dozer lift the front wheels off the ground and it comes out of gear a lot easier! Mind you, the dozing is probably what wears everything out! I have made 2 wrenches to fit over shift levers on transmission and access through oval hole on right side or from underneath? I don't need them if I think before I shift!

 

[Gkaggie]

Had the same problem on my 835, then on my 935. I was told to always move the shifter at right angles, never pull it at an angle toward you. Also, I got in the habit of pulling it into neutral, releasing the clutch, then reclutching before going to another gear, that will keep you from getting it stuck in two gears at once

 

[Nodust]

Gkaggie-very good advise! A lot harder to get it out of 2 gears(believe me,I know)

 

[RJF]

Had this happen to me once on my 875 that has 18000 hours on it.

 

[Don Boles]

Had this happen to me once on my 875 that has 18000 hours on it.

****!
Just off warranty!

 

[V876]

****!
Just off warranty!

 

[SWFarmService]

After repairing the slides unhook shift linkage, must be adjusted perfect and don't ignore the cab and granny mounts, they really aren't as bad to replace as it sounds, remember if you want it to work like new it needs to be fixed as good as new

 

[wheely]

Have had my 555 stuck in two ranges more times than I care to remember, use to use it for spraying a 12500ac cropping program. Easiest way to get it out was to rock it back n forth with the loader to take the load off the gears while someone worked the lever. Much the same as lifting it with the dozer blade.