4200 transmission

[Anonymous Poster]

I purchased a 4200 compact in 12/98 with a 9F/3R Collar Shift transmission. It has been a problem every since I owned it. If the tractor is parked on an incline or decline, you can't get it to go into a forward or reverse gear without slamming it into gear with alot of grinding. If the angle is to steep, you can't get it into gear no matter how hard you try.
The dealer has taken the tractor twice and not been able to fix it. They tell me I'm going to have to live with it. Has anybody had this problem with their tractor and if so, have they been able to find a solution?
Thanks
Roger

 

[Anonymous Poster]

BUY A FORD!

 

[Hillbilly]

Did not know they made Ford tractors anymore.......

 

[Hillbilly]

Roger,
That does not sound right to me,have you talked to a JD service dept yet??

 

[kerr]

Tell him ta live with it sticking out of his tail pipe.Does the manual say anything about starting or parking on slopes?

 

[CVHoss]

The only thing I can find on the online operator's manuals at the JD web site is in the "Safety" section of the manual. It says:

Parking Safely

1. Stop machine on a level surface, not on a slope.
2. Disengage PTO.
3. Lower attachments to the ground.
4. Lock park brake.
5. Stop engine.
6. Remove key.
7. Before you leave the operator's station, wait for engine and all moving
parts to stop.

Don't know if they could point to item one as the reason for their "you have to live with it" remark, or not.

Hoss

 

[Hillbilly]

The dealer has taken the tractor twice and not been able to fix it. They tell me I'm going to have to live with it.

I cannot believe I missed that when I posted that reply yesterday..................DUH

 

[dmccarty]

Roger,

I'm not sure how many people own tractors with the Collar Shift tranny. You might not get anyone who actually owns a JD tractor with this tranny much less the same problem.

Seems to me if the tractor has problems shifting into gear on an incline its got to be the clutch or the linkages going to the clutch. Sounds like something is slipping.

Does the problem happen if the tractor is pointed up hill? If you parked the tractor in the same spot but down hill does the problem happen? From your note it appears that the tractor has the problem pointed both up hill and downhill. That is strange. I could see one or the other but not both....

You need to get ahold of the JD Field Representative.

If the dealer is not responding, send a note to JD from the JD website. Be aware that JD fowards a copy of your note to your dealer. I sent a note to JD and was a bit miffed that the dealer got the note. I was not having a problem with the dealer but I could see someone saying something about the dealer and getting blindsided. My problem got resoved by the JD Field Rep. The MX6 I have has a slip clutch and they forgot to publish the procedures on how to perform PM on the clutch.

Good Luck. Let us know what happens.....
Dan McCarty

 

[LazyK]

When I shopped for 4200's three years ago, I was fortunate to have the use of a Collar-Shift equipped demo with fel and box-blade for about a week. I think my dealer just wanted to shut me up. They were two months late delivering my 4200 order right in the middle of Lazy K Stables' summer insane season.
Anyhow, I experienced similar tranny lock-up and gear shaving shifting even in level-land operation!
Perhaps the demo (350+ hrs tt) had been thrashed by six-thumbed Deere slayers or mayhaps my ops requirements brought out the worst in the reprobate
transmotivator performance. My impression of the specific machine I had for a very brief time was that I either incorrectly operated the transmission or this system sucked big time. My only positive feeling about this particular 4200 Collar-Shift was that I could return it to the dealer when my HST arrived. Big help I am! I wish I had learned more about the specific 'WHY?' the tranny was so 'ornery.
I really thought it was me who did something wrong cuz of brainfartitis. If I find my one and only brain cell, I'll pass on any info re: specific cause/effect/cures of a few 4200 Collar-Shifters I know around this Puget Sound area. Have you tried out the HST?

Lazy K - Chip

 

[vankirt]

I can actually say "been there done that". I bought a 4300 CollarShift in '99 and had nothing but transmission problems. It's no coincidence that Deere doesn't make the CollarShift anymore. The dealer worked on mine twice, then Deere and Funk (the company that designed the hunk of junk) worked on it. Each time it lasted a few months and the grinding would start up again. I had problems whether I was sitting in the garage or on a hill. I ended up paying some money to get a new tractor with the SyncReverser in it. The dealer is right when they say it can't be fixed.

Make sure you're talking to Deere directly. I had to negotiate a price with them for a new tractor (which I really think I shouldn't have had to pay anything), then the dealer charged me his cost for the upgrade to the SyncReverser. I was convinced the tractor wasn't going to be the reliable piece of equipment I thought I bought, so it was better to get out sooner than later.

Let me know if there's any other help I can give.
Good luck - Tom

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The tractor won't shift into gear whether parked on and incline or decline. JD says its because the oil surrounds the clutch and therefore rendors it almost useless. They don't have a cure. JD has been in possesion of my tractor for a month. JD customer service said the issue in the hands of area manager and I havn't heard anything from him yet. I'm quite frustrated.
Thanks
Roger

 

[Anonymous Poster]

JD customer service has turned it over to area manager. I'm yet to hear from him even though my tractor has been being evaluated at dealer for a month.
Thanks
Roger

 

[Anonymous Poster]

JD dealer says it can't be fixed and recommends disengaging safety switch that would allow tractor to start while in gear. This is because tractor can be put in gear when engine is off.
Thanks
Roger

 

[Matt4200]

Roger,

I have the exact same problem with my 4200 syncshift. The only difference it that mine is syncronized so it doesn't grind, but just doesn't want to go into gear on hills unless I slam it from one gear to the next. Have you gotten any help from the dealer yet? I would like to know what they did/said for the problem. My dealer doesn't have a clue how to fix it. They've told me things to try, but they don't work. My tractor is still under warranty, so if there's a fix I'd like to know.
Thanks,
Here is a post I put on another board and the tons of replies I got.
http://jplan.com/cgi-bin/tractor/fu...de=JDU&catname=John Deere Owning/Buying#26156