JD4500 Not going into C Range

[MMH]

I have a JD 4500 w/ MFWD and a PoweReverser transmission. I cannot get it into the C range. Also, when I move between A, B, neutral and C it feels 'gritty', and there are no distinct stops between any of the ranges. I could live w/o the 'C' range but am worried that I will lose the other ranges.

The tractor is about 20 years old, is stored outside and has 2500 hours of fairly heavy use. Allot of digging w/ FEL & backhoe along w/ a bunch of grading. Anybody have any clues as to what may be going on?

 

[dfkrug]

...but it still shifts from A to B OK?

The 4500 is a slightly bigger series, but the 4200/4300/4400 all had weak range shifter shafts, and were prone to breaking off. No detent feel is a bad sign.

 

[MMH]

It does still shift from A to B but the feel is very vague (do not feel any of the detents). When I try to engage C it seems as if only half a shift occurs and I hear gears grinding. Your assessment of a shift shaft issue seems logical.

How difficult is it to replace the shift shaft? I presume that nothing crazy needs to be done (like splitting the tractor).

 

[dfkrug]

How difficult is it to replace the shift shaft?

On the 4300s I had, it can all be done from the top, after removing the 3-pt cylinder cover. There are several write-ups on TBN, including mine. One guy even had a new shift shaft made that did not have the weakness. Do a search.