While plowing snow yesterday my shifter began to sieze up, these have always been a bit on the notchy side anyway with having to push that stupid button for low range and reverse. After tearing the shifter unit out of the machine and taking it apart I found that a small piece of the cast whitemetal had broken off, a lug inside, had become wedged inside the shifter mechanism. I removed the piece and cleaned and relubed the system. The piece that broke was the lug for low range, so now I have the smoothest working shifter I have ever seen. The factory used the absolute minimum amount of grease, and the unit does seal against dirt, so I was generous with the grease, and presto the shifter is smoother than when new and only need the button for reverse. If you own one of these it will be well worth your while to dissassemble the unit, clean and grease the insides it will work wonders for your shifting.

KenR

 

I had the same problem last weekend. I was hunting and all this happened in the dark. I couldn't get the shifter into neutral to start it. I had to pull start it in gear.
How do you go about tearing this down. My problem might be the push button???

How does yours do plowing? Is it 2wd?
Thanks
cards2323

 

Mine is 4x4 and has no problem whatsoever pushing snow. The key to this machine is the weight, I know people who have larger motors but lighter weight machines and have some difficulty pushing snow but not the praire....
Remove the plastic cover over the tank then remove the gas tank, actually just pull it back slightly and turn it 90 degrees and you won't have to disconnect the fuel lines. Use a 10 mm wrench to remove the linkage from the shift arm, you can then shift the trans itself to make sure it is OK. Remove the plastic cover screws that hold the F N R L cover and you will see two 12 mm hex head bolts that hold the shifter to the frame, remove these and the shifter assembly. You will see a small metal plate with two phillips hd screws, remove these (they are loctited) and a small spring will come out, this is the push button return spring. Remove the big bolt in the center of the shifter I think it is 17mm and take the two halves apart. Their is a rubber seal between them to keep dirt out, this is where I found the small broken piece that was wedging itself to cause the shifter not to move. Clean it out and apply a good moly grease as well as spraying some lube up into handle where button and cable are. Reassemble with just enough tension to allow the shifter to pivot smoothly, then reassemble on machine. Find neutral on the trans linkage and make sure hole in shifter (in nuetral) lines up, if not adjust linkage until they line up.
Mine has never worked as smooth as it does now!! Good Luck.............

KenR