John Deere A reverse speeds

Jhn · May 24, 2022

I just bought an A and I can only get road speed reverse in low range and high is even faster, am I missing something?

Dan in Ohio · May 24, 2022

Nothing wrong with your A, that's the nature of the beast, you will get used to it.

coonie minnie · May 24, 2022

Some A's had something to block out the high speed reverse... some sort of linkage that would kick the range lever over into low when put into reverse.

I read somewhere- probably Green Magazine 30 years ago- about someone with an old 4 speed A or perhaps B. They'd figured out that she was faster in hi reverse than 4th, and actually roaded the tractor in reverse!

Rich'sToys · May 24, 2022

There is only one reverse, and the tractor must be in low range. Even then, the reverse speed is quite fast.

Jhn · May 24, 2022

Wouldn't the fast reverse wear out the clutch? That's prabably about the only thing I don't like about it. I wanted to back a baler in a barn up the hill but figured it would be too hard so just unhooked and put allis WD on and peice of cake.

Dan in Ohio · May 25, 2022

Jhn, My A is a 1949 model and when I try to use the high range reverse it does as Connie Minnie says and kicks the low range lever into low range (I had forgot that).

Jhn · May 25, 2022

Yes mine does too, it must not have been in R high

swindave · May 25, 2022

I have a model A also; I this is the one thinks I really hate the fast reverse speed!
I don't understand what the engineers were thinking when they made it so fast!

wore out · May 25, 2022

(quoted from post at 13:32:11 05/25/22) I have a model A also; I this is the one thinks I really hate the fast reverse speed!
I don't understand what the engineers were thinking when they made it so fast!

"I don't understand what the engineers were thinking when they made it so fast!"

I don't think it was "deliberately engineered", if you look at MANY MANY transmissions made over the years a "fast" reverse is not unusual. More a "bean counter thing" than an engineering triumph.

Some transmissions have a "bump out" on the side to allow a compound reverse gear with a large enough ratio to make for a slow reverse.

Basically, having a "slow" reverse requires more room and more $$$ into the parts, GUESSING that's why it didn't always happen.

Drew · May 26, 2022

When you see how those transmissions are laid out and how they work, you then can understand that it wasn't an engineering decision to make reverse that fast.

Reverse is accomplished by moving the sliding 1st/3rd gear to engage the differential ring gear. So, to slow reverse down, you would either have to make the 1st/3rd gear smaller, which would screw up your 1st and 3rd gear speeds. You could make the differential ring gear bigger, which slows down EVERYTHING. I do not see a practical way they could have made reverse slower without it causing several other problems.

Jhn · May 30, 2022

In John deeres defense, a case vac has a fast reverse also, prabably the same concept

John Deere A reverse speeds

Jhn

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Dan in Ohio

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coonie minnie

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Rich'sToys

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Jhn

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Dan in Ohio

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Jhn

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swindave

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wore out

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Drew

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Jhn

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