Stuck in two gears

[Jason (IL)]

I was out dragging the ball fields last night with one of my cubs and got the tractor loaded on the trailor and all the sudden it wouldn't move stuck in two gears. I had heard of this problem and seen it before but the first time grandpa said to rock it back and forth and wiggle the shifter and it would pop out of gear. Well it worked the first time but this time It was suck so I popped off the shifter cover and it was stuck in reverse and second. I drove it up on the trailor in first, before I shut it off always put in in reverse. What causes the problem to happen, I have noticed that my shifter seems to be bent a little and the shifter also moves hard side to side, Do I have something out of aline, I checked the shifter forks they were all tight. Any ideas, I can't afford to lose this tractor for a week it is the only one I have running at this time.


Thanks
Jason

[Bigdog]

Jason, if your shifter forks are nice and tight and not bent, you may have excessive wear in the shifter tower or on the ball at the bottom of the shift lever. You might want to take a look at Mr. Willer's shifter repair write-up:
http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Maintenance%20Tips%20and%20Techniques/Articles%20by%20George%20Willer/Cub%20Shifter%20Repair/Cub%20Shifter%20Repair%20and%20Improvement.htm

Excessive slop in the shift lever could keep the shifter from fully engaging the fork when shifting.

[Brent]

Wonder if someone in the past welded the top cup on the shift rod back on a little off center. That would explain the tight movement side to side. (maybe)