Help 52 model A stuck by 2nd gear

stoltz23

New User
I'm in the middle of some food plot and my 52 model A seams to have developed an issue. I shifted into 2nd gear engaged the clutch and nothing. Usually this means the PTO lever isn't fully engaged or disengaged. That wasn't the case. But now I can't get the shift lever to leave the 2 nd gear location. I can move it left and right but when I try and go up with it I to a other gear it's restricted. Maybe something is bent below the shifter causing both issues? Anyone have any ideas? In the attached photo it's the furthest up and to the left that I can move the shifter. I tried pushing the tractor backwards and nothing there either.

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Look in the search for "JD 60 clutch works but tractor won't move in any gear". It might give you a hint. I'm a two lever transmission person myself so I have never experienced your problem. You may have
to "lift the column" and remove shifter, get everything lined up in neutral and put it back together. I hope someone better than me comes on board to help you. . . Good luck!
 
The 49 A I grew up on use to do that sometimes. I could bang back into the right spot and it would work fine.
 
Your shifter has come out of the shifting fork. Time to remove the transmission top and put everything back in line.
 

All fixed, after I got the right tools in the woods it only took about 20 min to remove the steering wheel, slide the shaft out and pull the pedestal. All is good now.

On a side note I noticed a while ago some yellow paint showing thru on my governor housing. Well with the pedestal removed the whole inside of the transmission housing is yellow.

Was my tractor originally yellow and an industrial version? It's a 52, last year. Was pulled form the woods in 76 when my grandparents purchased a farm in upstate new York and has been painted a few times since but as far as we remember it has always been green.
 
The yellow is most likely a primer. The insides of all the Deere two banger trannies I have ever seen is yellow.
 
If you get too rough with the shifter shaft you will make it release from the ball. There is only a C type lock ring holding it in place. I would say you transmission has excess wear and it is somewhat binding. To properly correct requires a tear down, new cone bearings and cups. You could also add locking shifters if these can be located. We commonly used in the 60 series as an update. I know your shifter exited the high low shifting rail and this is causing your problem. You can remove the top and reinsert and be okay. What happens is the sides of the shifting collar wear and eventually enough and the ball will exit. This requires building up with weld or another shifter collar. Another shifting collar without wear would be next to impossible to locate. You can weld/build up and grind down while in tractor...just be careful and not get any heavy metal down in gears. Anything you do will be trying to restore excess wear.
 
As a future preventive, make your shift when the clutch pulley is still turning just a little, just coming to a stop. That lets the spur gears slip together rather than having to force them with the shifter
when they are not lined up. Push "in" on the shifter to prevent the worn balls from coming out. Got that advice here years ago and it has served me well!
 

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