the shifter on My 544 has been really sloppy for some time now and it was real easy to get it into two gears at the same time -- always been able to wiggle it back to normal -- not today - it will shift 4th and 5th and neutral but will not slide over to catch 2 and 3 or 1rst and reverse -- looking for a parts breakdown with no luck -- any thoughts out there? I am about ready to pull that whole shifter out of there and build My own --three levers instead of one -- has any one of You guys done such a think? Roy

Over time they get sloppy due to ware and clutch and T/A adjustments and just like on the large framed tractors when that adjustment get out of wack then comes the tugging and jerking and slamming adding to the ware and slop . The shifter is like on a 656 and i have gone thru a couple of them and have had to come up with a pin that was BIGGER to make up for the slop in the shifter levers then used shims to tighten up the side to side slop so there was no gap between the shifter levers , replaced all the headed pins and for lube i used the graphite ya use in a plateless corn planter . Then did a clutch and T/A adjustment and sent them out the door .

well thanks for the help guys --I got it apart and yes the inside pin had dropped so the rod couldnt slide over to the next set of gears- I took that pin the rest of the way out -slid the rod out and made new pins -put back together and walla --it works again -- thanks again every one!!! Roy

You don’t say if it is a Farmall or utility, here is a link to the Messick’s Farmall row crop diagram.

• 544 shifter diagram

Oops, wish we could edit ...go to section named Cont Controls.. sub section H-12

Do a search for sloppy shifter repairs for a 656 it should be very close to yours and there was a lot more 656 made. I have read about them getting loose but only had a 686 for a short time before I left farming with my Dad and Brother.

Don't do that. With three levers it'd be way too easy to get the tractor into two gears at once. Hit a bump, another lever drops, and KA-BANG! The tractor won't be worth fixing.

There is a parts breakdown on the CaseIH website or many IH dealer sites that sell parts.

There are a lot of linkages involved in the shifting on these, but the shift lever is deceptively simple. As you move the shifter left and right, it moves a rod left and right under the dash to select one of three arms that connect to linkages that go down, under the deck, and back to the transmission. In that rod is a round cross pin that engages those three arms one at a time. That cross pin can vibrate and become loose over time, and slip part way out into one of the access holes used to install/remove it.

As I recall the one I did was stuck in 1st/Reverse. The pin was about ready to fall out on the deck. Shoving it back in does not work as it is loose and will not stay.

My solution was to take a sharp center punch and make several dimples around the middle of the pin to expand it. However you MUST be careful driving it back in because if you go too far, you have to take the whole steering column apart to drive it back. At least it looks that way to me. Just tap it in a little bit, try it, tap a little more, try it, etc..