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How did they lock out 5th gear in the steel wheel tractors?

S

sflem849

Well-known Member
I have my H apart and from what my FIL says it was ordered with steel wheels in 1943 and converted later in time. This seems true bc you can't QUITE get it in 5th gear and it has JD yellow wheels with silver over top.

It appears to me the only thing different is the lack of a detent on the 4th/5th shift lever. Since it no longer has steel wheels I would like to use 5th gear. Is this, "going to hurt" my resale value? With Farmall's poor record keeping I don't think anybody could tell it had steel wheels by tracking the serial number. Is there anything else I have to do? Should I machine a detent in the rod or buy a new one?

Thanks for the input.
 
There is a bolt used to lock out 5th gear. It is located on top of the transmission case, between the base of the gearshift lever & the pedestal for the gas tank, in a countersunk hole. remove the bolt & replace it with a 3/8" x 3/4" bolt. You'll then have fifth gear. It might add a dollar or two to the value of the tractor. Most all of the steel converts had that bolt removed a long time ago & it should be an IH dot bolt. - Mike
 
There is a machine bolt in the top of the transmission case ahead, and to the left, of the gear-shift lever that prevents the shifter from engaging 5th gear (straight through drive). To allow 5th gear they just put in a shorter machine bolt that doesn't stop the shifeter going forward to engage 5th gear. The tractors always had the 5th gear, just if you had steel wheels you couldn't use it.
 
Take out the lock bolt and install a very short one and you can use 5th. My 1943 H originally had steel, but the spokes were cut and rims welded on, this change, the wheels are often called "cut-offs". I like the looks of them. When my Grandpa bought the H many years ago, it had the cut-offs, but the 5th gear was never unlocked, so Grandpa unlocked it.
 
I just went out and checked and there is already a short bolt in there. I would guess it is 1" without measuring, but I can see where it is supposed to just pop through the lid and stop the bar from being pushed forward.
Mine will still not go info fifth even with the bolt only threaded in a few threads. Are you sure there shouldn't be a detent in the rod? The other two rods have three detents, but this only has two. When you pull the lever back it almost drops in, but not quite. It doesn't go back as far as the other gears will either.

On a side note, what is the best way to fix a sloppy shifter?
 
Your two problems might be related. That sloppy shifter might not be pushing the rod far enough to engage fifth gear. Fifth gear is actually a misnomer since fifth is direct drive and the shafts are coupled.
 
(quoted from post at 03:31:02 07/16/09) Your two problems might be related. That sloppy shifter might not be pushing the rod far enough to engage fifth gear. Fifth gear is actually a misnomer since fifth is direct drive and the shafts are coupled.
Click to expand...
i think theres a type of pilot bearing where the two shafts couple together for 5th gear. i know if it is bad 5th will only grind or it will jump out of gear.
 
the shift rail for fifth gear does not move nearly as far as the other gears do and there is actulally two springs and balls on that shift rail for that very reason. If you pull the belt pulley or delete cover off you should get a good look at the gear and how far it moves and wether or not it locks up. As far as the sloppy shift lever I just went into how I repair them a couple days ago on this forum, some apparently didn't think it was necessary though. On another note, I throw the belt pulley attachnments away and make a plate. I got tired of crawling between them and the rear tire for all so many years. Good luck.
 
I broke a bull pinion carrier on my H and I have the lid off so I can see everything operate plain as day. I dont really wan't to pull the shift rail stuff apart and deal with the poppets and stuff.
I am not exactly sure why it won't go back into fifth. I might call the dealer tomorrow and see if they know anything.
 
Not the pulley, I sold one of them, it is the whole attachment I throw away, have two H's and one M belt pulley drive attachments laying in a pile in a granary.
 
From what you have said, it is very likely going to require a fourth fifth slider, a front input shaft, and an intermediate (pilot) bearing. Check the fork for wear and bending, but in most cases it is just ground off to nothing from a half century of grinding from 4th to fifth. JimN
 
I have three off M's in my granery. They sit right next the the live hydraulics and live PTO off my SMTA. :) I can't remember seeing that pump lately, I sure hope that is there, too!
 
Status update.
I have removed and replaced 4th/5th gears.

The bolt in the end of the shaft the gears slide on backed out and is trashed. The parts diagrams say it is 1/2"x1" NF Hex Head. I tried to thread that bolt in and it was a no go. When I look in the hole it looks like corse to me!?!

I have to wait till Saturday for the gasket that the trans shaft bearing carrier uses. AND Saturday and Sunday I have a wedding and we have a club pull Sunday :(

What bearing do you think is bad? The one on the end of the trans shaft or the one in the carrier in the inspection hole???

I can post pics if that would help. I have taken quite a few and have two of these setups.
 
Oops, I forgot to mention that I found a bad poppet spring on the 4th/5th rail. I think that may be the source of my 5th problems. You would think it would still stay in 5th if you held back on the shifter. IIRC it did not do that. I never really ran it much bc the whole thing is in pretty bad shape.
 
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Tx Jim
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