L2501DT shifter wont move

[Schmoopette]

Hi all,

I have a L2501 with 41 hours on it. Got it about a year ago. Use it to till the gardens, clear snow last winter, other small tasks.
I have a Taylor 962 rotary tiller and a LA525 loader on it.

Today I took it out to turn over a garden. Started down the row, and as I looked back, I saw I wasn't getting the result I wanted. I stopped the tractor and went to raise the PTO lever, with the clutch in, and brake on, and the lever wouldn't move. I decided I had to check it out in more detail, but since I was in gear, I tried moving the low/high/reverse shifter into neutral, but it wouldn't move. I tried moving the knob from 3rd to neutral, and it wouldn't move. Since I'm still new to this, and it was the first time out in a long time, I forgot that I should have been in low gear (I was in high). Anyhow, nothing would shift. I decided I should get off and have a look, so I turned the key off so I can climb down. Can't move the lever to neutral to start it. Can't start. Can't move. Can't do anything.

Any thoughts? Help?

 

[Schmoopette]

OK, solved it. Here's what we did, in case anyone else stumbles across this.

The tractor was stuck in place, engine off, both shift levers stuck in gear, the PTO lever stuck on, tiller was down in contact with the ground. Can't start the tractor, as we can't shift into neutral.
I backed up the Suburban to the back of the tractor, and hooked my log chain from my trailer hitch to the drawbar. Over the tiller, as I couldn't get it under.
Then I very gently eased the Suburban forward, taking up the slack, and then gave the tractor a tug. Just a bit. I couldn't see it move at all.
But what it did do, was unload the force on the tiller tines, which had too much tension on the transmission to let any of the gear levers move.
I pushed in the PTO lever, it was still a bit firm, but moved. Shifted the range gear into neutral, unhooked the chain, and the tractor started right up.
Everything works fine. Lesson learned. At least it was an inexpensive one.

 

[diesel85]

Next time put it in N and set parking brake before turning it off. I had this happen one time when I parked my tractor on a steep hill with the loader down. I got back on, and wouldn't start, and couldn't move the shifter and having the bucket down made matters worse.

I had a nice long walk back to my shop to get my small bottle jack. Went to go jack up the rear end a little bit, and sure enough, all it took was that little bit of relief and I was able to move the shifter to N to start it. Now I'm very careful to make sure I set the brake and to put it in N before turning it off.

 

[teg]

Schmoopette

Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 20
Location: Inver Grove Heights, MN
Tractor: None Yet


You need to update that last part! ...glad you got it out of the bind.

 

[bilrus61]

Thanks for coming back and saying what the solution was. Too many times folks won't come back and say what the deal was. Have a good time tilling!