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CASE 580B suddenly no gears

vlus

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
11
Location
PA
1972 CASE 580B - was driving no problems at all, in fact never had any problems in 10 years as far as transmission issues. I think it's called manual shuttle (must stop to shift).

Was driving in 4th, pulled over to downshift to take a small incline, shift into 2nd nothing. Shift into 1st nothing. Ran through all gears, nothing. Again, bear in mind I was already running the machine.

Getting late, came back in morning, fully expecting to see maybe a broken piece of linkage, or spring fell off or something, for it to be that sudden. Nothing. Topped off fluids, weren't really that low.

Put up on stabilizers, put into gear, nothing. I can spin the rear tires freely.

Someone on facebook said there may be some kind of switch or button that kicks it out into neutral. The old girl has a couple toggle switches on dashboard, but markings are long since worn away. Any tips here, before I have it trailered to a major repair shop over a accidentally bumped switch or button...LOL.

Thanks in advance! Stuck in PA!
Vic
 

aighead

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
2,541
Location
Dayton, OH
My clutch cutoff(?) switch is on my loader control and it sticks all the time. Granted your machine is much older but I'd think they'd put the button somewhere handy. Looking at a few pictures I don't see a place for a button, so it makes me wonder if there a position you'd move the lever to or a foot button?

To get mine unstuck I kind of run my thumb off the side of the button with a bit of force so it flicks off the button, if that makes sense.
 

vlus

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
11
Location
PA
Yeah, I've looked all over, I cant seem to find a button or switch that would be as described. You are not the first one to mention this, so either they hid it really well on the 580B and I accidentally bumped it, or it wasn't on that model. Thanks for trying, though!
 

RES

Active Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2021
Messages
27
Location
37058
Manual shuttle with two sticks is purely mechanical. Won't have a switch. 2 brake pedals on the right, clutch on the left. Either a shift fork broke, a key broke, or the range shifter is in neutral. There could be something wrong there, broken key or bent fork. Or the clutch disc failed completely
 

vlus

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
11
Location
PA
That's what I was afraid of. But yeah, considering that one second it was good and the next it was not, I am inclined to think something broke. A local equipment guy going to take a look this afternoon but I see this getting trailered and I see this turning into $ real fast. (was just telling someone what a great machine it's been, just put some new teeth on the hoe, a new front tire.. now this...grrrr)
 

vlus

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
11
Location
PA
JoeH... nope. Clutch feels the same. Moving shifter feels the same. Someone suggested I try moving the Forward Reverse lever without clutch to see if it shifts or resists. It did grind so I let up. Not sure what that says about anything, but...
 

aighead

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
2,541
Location
Dayton, OH
We are a bit superstitious at work (in a totally unrelated field) and we try to never say something is working well, until it's out of our hands. I treat my backhoe the same.
 

vlus

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
11
Location
PA
Just had a mechanic there. He had me push on the brakes one at a time, didn't say anything. Had me shift the shuttle lever forward and reverse without clutch, ground a little each time. Had me shift the gear shifter through the gears without the clutch... nothing. He said that tells him the problem is in the back section not the front. Not exactly sure what that means, but I'm sure it's not going to be good... LOL. We're towing it tomorrow morning to my house about a mile up the road. We'll see what happens next.
 
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