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Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:06 pm
by WestDeerPirate
Hello,

I have a condition with my 70' Cub 154 that I am puzzled by. I start the tractor it runs great. I can see the flywheel??? spinning by the gear shifter at my feet. 9 out of 10 times when I go to put the tractor in any gear I get a terrible grinding. I have to force the tractor into gear and i am afraid that I am going to break something. I have only had the tractor for 2 years and I dont know much about the internals honestly.

Anyone have an idea what is happening?

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:17 pm
by WestDeerPirate
I should note that this is when I am in neutral and attempt to put it in gear from a stop not while moving. Also the oriignal owner mentioned that it may need a new throw out bearing. I wouldnt even know where to find that on the tractor.

If i remove the top cover near the shifter is there any type of adjustment that I can do to the clutch to stop this from occuring. I imagine it will lead to bad things.

Lastly, If i run the tractor after forcing it into gear and running it for a while sometimes it will simply go into gear without any grinding. THis is like 1 out of 10 times though.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:06 pm
by Landreo
There is a clutch brake that you can get to by removing the center tunnel cover. Should be two fiber rods or pucks that touch the driven disc when the clutch is depressed. May be worn out or may just need to be adjusted. Look on Rudi's site for the manual and how to adjust.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:17 pm
by WestDeerPirate
Man, If that is all that is wrong I would be so relieved. Link to Rudi's site?

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:18 pm
by WestDeerPirate
Also, assuming these 2 parts are bad any idea where I might find them?

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:50 pm
by WestDeerPirate
Response from Hamilton Bob on Ebay regarding the Clutch Buttons. "Yes, these are what press up against your rear flywheel to stop it when you shift. When you push your clutch pedal, these move forward to stop the flywheel. If your gears are grinding when you shift, its most likely that these are worn, and, they're not stopping your rear flywheel when you shift. These go in the clutch brake, which is the part with the "wings" on it, that is pressed right up against your transmission."

Are these hard to find once the tunnel cover is off? Will I see them? Are they hard to replace?

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:52 pm
by BigBill
Sometimes the brake pucks need to be adjusted and not replaced yet. Its .090'' clearance on the throwout bearing to the clutch fingers while the clutch pedal is up and .010'' clearance on the brake pucks to the flywheel with the clutch pedal up also. After its adjusted while running in netural when you push the clutch pedal down the flywheel should stop after a few seconds too. on't move the gears too quickly give the flywheel a chance to stop.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 3:50 pm
by Landreo
Use the 'Manuals" button top right.

http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Number%20Series%20Cubs/Cub-154%20Lo-Boy/Owner's%20Manual/Page%2038.jpg

http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Number%20Series%20Cubs/Cub-154%20Lo-Boy/Owner's%20Manual/Page%2039.jpg

Need two 1/2 inch wrenches.

The pucks are really fiber rods and if worn such that the metal wing will not push them into the driven disc then either get some from Hamilton Bobs or I just used a piece of copper rod instead. In the diagram they are called "clutch brake lining". The metal wing looks like a door hinge and is called "clutch brake arm" in the diagram. Loosen the two lock nuts, move until the arm pushes the brake lining when the clutch is depressed. When not depressed, the metal arm is still very close but not touching the clutch brake lining.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 1:01 pm
by WestDeerPirate
THanks for the links. I'll try to muddle my way through this.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:24 pm
by crazee
My 185 did that when I first got it. Exactly as you describe. I figured I needed a new clutch or adjust it. I adjusted it according to the manual but it did not help. ( already was adjusted right anyway).
An old guy I know told me I had to give it a few seconds to stop turning after I pushed in the clutch. He said I was "rushing things". I did as he suggested and the old girl goes into gear without a grind every time now.
Maybe you are just shifting into gear a bit too fast like I was?
I also noticed there is a "sweet spot" pushing in the clutch that makes it stop faster. Mine is fully depressed but not pushing down real hard on the peddle.
Hope it's as easy as this for you.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 10:43 pm
by SONNY
I have 2----185"s and a 154 ---All are slow shifters!---I also have 3 regular cubs,---again slow shifters!---You cant "speed shift" any of them---even with blocks and correctly adjusted, so I never wasted the time on the rest of them after it didnt help the first one! thanks; sonny

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:15 am
by BigBill
SONNY wrote:I have 2----185"s and a 154 ---All are slow shifters!---I also have 3 regular cubs,---again slow shifters!---You cant "speed shift" any of them---even with blocks and correctly adjusted, so I never wasted the time on the rest of them after it didnt help the first one! thanks; sonny


Thats because there are no syncro's on the gears to cushion and slow them down to shift. You need to stop to change gears.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 6:56 am
by Ida Red
Those wooden pucks aren't a bad job to install and they do the trick as long as you shft slowly as has been stated. Hope you working by now.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 1:46 pm
by gitractorman
Sonny,
Yea, flat cut gears, no synchronizers!!! You have to come to a complete stop to shift any Cub, Lo Boy, or Cub Cadet. Otherwise, you'll just tear up the gears. They're not cars or trucks, and are meant to be able to take off from stop in any gear, unlike a car/truck, which you need to run through the gears in succession in order to accelerate.

However, in the number series lo-boys, the driveshaft and flywheel have so much weight, that it is common for the driveshaft to continue to spin when the clutch is depressed. The driveshaft brakes (little pucks) are designed to stop the driveshaft from turning, so you can shift the gears without grinding them.

Re: Grinding when Shifting from Neutral to Any Gear

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:33 am
by SONNY
I know they are all straight cut gears,---so was my 46 chevy 2 ton truck!--the ole double clutch shift method was used to shift them---Roadrangers (13 speed and 10 speed Models) are straight gears and are shifted without using the clutch at all ( the AC 440's shift by only using the acc. pedal and speed shift combo) thanks; sonny