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ford 555 manual wont go into any gear

jocko165

Active Member
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
38
Location
greenbrier AR
my ford 555 has the hi/lo range with 3 forward gears and 2 reverse gears. the last time I used it it seemed to be "sluggish" when I moved it. its always been hard to get in gear but now I cant get it into any gear. its not even trying to grind when I get it close to a gear. any thoughts? I did a forum search and couldn't find anything
 

El Hombre

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
377
Location
SF Bay Area
Pick the back wheels off the ground with the stabilizers and see if the wheels are spinning, even tho it's in neutral and should be stationary. Try putting it in gear with the engine off and then with it on. What do you get?
 

jocko165

Active Member
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
38
Location
greenbrier AR
elHombre, no luck getting it into gear, running or not. Back wheels remain still in neutral. if I pushed the gearshift lever into a gear the wheel would turn but only if I was holding pressure on the stick
 

El Hombre

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Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
377
Location
SF Bay Area
elHombre, no luck getting it into gear, running or not. Back wheels remain still in neutral. if I pushed the gearshift lever into a gear the wheel would turn but only if I was holding pressure on the stick

Time to get out the tools, pull up the floor plates and get the top off the tranny. On my 5550 that is about a 10 minute job. Something is seriously binding in the shift lever and forks or the rails.

I was thinking you had some kind of issue where you thought it was in neutral, but was actually in gear.
 

jocko165

Active Member
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
38
Location
greenbrier AR
hombre, got the cover off last nite. no fluid at all and everything looked like it was covered in sludge. dumped in some diesel to clean and scrub with. not only was it dirty but it was rusty too. and the diesel was leaking out fast but I think(didn't look real close) it was leaking out of the weep hole in bell housing. not sure how long it was out of fluid
 

El Hombre

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May 6, 2010
Messages
377
Location
SF Bay Area
I was expecting something bent or broken when you got it open, not rusty sludge and no oil! Clean it out really good, I think you have a filter somewhere, change that. You might clean it and then run it for an hour with the rear wheels up in the air with the new oil and filter. Then, depending on how bad the new oil looks, do another oil change and filter. As expensive as the parts are, and how much effort it takes to get to them, burn the money on new oil and filters if you have any doubt.

Just reread your post; it shouldn't be leaking diesel out of the gearbox into the bell housing. You probably have a bad seal and that's where the oil leaked out. I think you pull the engine to get to the front of the tranny, not an easy job.
 
Last edited:

fixou812

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
677
Location
Buffalo NY
Occupation
Millwright Equipment Mechanic Welder
That's a common problem with these
. I just unlocked one.
move the forward reverse lever back and forth while trying to unjam the other shifter
 

jocko165

Active Member
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
38
Location
greenbrier AR
I was expecting something bent or broken when you got it open, not rusty sludge and no oil! Clean it out really good, I think you have a filter somewhere, change that. You might clean it and then run it for an hour with the rear wheels up in the air with the new oil and filter. Then, depending on how bad the new oil looks, do another oil change and filter. As expensive as the parts are, and how much effort it takes to get to them, burn the money on new oil and filters if you have any doubt.

Just reread your post; it shouldn't be leaking diesel out of the gearbox into the bell housing. You probably have a bad seal and that's where the oil leaked out. I think you pull the engine to get to the front of the tranny, not an easy job.

i was afraid you might say that. that may exceed my mechanical abilities and equipment. may need to start looking for some help. thinkin about tryin the new oil and filters first with fingers crossed
 

jocko165

Active Member
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
38
Location
greenbrier AR
hombre also there is a round pedal in the floor that has a long rod on it that goes under the hoe somewhere. there is a bracket underneath that looks like it might be where it goes but im not sure what it is. I have read on some other posts about a way to disengage trans wo taking it out of gear?
 

El Hombre

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
377
Location
SF Bay Area
That's probably the differential lock; step on that to lock the rear wheels together for more traction or to unstuck you if one wheel is spinning in mud and the other wheel is on dry ground.
 

El Hombre

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
377
Location
SF Bay Area
ok thanks. any tips on cleanin

Use paint thinner, sometimes called naptha, to clean. It's the same stuff they use in a parts washer to clean engine parts. Use rubber gloves, it'll pull all the oil out of your skin...I buy it in 5 gallon buckets, it's about half the price compared to gallon cans and you can keep it forever and it still works. Paint stores carry the 5 gallons.
 

jocko165

Active Member
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
38
Location
greenbrier AR
hombre, I got her to goin! ole gal is leakin fluid from everywhere but I got her to go into 1st, 2nd, and both reverses. still cant get into 3rd and cant get her out of low(though the hi/lo shift lever is moving more than it was) just gonna keep fluid in and drive it and keep workin it. she does sound like crap, lotta grinding and other noises
 
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