wd45 shift tower

jr1983 · Dec 23, 2015

My wd45 has serious shifting issues. It needs forks
and im not sure what else. There have been a few
complete shift towers on ebay off of a wd. I know
there are differences between the two. Will this
work?

old · Dec 23, 2015

I can not say for sure if it will or will not but I know my WD45 has a straight shiftier on it so something form a WD has been put on it and it was like that when I got it

ramblineagle · Dec 23, 2015

Old
are you sure you tractor is a WD45? to put a straight gear shift lever in a 45 shift tower is not possible.

old · Dec 23, 2015

Yes I am 1000% sure it is a WD45. Serial numbers say it is engine has not side plate etc etc. But it does in fact have a straight shiftier. Not sure what was done but it has a WD type shiftier but on a WD45 engine/transmission

D beatty · Dec 24, 2015

The curved shifter was used on WD starting at serial number 127007 and up. The WD45 only used the curved gear shift.

JMS/.MN · Dec 24, 2015

jr1983 · Dec 24, 2015

Let me be clarify I couldn't care less if it is supposed to be straight or if the stick is curved. I know they are from the factory. Im asking will the top whole shift tower from a wd bolt on and give me gears? As I stand right now it has no 3rd. Im hoping thats a fork. The stick goes between all three forks if you dont hold your lip just right and if your really good and shift it to fast you can actually get it in 2nd ,4th and reverse simultaneously. I put a lot of hours on this thing on a mower each year, 400-500 probably. Have only spent $900 on this tractor (not counting oil changes) between buying , fixing and maintaining this tractor and ive had it for five years. But im getting really tired of having tg o carry a crowbar with me if I didn't shift it right. I keep seeing these on ebay for a WD but never for a WD45.

DrAllis · Dec 24, 2015

Some good information on Old WD and later WD/WD45 transmissions. The complete shifting tower assembly does not interchange between the old WD sliding gear transmission and the later design constant mesh transmission. It can't....the shift forks are spaced differently. The old straight shift lever has a plastic knob that screws on the end, not a rubber knob that pops on a ball tip. The old straight lever is longer from the pivot ball socket to the shifting forks inside, therefore it cannot be used in the newer design shift tower. Likewise a curved shift lever is shorter from the pivot ball socket down to the shift forks, so it will not work in an old shift cover. Now, that's not to say someone couldn't take a curved shift lever and heat it up and straighten it out, but that doesn't change anything else inside the shift tower or transmission. There have been thousands of WD-45 blocks/WD-45 engine assemblies installed in an old WD chassis.......that doesn't entirely make it a WD-45. It makes it a WD with a WD-45 engine and that's all it makes it. The serial number on the rear end near the left brake equalizing adjustment bolt will verify the age of the transmission/rear end.....prior to s/n 127,007 is an old sliding gear design......127,007 and newer is the constant mesh design.

jr1983 · Dec 24, 2015

Thank you that is the information I needed. I knew a
45 has the updated trans. Everyone has given a lot
of good restoration information but my concerns
with this tractor have more to do with it working.

old · Dec 24, 2015

You know that and so do I but either way my WD45 has a straight shiftier on it how and why I do not know I just know it is there and the serial number says it is a WD45

D beatty · Dec 24, 2015

One thing I don't know is it possible that the older WD trans. could have been put into your WD45 tractor at some time before you got tractor? The straight shifter will not work in a WD 45 trans. The young guy that I bought my snap coupler plow from took me in his shop to show me the WD45 that he was restoring. When I walked into shop I noticed that the block was not a WD45 but was a WD block but the serial number on tractor was a WD45 serial number. So if you buy used you better know what your looking at.

old · Dec 24, 2015

Ya I got this WD45 at an auction so who knows what all has been done to it. As I said the serial number says WD45 and the engine is correct for a WD45 but ya maybe it has the wrong transmission in it or something since the shiftier is a straight one. I noticed the straight shiftier the day I got it and it has always bugged me as to how and why

r aiken · Dec 24, 2015

I have a 1945 WD45, tractor number WD183088 and engine number 45-43526G. It has a straight leaver and the tower has the same part number as my WD's not the same as my WD45's. Anyone want to explain this? I know the shifting forks are different, can you put 45 forks on a WD tower. Someday I will take it apart and see what is what, until then everything works good.

old · Dec 24, 2015

You sure you have a 1945 WD45 I did not think they where built till something like 1954???

old · Dec 24, 2015

Make that 1953 the first year he WD45 came out

old · Dec 24, 2015

Well what ever shiftier my WD45 has in it I do not know but it is straight and has a metal knob end on it that is small as in smaller then my thumb. Not sure what or who hasdone what but it is what it is and the numbers say WD45 as does the engine

D beatty · Dec 24, 2015

If the tractor is a work tractor who cares as long as it gets the job done. The only problem is when go to get parts and the parts won't work.

old · Dec 24, 2015

Ya all it is. is a tractor to me I use it for what it is and that is that. Most years I use it as the rake tractor

DrAllis · Dec 24, 2015

The actual shift tower casting is the same between the two transmission types. The internal forks, shifting lugs and gearshift lever are different, so when I say the "shift-tower-assembly", that means the whole enchilada....a complete assembly, and they aren't the same between the two transmission types.

jr1983 · Dec 24, 2015

On this subject I also have a wd. Its stick goes straight up about 10" and then has a 45 degree angle. It was like this from the factory according to the guy dad bought it from. I don't remember the year of it but I do remember it is one of the very last wd's made. Anybody ever seen one of these?

DrAllis · Dec 24, 2015

Sounds like the bent/curved stick shifter. They were all like that from 127,007 s/n and newer.

jr1983 · Dec 24, 2015

No its not a curved stick. Ive got one of those its a
weird deal. Ive never seen another one but that's no
guarantee. It is angled in the middle.

stu (ON) · Dec 24, 2015

(quoted from post at 11:49:54 12/24/15) Well what ever shiftier my WD45 has in it I do not know but it is straight and has a metal knob end on it that is small as in smaller then my thumb. Not sure what or who hasdone what but it is what it is and the numbers say WD45 as does the engine

Hey old, I lifted pics from original manuals of the WD shifter and WD45 shifter. The ends of the stick are different, as are the knobs. What do you think you got? Maybe a straightened WD45 stick?

old · Dec 24, 2015

The shiftier is straight and on the short side as in maybe 18 inches of that long. Got it that way so have no idea what or why

Steven-Id · Dec 25, 2015

Jr1983 Where are you located? I have a wd45 that is a parts tractor. My wife wants it gone as its an EYESORE. I was going to take it to the scrapper but the scrap price was so low I didn't take it. I have never seen it run. My fil bought it about 15years ago for the rear tires. The block is cracked and the head has been off all this time. I can't vouch for the tranny but i would be willing to open it up and look if your interested.

Steven

jr1983 · Dec 25, 2015

I am in central il.

jr1983 · Dec 25, 2015

My email is open

flying H · Dec 29, 2015

Likely someone took an old shift lever off another vehicle and modified it to work in the 45 shift tower. It would take some doing but could be done. lot of building up and cutting down but there are men out there who can do it.

wd45 shift tower

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