High/Low Shift Levers

[Pirate]

Why do I have two of them? I only use one to put into low. One has H and L and the other has a rabbit and turtle. Thanks.

 

[RonMar]

Which tractor make/model are you talking about? Pics are always welcome

Many tractors have dual high/low gear levers, with one of these sometimes refered to as a "Creeper" gear. Each high/low lever doubles the number of available speeds, so a 3 speed gearbox with 2 hi/lo levers would have 12 forward speeds and 4 reverse speeds. The key to a tractors pulling force is to get the engine running at peak horspower range without spinning the wheels. Ag tires need time for the lugs to dig into the soil and get a good bite. Your highest pulling force will be found in first gear with loth levers in the low range(first-low-low or 1LL).

 

[Red55]

Pirate-on my tractor 2007 284 jinma the turtle and the rabbit (on the column) is for the trottle engine speed. The H/L high/low is for the gears and controls the transmission speed -Ed

 

[Pirate]

Both levers are on the tranny. One is rear, toward the seat on a hump type thing that also has the breater. The other is forward. I've tried both of them. One can be H the other L, and I get the same results when I change them. The tractor is a Nortrac 204C/20HP. Thanks. I will post some pictures if I can find a camera.

 

[3RRL]

Yeah, pictures would help.
I thought the rabbit and turtle were like Ed said. Larry's 354 was that way.

 

[RonMar]

Both levers are on the tranny. One is rear, toward the seat on a hump type thing that also has the breater. The other is forward. I've tried both of them. One can be H the other L, and I get the same results when I change them. The tractor is a Nortrac 204C/20HP. Thanks. I will post some pictures if I can find a camera.

Well the one to the rear on the hump with the breather is the regular high/low. The one up forward, is probably all the way up forward near the base of the steering column and has a vertical shaft which the lever swings clockwise/counterclockwise. The forward one is usually refered to as the "creeper gear. Either one of these should have a noticible effect on the speed in a given gear at a given engine RPM. The rear lever is a smaller ratio change so it has a lesser effect on speed. The front lever should have a very pronounced effect on speed and pulling force. the gearbox also has more noise as you are engaging a whole nother set of reduction gears up front. On my 284, 1st with both these levers in "L" gets me a very slow walking speed with 2300 RPM. And when I say slow, I mean it creeps along SLOW(hence the name creeper gear), but will creep and pull/rip out just about anything when it does.

I think there is a pin where that lever meets the front shaft. If it has a problem, you may be moving the lever, but not engaging the creeper gear. There is a very noticible gearbox sound change when mine is engaged.

The creeper cover is real easy to remove(8 bolts) and you can inspect it in a few minutes time with a wrench to see if the lever is properly engaging and moving the forward creeper slider gear. Here is a link to Johns Jinma site with an exploded view of a 284 clutch housing. Yours(also a 200 series) should be very similar.

http://johnstractor.homestead.com/files/ClutchHouse.jpg

 

[geobar]

For people with a 3pt roto-tiller or treching attachment, the creeping speed from the forward lever can be very useful.

 

[greg_g]

For people with a 3pt roto-tiller or treching attachment, the creeping speed from the forward lever can be very useful.

Yup. It's an old rice paddy innovation. Limited usefullness in the majority in this country.

//greg//

 

[RonMar]

Yup. It's an old rice paddy innovation. Limited usefullness in the majority in this country.

//greg//

I guess I am not in the majority, I use my creeper gear all the time.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am with you RonMar. I use my creeper probally 20% of the time and use the both together probably 5% of the time. Comes in real handy when logging and pulling stumps and shrubs.

Chris