What holds the gear shift rail plungers?

Grandfatherjim · Apr 20, 2015

OK, stuck shifter. Hi-Lo works OK and when that's in neutral I can start the tractor, so it's as if the main shifter is in neutral. However when the Hi-Lo is moved to Hi or Lo, the tractor drives forward. I can't tell if it's stuck in 1st or 2nd.

I've read what I could find, most of which is "stick a big ol' pry bar in thar and wiggle 'er round!". That might work, but since it already pops out of reverse all the time, I want to take the steering housing off and actually fix whatever is going on.

Can I get a simple sequence of events? I don't own a proper manual yet but really should get one, I know. I've looked at some diagrams, and it looks like parts are available, so that's all good.
My main question for starters is - what holds the springs and plungers that hold the shift rails in place, in place? If I lift off the steering box will they sproing all over?

And, any major gotchas? Or is it pretty usual work? (Background = I have restored one TEA20 and fixed several others quite a bit but this is my first Tractor Overseas). Thanks!

Steve@Advance · Apr 20, 2015

The springs won't fly when you pull the cover. The cover holds them down, so they might try to stick to the bottom of the cover, pull up out of the hole, and fall into the transmission or on the floor, so just be observant as you lift the cover.

It will be obvious where the springs and balls go. They will sit in holes drilled over the shift slide rods.

Once you get the the shift rails moving, you can feel and look into the holes and see the ball as it rides up and down into the detent groove. Some of the balls or springs may be missing, or the spring may be rusted away, broken, or wrong.

But then the problem might not be all the fault of the detent balls. Worn shifter forks or worn gears can also cause them to jump out of gear.

Getting the transmission out of gear and into neutral should be easy and not require a lot of force. A medium screwdriver will be plenty of force. If that doesn't do it, something else is wrong, be careful! The most common problem getting it out of gear is because there is still a load on the gears. Be sure you're on level ground. Might even jack one rear wheel off the ground to relieve any load.

Steve@Advance · Apr 21, 2015

Correction, looking at the shop manual, there are detent plungers, not balls. Same function, just different shape.

Grandfatherjim · Apr 21, 2015

Understood - thanks. The explanation that clarified it was that they sit down in holes in the case.

What's the good shop manual for these? I have the 460 page British TE20 one for my others; it definitely has everything needed. I find the IT ones don't have the depth I need.
Thanks

Tony in Mass. · Apr 21, 2015

As Steve mentioned, be careful nothing escapes from you and ends up in the gearing. Gravity in general is what holds the springs onto the balls, which slip into notches when you move the lever.
The steel isn't usually the problem, or the ballbearings, but the springs are as thin as a ball point pen spring, and if they get caught under the casting, lose their tension from age, that's the end of your 'detaunt' action.
Yeah, sorry, I spell French worsterer than I can speak it.... so yep the levers get sloppy.
Be careful doing this adventure. surrounding the area with magnets is a good fence till you put it all back together- smearing grease or vasoline on the spring to prevent a tour of the bottom of the gear box. Good luck.

samn40 · Apr 21, 2015

Fixing the detent plungers or springs won't cure your gear locking problem....A new gear lever and retaining pin will!, but you have to remove the steering box to install it....The elongated hole in the lever becomes even longer than it should be and the pin also wears over time....the combined
wear is enough to allow the lever to come free from the selector rails
Sam

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Grandfatherjim · Apr 28, 2015

I have the steering box off and the problem with the shifter is clear from the attached photos. The pin that holds the shift lever is well worn down, the hole in the shift lever is worn, the side of the ball part of the shift lever is sheared off, and the shift lever spring is broken. You can also see the reason it kept popping out of reverse if you look at the length of the three springs.

Parts now on order...

Meanwhile, I took the steering column out, which I sort of regret but the oil in the steering box was sure brown and watery so it needs a good cleaning. Luckily the bearings and gears are in great shape.

Now to the question: What is the little cup full of 15 ball bearings about? It sat, in some orientation, below the bottom of the steering column. 15 seems to be too many for that cupped washer. How do these go? I have looked all over on line and this is not clear anywhere, that I can find.

What holds the gear shift rail plungers?

Grandfatherjim

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Steve@Advance

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Steve@Advance

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Grandfatherjim

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Tony in Mass.

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samn40

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Grandfatherjim

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