Gleaner Variable Speed

Andy Airgood · Aug 1, 2020

I’ve removed the clutch on my fathers Gleaner F. In addition to clutch problems the variable speed doesn’t work. Since I have the transmission drive belt off I’m wondering if it would be a good time to look at the variable speed. I really don’t understand the mechanics of the variable speed. Could anyone tell me how they work and common problems with them?

flying belgian · Aug 1, 2020

Well this is a shot in the dark but I've had it where the sheeve is over greased. It then collects dust and gets packed in channels and limits its range of travel.

centash · Aug 1, 2020

There should be a small hydraulic cylinder on the sheave, that pushes in or out, allowing the belt to run at different speeds as the radius of the sheave changes. A newer F series may have an internal hydraulic that does the same thing.

Ben

Andy Airgood · Aug 2, 2020

How do you get to the cylinder?

centash · Aug 2, 2020

The outer sheave has to be removed....been years since I had one apart, a service manual is your best guide.

Ben

Farmall Nut · Aug 2, 2020

(quoted from post at 09:02:25 08/02/20) How do you get to the cylinder?

On an F the hydraulic cylinder is directly mounted to the rear of variable sheave. Pushing hydraulic lever in cab forward causes the cylinder to retract or expand the sheave. The sheave mounted on transmission input is spring loaded. Adjust so that the hydraulic sheave doesnt touch when closed. May need to adjust the cross shaft to achieve this. Grease these but dont over do it as it will sling grease onto belt and cause slippage. Get a manual. Once youve gone thru the steps it will be easy to understand. Simple but effective speed control

Andy Airgood · Aug 2, 2020

How do you get to the cylinder?

XT180 · Aug 2, 2020

Andy, can you look on the Agco Parts Book site to get an picture of what's involved? We ran an F for multiple years but never repaired that issue. Replacing the main counter shaft bearing behind the seperator clutch was a real b^&*h though

Farmall Nut · Aug 2, 2020

(quoted from post at 19:23:29 08/02/20) How do you get to the cylinder?

I thought I made it clear that the cylinder was mounted to the rear of variable sheave. Follow the hydraulic line.
If you have an F2 itsa different animal.

paul · Aug 2, 2020

It’s been so long since I worked on my F but it was pretty simple, unscrew the bolts until things came apart enough. The sheave just came off if you got those adjustment bolts out, but remember where they are set at.

As mentioned, an F2 or F3 is built differently.

Paul

Andy Airgood · Aug 9, 2020

It looks like the problem is with the front pulley coming off the transmission clutch. Going from an F2 to an F and didn’t realize it needed to be greased so something probably seized up. I still would welcome input if anyone is familiar with this part of the combine.

Bob Bancroft · Aug 9, 2020

For what it's worth, my aging recollections- Some models had a little window in the outer sheave, some had the grease fitting right in the end of the shaft. As I recall, all were greaseable. There's an o-ring near the sheave side of the sliding hub to keep grease from getting on the belt. The grease would then be forced to go through the hub, away from the belt, towards the spring. Big, heavy spring is in a canister. Canister can collect quite a lot of gunk, given excess grease, and grain dust/dirt. It got complicated when they added splines to the shaft, and mating parts with a cam, so that with more torque required to go up hill, or through a mud hole, the sheaves would squeeze the belt tighter.

The outer, stationary sheave is keyed to the shaft, on a taper. I would use a bar, various pieces of wood between the sheaves, or the belt, if still on the combine, to put pressure on it, and pound the daylights out of the hub to get it to pop loose, after loosening the nut.

Farmall Nut · Aug 9, 2020

Wooden or Plastic splitting wedges are good for this job. Dont nick the inside surface of the sheave as that will damage the belt. While in there, check the finger bushings as the fingers tend to wear the bushing and make an elongated hole in the inner sheave. This is especially an issue on the variable drive sleeve. I wore out 2 Fs and kept rebuilding and running them. Theyre great machines. Simple but clean the crop really well. Back in the day before rear wheel assist was popular, an F was the only thing running in a wet season because theyre so lite.

Farmall Nut · Aug 9, 2020

Neighbor had a K with stuck transmission inner sheave from lack of grease. He filled a grease gun with transmission fluid and pumped it in. That and the splitting wedges freed it. If you disassemble it, theres a seal, (ORing) inside the inner sheave. replace it. Same on the variable inner and outer sheave.

Gleaner Variable Speed

Andy Airgood

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flying belgian

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centash

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Andy Airgood

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centash

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Farmall Nut

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Andy Airgood

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XT180

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paul

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Andy Airgood

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Bob Bancroft

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