Gravely Moves to Fast

I purchased a walk behind Gravely this past week. I don't know a lot about it other than it has a Kohler engine and moves too fast. Is there any way to slow this thing down. I tried it with a cultivator on it. It moved so fast the cultivator didn't have time to dig in. The range shift was in low. I moved it high, didn't seem to change the speed one way or other.

The SN of the Gravely appears to be 0 03729, the Kohler engine SN appears to be 8047607. Any information on the engine HP, year the tractor was manufactured and how to slow this thing down would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not sure which model you have. I've owned 25 or Gravelys, but only one with the Kohler. I thought all the Kohler engined models had a 2 speed with a hi-lo range. Is there a 2nd lever under the right handlebar? If so, that should be the hi-lo range lever.

I always thought the Kohlers ran way too fast for a Gravely.

The tractor seems to be a 1969 with a 1977 kohler engine. Do others agree?

Thanks, there is a high low range shift under the right handle bar. It was in the low range position when I purchased it. In the low range position you have to run to keep up with the thing. I have moved the shift from one position to the other, no change in speed. Is there something I need to do to get it to shift into low range in addition to moving the high low range shift to the low range position?

You have a 2 speed which is fine for things like mowing but you need one with a 4 speed to do garden type work.

I have a commercial C-10 Gravely. Kohler engine and hi-lo speed in the differential. On the right side of the machine behind the wheel you should see a cam looking kind of thing where the shift rod hooks into on top of the axel casting. There is also a plunger coming out of the casting. The left axle casting and the right one should look nothing like the other. Squirt some oil on the plunger and cam and wiggle things till they move freely. Also rock the machine back and forth. After it is free you should feel in your fingers like you are changing gears. CA-clunk You MAY have a broken shifter internaly. Not that hard cause after you drain the tranny and remove the bolts you have a big chunk in your hands. When these machine are in low...believe me they are slow. Another thing you said was the left handle for hi-lo didn't do anything? If you have clutch trouble that is a bit more trouble. There are still a lot of guys out there who work on Gravelys so go out and find one. These machines are WORTH getting fixed. The Kohler is much nicer cause they start and are far more quiet than the old machines. My $.o2 but I have two machines and use them for lots of things. Jeffcat

Thanks guys. What I have is an electric start 500 with a 4 speed swiftamatic transmission. The seller had me confused by telling me the high/low gear control on the left handlebar was the clutch. He said I needed to keep it in the forward position for the attachments to work and tractor to move. I will try it in the morning. I will be back for help if it doesn't work. Thanks again!!!!!

Let me dive in a little more. The original gravelys have a forward and reverse leaver on the right handle. The leaver on the left is for hi- and low speed. This is for ground speed AND attachment speed. It was found for snow blowers and plows and tillers and and and. something more was needed. In 1964 or abouts they came out with a model L8 and this has a two speed differential in the bottom of the machine between the two wheels. You put that in or out of gear with a little flip leaver or a pull handle on the right side handle. I said before you may have a broken shifter OR you may not have gotten it all of the way in or out of gear. That is why I tould you to giggle the tractor back and forth as you try to shift the swiftomatic. They can hang a little. Hope yours shifts! Jeffcat

My Swiftamatics always hang. Most people tend to keep them in one range for years it seems. Oil and movement are the answer.

I leave mine in LOW almost all of the time. Mowing, snow blower, and sickle bar. Also have a roto plow. Only time I put her in high is to run down the street to my friend's house being a couple of blocks away. They move along pretty good in high. You do need to giggle the shifter on the switomatic though. They are a lot of fun with the steering sulky!! Jeffcat

My Gravely engined rigs with the Swiftamatics all went slow enough to use. The C10 I have with the Kohler is too fast for anything but lawn mowing as far as I;m concerned. I'm going to make it work with some implement, but I much prefer the Gravely engine for real work.