Rancher ES not shifting well

5103Owner · Nov 24, 2005

I have a 2000 Honda Rancher ES that does not shift well, it is run almost every day and the battery is just a few months old. It seems as though I am always using the foot shift wrench. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Please help!!!...

nobaddays · Nov 25, 2005

bought an ES a few years ago. it jammed frequently, and in the worst situations. kept taking it back to the dealer, but it never got any better. hated to stick a buyer with this machine, but what's a person to do. then i purchased 660 grizzly. its a wonderful machine. jc

AL_Josh · Nov 25, 2005

I own a 2000 Rancher ES too.

Is it not doing anything or is it trying to shift?

How long and when does the problem exsist?

If it is not doing anything I would start looking at some of the electrical components.

If it trying to shift and not, I would look at the adjustment of the clutch.

Also, I would check to make sure there is no dirt or mud behind the shifting buttons. Sometimes getting it dirty lets mud and dirt hold down the buttons and to work properly the buttons must move all the way out and in when pushed.

Make sure all connections are still connected. I had mine in a swamp while I was running a fence line and a stick unplugged a wire on the bottom of the motor and I could not shift into reverse.

I while try to find my shop manual and see what it suggests.

Good Luck!

BB_TX · Nov 28, 2005

Can you hear the shift solenoid clicking when you hit the shift button(s)? Is this when you are moving or sitting still?

Jay4200 · Dec 7, 2005

( I have a 2000 Honda Rancher ES that does not shift well, it is run almost every day and the battery is just a few months old. It seems as though I am always using the foot shift wrench. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Please help!!!... )

Your post is not specific as to what the problem is. If the electric shifter seems to not have enough "oomph", and the shifting seems hard, it is likely your clutch adjustment. On the front of the motor, there is an adjustment screw for the shift clutch. If this is too tight, the clutch drags, making shifting vary hard when the engine is running. The same thing happens if the idle is set too high, for similar reasons. I had a clutch adjustment problem on my Foreman 450, but ignored it (just stomped harder on the shifter). Eventually, a piece of the shift linkage inside the motor shattered from the stress. A lot of grief for not turning an adjustment screw. Check your manual for adjustment proceedures.

Jay

chief5 · Dec 8, 2005

My good friends have a Rancher ES (2000) and a Foreman ES. We found out early on that you must not be under power while shifting. That is, when it is time to upshift, back off the throttle slightly, shift up to the next gear, then reapply the throttle. Also when try to shift to nuetral before starting the machine, gently rock the machine back and forth. After we did this, we never had another problem shifting with the ES buttons.

Good luck, Lorn

TomPenny · Dec 8, 2005

My 2000 RancherES does that too. I have to make sure I turn it off in N or a lot of the times I have to get the wrench out.

There is an adjustment for it. I've just not messed with it yet.

Actually mine shifted without any problem ever until Honda worked on it.

I took it in to have the recall a-frame fix done. without asking me they did a recall shifter plate too. ??? I said "thanks"
it's been a problem ever since. Of course I've waited too late to take issue with it now.

Also if I manually shift it into N with it not running but the key is "on' I have turn is off/on before it will shift at all.

BB_TX · Dec 9, 2005

I have to make sure I turn it off in N or a lot of the times I have to get the wrench out.

Mine is similar, except that I can always get it to shift to neutral by rocking it back and forth while hitting the shift button. Just need to get the pressure off the gears so the shift solenoid can move them.