Upshifting a B

[Anonymous-0]

I have a 1941 John Deere Model B. It has a three speed transmission with a high and low range. First, second and fifth are in the low range, third, fourth, and sixth are in the high range. I have learned how to upshift from fourth to sixth by double clutching and adjusting the throttle. My question is it possible to upshift smoothly from fifth to sixth by moving the range selector lever? If so, how?

 

[old]

Would you believe by doing what your doing you are most likely hurting the tranny. Tractors are made to be shifted from a stopped position and then started out in what ever gear you want to drive it in and not shifted when in motion. Shifting in motion is a very good way to take out the transmission of a tractor
Hobby farm

 

[Mike M]

AMEN ! Especially an old JD. I've seen way too many broken off gear teeth from just such driving.
Next thing you will want to know why it pops out of gear.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks for the advice. Being somewhat of a novice in owning old trators, I will take the advice from the veterans.

 

[495man]

(quoted from post at 12:23:06 01/04/08) Would you believe by doing what your doing you are most likely hurting the tranny. Tractors are made to be shifted from a stopped position and then started out in what ever gear you want to drive it in and not shifted when in motion. Shifting in motion is a very good way to take out the transmission of a tractor
Hobby farm

If there's no gear clash I don't see the issue. If there's gear clash then don't do it. Basically every tractor can be shifted on the fly within the range if you know what you are doing.

I'd be more worried on clutch wear and life trying start a load in high gear, much easier on things upshifting. I guess if you can afford clutch jobs great, if you are clutch saving and can't shift....hope you like the trans bill.......

We have a W-4, used to do a lot of haulage with it until it was semiretired, you'd be riding and slipping the clutch if you tried to start out in 5th gear with a load of hay behind. Much easier on things to start in 4th, double clutch into 5th on a roll. Having said that, there's a time and a place, shifting a non-syncroed trans on the fly on the road is one thing, trying to do it under load in the field is another.

As far as the item in question, same principle as shifting a twin stick truck like a 5x4 / quadruplex etc., get the revs right, no problem regardless of lever, However, I would wager, like it has been pointed out, the tractor wasn't designed to do that and odds are something bad will happen. A heavy truck transmission is usually "spaced" to allow the shifts easily, where a tractor range lever shift is a BIG change in gearing, sometimes way outside the engine rpm/travel speed range creating damage and gearclash.

On a Deere 2cyl I don't think I'd want to juggle a hand clutch, hand throttle, and shifters plus steer the tractor......what's the main advantage of going 5-6 rather than 4-6, or 4-5-6?

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have been able to upshift from 4th to 6th without clashing the gears. The problem is that with a hand clutch, hand throttle, and hand shifter, I don't have enough hands. By the time you move all those levers the right number of times, the momentum you had going is just about used up. That is why I was looking for a way to shift from 5th wear I can build up a little more momentum to 6th gear by going from the low range to high range and do so without clashing the gears.

 

[Mike M]

All it takes is one time and BLAM ! there goes the tranny !
And then there are those that just grind them in all the time as they never come to a complete stop. They don't care and never will. They have all the edges chipped off the gears.

 

[495man]

(quoted from post at 17:54:15 01/04/08) All it takes is one time and BLAM ! there goes the tranny !
And then there are those that just grind them in all the time as they never come to a complete stop. They don't care and never will. They have all the edges chipped off the gears.

I absolutely hate the sound of grinding gears, just like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I agree, It is beyond me how someone can drive a machine and not care they are tearing the insides up.

 

[RandyB(MI)]

A 2cyl. JD is designed to be started out in high gear without undue clutch slippage. Anyone that has owned one knows the virtue of long stroke low-rpm torque that is a JD trademark. If you were brought up on any of the higher rpm 4 / 6 cyl. tractors , then no you wouldn't want to start out in high gear because you WOULD burn out the clutch in short order. These tractors would stall if you didn't feather the clutch. They have very little low rpm torque. John Deere knew they were building tractors not cars. Start out in high and forget about the shifting. Leave that to the 4 and 6 cyl. tractors. They know who they are.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Any load that "B" won't start in 6th gear you haven't got any business pulling, anyway. Yes, it can be done, but nobody can do it every time without grinding a gear, and do keep in mind that you're grinding on gears that are 65+ years old and most likely have had their share of abuse before you. What you're doing is asking for major transmission repair.