range selector for hst supposed to be extremely hard to shift?

DonRybak · Apr 10, 2025

It's been about 20 months since my last post above and I've put about 60 additional hours on my tractor. I can't see much improvement in moving the range selector level over this time. A few days ago I drove my tractor to the gas station to fuel it up before pulling a trailer with 3 rolls of horse hay to another area of my pasture. I always run in high range on the road or the two mile trip would take forever. When I got back, hooked up the trailer and started my trip in the pasture I approached a patch of sand through a gate about 20 feet wide. Before hitting the sand I tried shifting to mid range and I could not get that lever to move no matter how many times I tried rocking the tractor both directions. I finally said screw it and went ahead in high range. Big mistake..... Once both the tractor and trailer tires were in the sand the tractor engine bogged down and stalled. I finally decided to disconnect the trailer and just haul it with my truck. After disconnecting the trailer and getting out of the sand as I was taking the tractor to the house I tried the range lever a couple more times when all of a sudden it moved into mid range. I turned around, reconnected the trailer and finished moving it. I guess in the long run this function will never get better. Pretty frustrating...

Looking4new · Apr 10, 2025

I have 1300+ hours on my CK27 and sometimes it is still a bear to shift. I use the clutch and gently hit the HST pedal while trying to shift to whichever range I need. I spend 99% of my time in M and the other 1% in Low. I am chained up on the rear and High range is absolutely brutal on my back.

Mtsoxfan · Apr 10, 2025

I equate the stiffness in shifting between L-M-H to be like parking a car on a hill. Pressure on parking pawl makes it tough to go into gear. I have a NH hst, and when it is difficult to shift, I bump the pedal, forward or reverse, and it shifts smoothly, no issues at all.
Sometimes I just push the clutch in, but bumping F/R pedal always works.

DonRybak · Apr 11, 2025

I don't have a clutch on my hydrostatic but bumping between fwd/rev didn't work this time until after probably 20 - 25 minutes of messing with it. This time was probably the worst I've had with it. I only posted this to let others that had then same thought as me that with time it'll get better. It doesn't at least for me.

ning · Apr 11, 2025

As previously mentioned, these gears are straight-cut; they've got to be lined up really well to shift.
I think if it ever gets easier it's because you're wearing out the corners where you're trying to force a mesh, probably not a great thing.

My tractor's got 850hr on it now; I certainly don't switch a lot, but some - I have L/M/H ranges and I'm in M 80% of the time, L 19% (I've calculated this precisely! not.), H 1%. Luckily the L/M transition is pretty decent; the M/H isn't. It doesn't seem to be getting better, but it does work. I could swear it seems to work best if the tractor is pointed straight / front wheels not turned but idk why that would be (range shift, not 4wd lever - I'm aware about bind-up issues affecting getting out of 4wd and that's not what I'm talking about here). I'll still use H range if I'm running on flat or lightly downhill for a decent amount of time such that the speed gives an advantage over the stop/range switch/go delay.

No forcing. Best is if you're on a slight incline/decline; foot off of the go pedals, other foot on the brakes, give gentle pressure on the shifter while letting the tractor move very slowly - it should drop in.

Do not shift if you're on a substantial hill as if you're not lucky enough to go into gear quickly you'll be relying on brakes in neutral = rear wheels only; if you don't think you'll make it up a steep hill in your current range, stop where it's safe and switch to the lower range.