MF 35 without low or high range.

[Brad M-C]

I am looking for imput on a MF 35 that hill not go into low or high range....When the shifter is moved nothing happens, but it causes the handle for the 3 pt hitch to move...Any sugestions?

 

[DavidP,South Wales]

Hi Brad,
This is an unusual one. Does the action and 'stops' on the HL shifter feel normal? Or is it free to travel? If the action feels OK then you may have a broken selector fork. Does the main lever feel OK. Have you done any heavy work that might have caused the shear tube safety device in the drive line to break? I would suggest as a starting point that you drain the oil completely or at least to the level of the LH side cover bottom bolt. Remove the cover. With a flashlight look inside and upwards. You will see the main shaft with the tube between it and the final drive pinion. The tube is held in place with a split pin through it. Just wondering if the split pin has come out or is about to and maybe hitting the hydraulic linkage it time it turns. Long shot but who knows?
Please let us know.
DavidP

 

[Brad M-C]

We just aquired the tractor from a neighbor who used it to mow the weeds down in his pasture. He said he was hooking up his bush hog and was standing behind the tractor and reached over to raise the hitch a little higher and when he did the tractor jumped into gear and took off. It hit a fence post and he managed to get on it and put it back in neutral. Since then it will not go back into high or low range. The high/low selector feels okay to me, but not having used it prior to the malfunction I wouldn"t know if it feels right.

 

[DavidP,South Wales]

Hi Brad,
From this message it sounds a bit more like a selector problem. Under the HL lever is a rod that runs front to back. There are spring loaded plungers at the front to hold the lever in the selected position. If these feel OK then you may have a broken or loose selector fork. The fork is held on the rod by a pointed locking screw that engages in the rod. It is then wired in place. If the selector is loose on the rod or the fork has broken it is possible for the gears to float and engage on its own. This may be what has happened. If you remove the oil filler plug and using a small flashlight look to the far side and you may be able to see the HL rod. If you can, operate the lever and you will at least see if the rod is moving forwards and backwards.
Other than that there is nothing short of removing the steering box assembly. There is a reduction unit mounted behind the gearbox. To gain access to this it may be necessary to split the tractor between the gearbox and back end so bear this in mind if you park the tractor up somewhere. I've never had any probs here and a selector problem looks the most likely.
DavidP

 

[Phil T]

I don't know if this is your problem but these have a problem with the planetary assembly coming apart. It is pressed together with a fine spline and sometimes comes apart. this can be accessed through the top cover on the rear end if I remember correctly. Just remember to follow the directions in the manual before you remove the cover or you may damage the three point hitch linkage. If you find this is the problem it can be tack welded in place after it is pressed back in.