MF135 Gear Shifting Issues

   / MF135 Gear Shifting Issues #1  

jpollock

New member
Joined
May 30, 2013
Messages
2
Location
Red Rock, Ontario
Tractor
MF135 Perkins diesel
Hello all.

I just joined this site to see if I could get some much needed advice.

I own a late 60's (not sure of the exact year, but the most recent date on the patent plate is 1966) MF135 3 cyl Perkins diesel. I use it in the summer for grass cutting with a 60" finishing mower. I cut about 5 acres every 6 days or so, therefore my tractor is almost as near to my heart as my children. Today was the first mow, due to the crappy spring we've had in Northern Ontario. I was nearly done cutting and went to shift from 1 Hi to Rev and the transmission jammed. The gear shift lever doesn't appear to be in the proper position for it, but I think it is stuck in 2. The Hi/Lo shifter works, but the gear shift lever will not move. I can't really remember if the tractor would start in gear before (because I don't think I had ever tried doing it) but it will start with the Hi/Lo shifter in neutral. As long as I want to cut the grass really fast, really slow, or only go forward, this is no major issue....but I don't want to do any of these things.

I am hosting an outdoor wedding in my yard in 3 weeks and if I have to resort to my 42" riding mower I am going to be one unhappy camper.

Any and all comments and suggestions are very much appreciated.
 
   / MF135 Gear Shifting Issues #3  
Hello all.

I just joined this site to see if I could get some much needed advice.

I own a late 60's (not sure of the exact year, but the most recent date on the patent plate is 1966) MF135 3 cyl Perkins diesel. I use it in the summer for grass cutting with a 60" finishing mower. I cut about 5 acres every 6 days or so, therefore my tractor is almost as near to my heart as my children. Today was the first mow, due to the crappy spring we've had in Northern Ontario. I was nearly done cutting and went to shift from 1 Hi to Rev and the transmission jammed. The gear shift lever doesn't appear to be in the proper position for it, but I think it is stuck in 2. The Hi/Lo shifter works, but the gear shift lever will not move. I can't really remember if the tractor would start in gear before (because I don't think I had ever tried doing it) but it will start with the Hi/Lo shifter in neutral. As long as I want to cut the grass really fast, really slow, or only go forward, this is no major issue....but I don't want to do any of these things.

I am hosting an outdoor wedding in my yard in 3 weeks and if I have to resort to my 42" riding mower I am going to be one unhappy camper.

Any and all comments and suggestions are very much appreciated.

Clean around the transmission filler cap and remove it. You should be able to reach in with a screwdriver and move the shifting forks on their rails. I had to do this about 6 weeks ago and wasn't totally sure how but it ended up very simple. This is a common problem from what I have read here and when it happened, I knew just how to fix it.

namyessam
 
   / MF135 Gear Shifting Issues
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks for the timely responses. I don't know how many 135 gear shifters Big Dean has unstuck since his post saying he had done it to 1000, but make it 1001. It was quite possibly the easiest fix I have ever done on anything. It took me a minute to figure out where the shift fork was, but it popped right back to where it should be and the old girl shifts like a charm once again.
 
   / MF135 Gear Shifting Issues #5  
Good News!
 
   / MF135 Gear Shifting Issues #7  
G'day jpollock.
And yes welcome to the forum.
I did not see anyone reminding you to keep the screwdriver in your tractor toolbox:).
Some feel that by changing gears more DELIBERATELY that it is less likely to happen maybe worth a try if you find it happen to often.
happy days.
Hutch.
 
   / MF135 Gear Shifting Issues #8  
Restarting an old thread: I took the screwdriver-through-the-gearbox advice and moved the stuck-in-reverse gear on my '67 MF 135, and it was *too* easy...the gear slid right past neutral and now it's stuck in 1st! The gear went so far I can't even see it, and nothing will get it to slide back; I reached back almost a foot to grab it and it ain't goin' anywhere. I sure don't want to disassemble anything major. First is OK, but a little too fast without lugging the engine; I prefer to pull the disc in low register 3rd...

Thoughts?
TIA!
 
   / MF135 Gear Shifting Issues #9  
Restarting an old thread: I took the screwdriver-through-the-gearbox advice and moved the stuck-in-reverse gear on my '67 MF 135, and it was *too* easy...the gear slid right past neutral and now it's stuck in 1st! The gear went so far I can't even see it, and nothing will get it to slide back; I reached back almost a foot to grab it and it ain't goin' anywhere. I sure don't want to disassemble anything major. First is OK, but a little too fast without lugging the engine; I prefer to pull the disc in low register 3rd...

Thoughts?
TIA!

G'day el rancho decomposo
And welcome to the Forum.

I have read a few specific articles including some of my own ,written about this issue, I suggest you do what we all do and spend Usually"more time than we have surfing and learning about other things , only joking, In case you don't get any response you can First, Look where the Speed the (LONG Stick) /Not the Range! gear stick fits into the Socket if you like ,look closely at the hard steel socket that the stick sits in and there is a pin ,about 1/4 Inch diameter knock the pin out and remove the gear stick you will see the Selector forks , re position the gear stick and "pointing" the ball end of the stick towards the gear that the tractor is stuck in push the stick into the gearbox and wiggle it around till you feel it engage with the selector put a temporary pin to hold the lever in place and recover first gear Note:you may have to rock the tractor back forth to relieve any torque that may be in the gearbox , it will make it very hard to get back out of gear if there is a torque loading between two gears, make sure all selectors are in line, fit a new gasket ,check the transmission oil and reassemble.
Happy days.
Hutch.
 
 
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