S55 main shaft/shifting....

RandyB(MI)

Well-known Member
I've been through all the archives on this but need a couple more questions answered. Bought this tractor few mos. ago from guy who has restored everything mechanical on it since he bought it in 1994. Same ole problem...it kicks out of 6th and 5th gear ...sometimes. All others work good. Have lid off and all forks etc are nice. Problem is main shaft gears move for/aft abt a good 1/8" . Shaft/pinion is tight and has no end play. I made the left shift fork adjustable and now will engage all lugs good on 5/6 and drive lugs but now am worried that I took away from 4th and 2nd. I need to keep them gears from sliding that 1/8". Can I loosen the big spanner nut and tighten the small one up to tighten up the gear pac?? How would it get that loose? I can see where the previous owner tightened these nuts. Surely he wouldn't leave it that loose. Had very little use since he went through it all. The book says torque that little nut to 150 ft/lb! I am assuming that since it is a constant mesh that everything on that shaft turns together all the time and the collars just lock the selected gear to the shaft ??/ I'm sure I can split the diff. between 6th and 4th and both will probably work but if I can get rid of that slack without a split would rather do it and then my adjustment would be perfect for both gears. The coupler is catching enough of both 6and 4 but 4 is a little "light" when/if the gears slide back that 1/8". What say you? Thanks in advance. RB Also, why does it only list one gasket in parts book (instead of two) for the lid?
 
Well don't nail me for answering my own post but I know by the archives that others have had this problem and hope this might help them out. First brainstorm was to make 5/6 fork adjustable but that would make 5/6 work good at the expense of 4/2 and since the whole gear cluster moves for/aft a good heavy 1/8 +" it would be hit or miss. Next brainstorm was to make a hardened steel "horseshoe" shim that would bolt to the two front shift rod bracket bolts and slip down between very front gear and bearing support wall to effectively "shim" the gear cluster rearward and tight. Last brainstorm was to hammer/punch loosen outer spanner nut on front of shaft and then punch the small inner gear clamping nut to see how much I could tighten it. Not much room and no room for spanner wrench without splitting tractor. After 3 sessions of this and tightening to see where I was , the last session equal to 1/2 turn finally tightened up the cluster so no front to rear slack. Now cluster can't move forward going down hill or rearward uphill and moving the shift collar out of good engagement range of the gear drive lugs and popping out of gear. No splitting and works like new.(yes I spiked them both and the threads also) Hope this helps someone out with same problem. If that gearset moves for/aft (which many do if never serviced)it will eventually jump out of some gear or the other.
 

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