Kubota L185 stuck in 4th gear

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

Hi!

I've got a Kubota L185 1980 with about 1000h on the clock.

Today when I was driving along a road I shifted gears from 3rd to 4th (High) while on the roll. After this I can't seem to get the tractor out of 4th gear. It seems stuck.

I would be very happy for some good advice on what might be the fault and also how to fix it.
I'm a decent mechanic but not a proffessional.

 

[GeoHorn]

It may be more complicated than you’d like... I sounds like a stuck shift-fork and internal forks that are damaged usually require opening up the transmission.

 

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

It may be more complicated than you’d like... I sounds like a stuck shift-fork and internal forks that are damaged usually require opening up the transmission.

Yeah I suspected something like that. But when you say, opening up the transmission, do you mean the top cover where the gear stick goes in or actually picking the entire gear box apart?

I mean are we talking a small surgery or a heart transplant?

 

[85Hokie]

Old Fords you could take off the top cover and move the forks - L185 I am not sure that is the case. Is there a plate on top or either side?

 

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

Old Fords you could take off the top cover and move the forks - L185 I am not sure that is the case. Is there a plate on top or either side?

Theres a top cover that you can remove and move the forks and then another plate that comes off and then you can access the gears.

 

[GeoHorn]

Removing the top plate should answer the question completely... and may even be all that’s necessary for the repair.....(but full disclosure, I’ve never even seen, much less opened up a Kubota L185)

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

First go to kubotabooks.com and download the WSM (aka service manual), that will help you find and locate the issue.
Yes, you start by pulling the top cover on that model.

And In the future: Do not shift it on the fly! it does not have a fully (or partially) synchronized tranny.

 

[GeoHorn]

Even my M4700DT ...which CLAIMS to have a partially syncro trans between 3rd & 4th gear.... requires “double clutching” to make that shift smoothly.

 

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

First go to kubotabooks.com and download the WSM (aka service manual), that will help you find and locate the issue.
Yes, you start by pulling the top cover on that model.

And In the future: Do not shift it on the fly! it does not have a fully (or partially) synchronized tranny.

Thanks!

 

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

The shop manual was a great help! However since english is not my native language i dont fully understand the following instructions. Im attaching a picture to this post.

I dont understand where the neutral position of the forks and the sliding gears are.

And what do they mean by holding the shift forks together?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

When you pull the cover there will be a slot in the tops of the shift forks where the shifter lever engages.
line those slots up to be in neutral.
The slots and the balls on the levers are noted in yellow.

När du drar i locket kommer det att finnas ett spår i toppen på växlingsgafflarna där växelspaken går i ingrepp.

ställa in dessa slitsar för att vara i neutrala.

Spåren och bollarna på spakarna är noterade i gult.

I really hope that translation sounds better than it looks!

 

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

Ah! Just to be clear, the gearbox is in neutral when all those slots are aligned ?

Does that mean that the gear forks are engaged in the correct position on the actual gears when i lower the assembly back into the gearbox?

Also thanks for the translation!

 

[rbargeron]

Ah! Just to be clear, the gearbox is in neutral when all those slots are aligned ?

Does that mean that the gear forks are engaged in the correct position on the actual gears when i lower the assembly back into the gearbox?

Yes:


L185 levers


in neutral (L1500)

 

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

Thanks for all the good replies! I'm on my way to try and break the damned thing open now, however the cover is stuck and I'm afraid to break anything if I use too much force. Any tips on how to open the cover gently?

Also, does the cover gasket on an old tractor like this (1980) contain asbestos? Any need for careful handling of the gasket / protective breathing mask?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

NO asbestos, just a 'paper' gasket...
After ALL the bolts are removed, take a stiff putty knife' and go around and around the perimeter to 'break' the seal... might take 5-10 minutes, key is don't be in a hurry, do NOT use a screwdriver !!

 

[rbargeron]

The common situation with these is the lever gets a bit worn and comes out of the slot and won't go back in. The spring-loaded balls and detents are designed to prevent the trans from being in more than one gear at a time - so it stays in whatever gear it was in.

Is the shift lever loose (floppy) now ? If so the solution is to take off the top cover (with levers) and pull everything back to the neutral position and reassemble. Kubota's assembly mastic is pretty tough stuff but can be loosened with patience and gradual force.

It may not need other corrective measures. Gentler shifting may prevent it happening again. I think my first L345 popped out a couple times over the years. Best luck.

 

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

The common situation with these is the lever gets a bit worn and comes out of the slot and won't go back in. The spring-loaded balls and detents are designed to prevent the trans from being in more than one gear at a time - so it stays in whatever gear it was in.

Is the shift lever loose (floppy) now ? If so the solution is to take off the top cover (with levers) and pull everything back to the neutral position and reassemble. Kubota's assembly mastic is pretty tough stuff but can be loosened with patience and gradual force.

It may not need other corrective measures. Gentler shifting may prevent it happening again. I think my first L345 popped out a couple times over the years. Best luck.

Hmm the stick feels a bit floppy, yes. It feels like it sits comfortably in the fourth gear and if i try to pop it out of fourth it feels more floppy. I wouldn't say it feels completely loose and floppy. But then again it's hard to describe in text. It's definately not jammed in place.

Is the cover sealed with both a paper gasket and mastic? It's kinda hard to get a tool in the seal to pop it open.

 

[Fritiof_von_schnabel]

The common situation with these is the lever gets a bit worn and comes out of the slot and won't go back in. The spring-loaded balls and detents are designed to prevent the trans from being in more than one gear at a time - so it stays in whatever gear it was in.

Is the shift lever loose (floppy) now ? If so the solution is to take off the top cover (with levers) and pull everything back to the neutral position and reassemble. Kubota's assembly mastic is pretty tough stuff but can be loosened with patience and gradual force.

It may not need other corrective measures. Gentler shifting may prevent it happening again. I think my first L345 popped out a couple times over the years. Best luck.

Problem solved! The lever was dislocated from the slot in on the shifting mechanism. Popped the lid and lined everything up!

thanks for all the help!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Problem solved! The lever was dislocated from the slot in on the shifting mechanism. Popped the lid and lined everything up!

thanks for all the help!

Excellent to hear!