F-20 noisy in high gear

3LFarms · May 29, 2020

I got this old tractor running after sitting for 30 years. The rear tires are off to do the brakes. It runs very well and the trans is quiet in all gears except 4th. PTO/belt pulley run smooth and quiet.
I have not driven it yet since the tires were rotten.
It makes banging noises rather than gear whine noises I would expect when idling in high gear (tractor is sitting on blocks waiting on new tires).
If I take the top off the trans, will I be able to inspect the gears?
The manual says the gears can be serviced without removing the trans from the tractor or having to disturb the diff or counter shafts. Is that correct?

Janicholson · May 30, 2020

Pulling the top off should tell you the story. I can't imagine getting gears on and off the
countershaft while it is in the housing looking at the gear set. Jim

Kalven · May 30, 2020

I would wait until you get it back
together and try it. With no load on the
drive line in high gear and idling would
really make things noisy.

Janicholson · May 30, 2020

With discussion in mind, not flame: If the poster has the tractor apart this far, and the trans top is the only thing keeping diagnosis from being accomplished, Pulling the top off seems like a prudent thing to do. How about starting it as is, and applying the brakes to load the gears. If that causes the noise to go away, Fantastic. If it amplifies the noise, it needs to be taken apart. The trans looks to have the countershaft as output, and gears for every speed, not direct drive in 4th. I thought of the looseness idea allowing the slapping of components within their backlash. The top looks modest in size and open to removal. Jim

F-20 noisy in high gear

3LFarms

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Janicholson

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Kalven

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Janicholson

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