5055E JD won't go into reverse or 1st gear when cold

I have a (new to me) JD 5055 E (450 total hours) that WILL NOT go into reverse or 1st gear when it gets below freezing. The gear shift is extremely hard to free up from the "park" position and reverse grinds badly when trying to engage into that gear. The dealer I bought it from doesn't know what's wrong...says "probably gummed up". But with this low of total hours on the tractor I'm thinking there's something wrong internally. Does anyone have an opinion on how to fix this?

I for sure am not a JD expert. I would have to agree with you that there is some thing more wrong in there than being GUMMED UP. That a near new tractor. Are those the only gears you have a problem with? That said I do have a similar problem with a grain truck I own when it's very cold, hard to shift into any gear. I blame the gear oil in there as it seams to get better after it warms up. Difference is this is 1968 Ford Cab over not a near new JD tractor. Rocko.

I am not up on all of the "new" models. If this one has the shifters that come out the top sides of the transmission. Right under the gear shifters that are beside your legs. This type of shifter has had an issue from day one with the shifter boots leaking water. Then that water just lays there in the shifter pivot/linkage. Over time the water will either rust the shift linkage or as in yours just turn to ice and not allow the shifter to move.

Look under the operators platform and see if the shifter boots look cracked or loose. They maybe good and they still can leak if the tractor is pressure washed off. IF it is below freezing try heating this area with a hand held heat gun(hair dryer if you do not have a heat gun) and see if it will shift after you thaw it out. If it does then you need to replace the shifter boots for a long term fix. For the short term you need to get some type water displacing lube in the shifter. This is where WD-40 shines. It will displace the moisture.

The best cure is new shifter boots and then not letting the tractor set out side in the weather. If you do wash it off then lube the shifters when you are done. I just pull the boot back at the bottom and use an old style oil can and pump a few squirts of oil in the shifter cavity.

These boots crack with age not hours. The ones on my JD 5210 will not last 3-4 years and they are shot. I quit replacing them as it stays under roof all of the time when not in use. I oil the shifter linkage very time I change the oil.

The issue is cause by the fact that the transmission oil does not get throw up into this area like most transmission do. The shifter is mainly out side the transmission. You can see this in the parts break down.

The shifter boot "appears" to be OK...but I have used a pressure washer to wash the entire tractor and the tractor did set outside once when it rained. Normally, the tractor is stored inside. The schematic you show looks to be the correct one. I for sure will try what you say to do. I'll see if the bottom of the boot will pull back enough for me to "liberally" apply some WD-40. If I oil the linkage periodically, is there any possible concern for contamination of the transmission oil? THis sounds like an easy fix and I REALLY appreciate the advice! Thanks JD!

Below freezing is the key point...moisture somewhere...

(quoted from post at 17:38:58 01/14/13) The shifter boot "appears" to be OK...but I have used a pressure washer to wash the entire tractor and the tractor did set outside once when it rained. Normally, the tractor is stored inside. The schematic you show looks to be the correct one. I for sure will try what you say to do. I'll see if the bottom of the boot will pull back enough for me to "liberally" apply some WD-40. If I oil the linkage periodically, is there any possible concern for contamination of the transmission oil? THis sounds like an easy fix and I REALLY appreciate the advice! Thanks JD!

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Randall: There is almost a zero chance of contaminating the transmission oil by lubing the linkage. IF you look at the parts break down you can see the shifter rail comes out he side of the top of the transmission. Then there is a housing that the shifter mounts into. You would have to fill this whole housing up with oil for it to even maybe go around the shifter rail. Also that rail has an oring seal in the top housing so the odds of that are real low.