The problems continue.... another shifting issue.

[mjbuck]

It's one problem after another after another for me. My 1998 Max II is used three or four times a week for ice fishing. Each trip on the lake is less than 1/2 mile. I have tracks and never mistreat the machine. Yet, I have problem after problem. Here is the new one that crept up on me yesterday.

I suddenly noticed I could not shift from forward to neutral or reverse. The shifter would not move at all. I do not know all the technical names for the parts I am about to mention, so bear with me.

There is the shifter handle between the driver's knees/feet. It goes up to a tee, with each end of the tee connected to a rod that goes back to the transmission. These rods connect to a flange on each side of the tranny and this obviously shifts the machine.

After learning I could not shift from forward to neutral or reverse, I removed the rods from the flanges and manually manipulated the flanges on the transmission and I could, without much effort, get the flange to shift to neutral or reverse with my hands. Once in reverse, I could not shift back to forward using the shifter handle, but I could shift it from the flanges with a little manipulation from my fingers. With the rods attached again, this manipulation of the flanges and shifting it that way is much harder, but I could still shift it with my hands. Nothing in the rods, etc., appear bent. When the shifter won't move from forward or reverse, it won't move at all. Not a bit. I tried rocking it back and forth and all the other things one would do to try to shift, but no luck.

Any ideas on this one?

And for one of the first times ever today, I buried my Max in the slush 150 feet from shore and there was no moving it. Had to get a tow truck to winch me out. Aaaah!

[dirtdobber]

MJ sorry to hear you are having problems. Those flange things at the transmission you were manipulating by hand are called the diamond shifters, as the flange is in a diamond shape.

With the shift linkage disconnected from the diamond shifters, can you cycle the linkage through F-N-R with little to no resistance?

[ARGOJIM]

Sounds to me, from how I take it, that the 2 plates that hold the diamond shifters in place may have slightly bent. When these gain clearance between the small tab over the diamond the shifter can rock and bind, in neutral try to loosen the 2- 9/16 " headed bolts and slide the keepers down so they sit on the shifter and tighten the bolts. You also may want to spray some wd40 type lube in the recess while the shifters are in place as grime can also cause the bind.

[mjbuck]

There is some resitance, but with some manipulation I can move them F-N-R. They do not slide freely. I have to put a little force to them.

[msafi65]

I have had the linkage get bent and hang up on the slot in the seat support. Can you move the shift lever up and down freely with the rods removed from the diamonds? If linkage is free remove the side plates that hold the diamonds in. Twist and pull the diamonds up out of the case. Check the pins in bottom for breakage or excess wear. They are 1/4” round when new. There are some pretty strong springs in the shift collars in the T20 that make shifting a bit hard but are required to hold into gear.