Question about a JD 855

loulblades · Jun 28, 2010

I had to take my tractor in for service (non JD) and my dealer lent me an 855 with a front loader.

My problem is changing the range on the hydro drive. It seems to have a mind of it's own when to change ranges. It was in low when I got it and I put it in high but that didn't do anything. I used it for awhile (at snail's pace) and suddenly it jumped to high. Same thing happened when I put it back in low for some heavy work. I did talk to the dealer about it and he said change range, back up then go forward.

If there is some secret combination that JD operators must know to make this work consistently then I am begging for entrance to the club. I do have a JD mower.

JD755 · Jun 28, 2010

Fortunately there is no secret combination. There is just something wrong with that tractor. My 755 always shifts immediately and only when the lever is moved to the new position. Of course you should always be stopped when changing ranges.

dsmau · Jun 28, 2010

My 855 is very accurate in the shifting between L-N-H. As soon as lever is moved the transmission shifts. It does not matter if the tractor is stopped or slightly moving but I tend to shift when the tractor is coasting.
Could something be wrong in the linkage? Does it seem sloppy?

loulblades · Jun 28, 2010

Does not appear to be sloppy.

855Idiot · Jun 30, 2010

My linkage is tight and somewhat hard to shift between hi and lo.
Once it's in it stays.

loulblades · Jul 4, 2010

Update.

Went out to continue my landscaping project and the tractor would only go at snail's pace. Figured it was time to get under it and determine what was going on.

First I messed with the pedals and came to the realization that they were not moving very far. I found two stops on the pedal: one connected to a plunger under the seat and one connected to some linkage that ended up near the dash. I determined that it was to keep the pedal from moving very far when the parking brake was on. A spring that was on the ratchet disc was not pulling it back in place after the brake was released. I moved the spring to a different point on the frame and the wheel returned to it's proper position.

So the range was working fine, just that the pedal wasn't moving far enough to take advantage of it. Should have figured that sooner. :ashamed:

Thanks for letting me know there was no special combination to the JD club door.

kebo · Jul 4, 2010

Be sure and give your dealer a bill for fixing it when he gets it back LOL!!

JD755 · Jul 4, 2010

Always nice when it turns out to be a cheap and easy fix! Glad you found the problem.

loulblades · Jul 5, 2010

kebo said:
Be sure and give your dealer a bill for fixing it when he gets it back LOL!!

I may just do that now.

Went out this AM and moved a couple of loaders full of stone then could not dump the last one.

OK so the pin came out of the dump actuator. Wow that thing is really hidden in there.

After spending a couple of hours in the 92 degree heat (this pesky global warming) with long needle nose pliers, hemostats and a variety of wrenches I am back up and running. After that, I think I might not be afraid to tackle brain surgery (as long as someone can help me out with that whole anatomy thing)

My wife often tells me that I have too many tools. My response is that there are times I have enough, but I'll never have too many. It's times like these that it's good to have enough.