[Wilber256]

Hello Everyone, Hope all are well and grease free. On my 99 ranger 6x6 I can't seem to hit the sweet spot on the shifter linkage. I finally found a paper with instructions on how to adjust but I have turned, twisted, turned, Cussed (Southern for cursed) turn wash, rinse repeat, but the instructions are for one that has not been messed with much.

I am bout at my ropes end, I did notice the paper said not to fill the gear/linkage box but to 1/2 the depth with oil or it mat hydrolock. I filled that puppy up to the rim. prolly bout 4-6 times to much oil when I serviced it, but I had no direction at that time.
Rekon that's the reason I can't get the tranny linkage set right? I can sometimes get it to where the N light goes out in all gears, FL, FH, R and the AWD light is on except for FH which I can live without but it won't move unless you push it. It will shift into the gears and the proper lights or on and off but won't move a inch. I can adjust some more and cuss some more and get it to move forward and Reverse but no AWD light

Anyone think the gearbox needs rebuilding? It would go Work as designed prior to servicing but was getting to where the R light would go out and N light come on while moving, I would bump it and it would correct it's self for a short period of time and no AWD light period in R, just FL. That is the reason ole rubber hammer got ahold of it to start with. If I were making $10.00 a hour on this thing I could afford a new one by now, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

What you guys think I am open for suggestions, instructions, directions, and instructions on how to build a bomb to blow this thing up.
Thanks guys, I know it being so old it's hard for most of y'all to envision what's going on. It's prolly as old as some of you guys are.

Any one?
Thanks
Wilber256

 

[Toxic-21]

Glenn, have you had the gear selector switch out.
It is under the shifter arm cover.

You may have some wear where it rides.

 

[Wilber256]

Thanks Greg, When I serviced it i had the parts out and cleaned them prior to adding fresh oil. I really can't remember exactly what was what but I don't think there was much wear but I had nothing to compare it to or every layed eyes on one so everything could be shot and need replacing. I have argued with myself about tearing back into it. It requires removing both seats, the console but I do have the cover over the gauges and the sides off so i would not have to do as much at this stage.
Have you worked on a 99 shifter and adjusted the linkage? If so you know what I am talking about on getting it just right. It may have some slack in the shifter box but again not ever being around one before it may be perfect as is.
If you think I need to tear into it i will and maybe via pictures you can tell if anything looks out of order. I was told it is expensive to replace the parts in the shifter box, if that's the case then all I can do is put it back together, adjust the linkage so I have FL and R and stay away from any muddy places.

 

[Wilber256]

Well guys, Guess I am gonna take it apart to see if I can tell what may be wrong. Please just ignore loud explosions, mushroom clouds and angry nasty words from a southern direction. Until then......

 

[Wilber256]

Hey guys, Only thing I can see worn is the tip of the shifter. Is it enough to make a difference? Being that I don’t know I would say no. Does the switch pin suppose to have some movement up and down and side to side? It is a very small movement and goes in and out ok. Being it goes in the hole on the ball I can’t see where it can wear out unless the hole is wallered. I will send pics of the other stuff a little later this slow internet is a PITA to try and send anything.

 

[Wilber256]

Here are pics of the other parts. Don’t know if you can see them clearly or not. I shake pretty badly so if more are needed let me know. On the pic of the pin I have one pic with me pressing it as far as it will go in one direction then in the other it is pressed as far as it will go in the other direction. Very little movement.

 

[pede58]

I'm just kind of spit balling but what if the cable is stretched?

 

[Wilber256]

Thanks pede58, I am not certain if I follow you. I don't know of a cable involved in this setup. It has two adjustable rods that connect the gear selector box fto the tranny, I think you can see the rods in one of the pics. Actually the FL has a clevis on the tranny end that will adjust. Thanks for your input.

 

[Rangerwhit]

All gears working? Not sure I read that right. Lights don't matter to me. FH is the only one not working?

 

[Wilber256]

Ranger, Thanks, Before rubber hammer which is soon to upgrade to sledge got to messing wif (southern for with) it all gears would work as in 4 wheel drive. It would move forward and reverse with AWD in FL not certain bout FH cause never used it but the AWD light in R would not stay on unless I kept pressure on the gear selector at all times. But just prior to all this work I have been doing the R light would fade out and N light would come on while moving unless I kept pressure on the gear selector. So I noticed the linkage could be adjusted and had a blast turning and screwing.

So I adjusted the R /Forward high linkage (both on same rod) until the R light was on and AWD light was on while in reverse and selecting AWD. Bingo! got that puppy! Only problem was at that time it would not go into FL period. So I figgered (southern for figured) out that if one makes adjustment on either linkage then it will require adjustment on the other.

So i backed off the adjustment on R/FL to get the shifter into FL. I kept adjusting both links in and out for a few days until I had R and R with AWD light, FL with AWD light and FH without AWD light but that is fine if I ever need AWD in Forward High I can keep pressure on the shifter in the FH position. So i was happy.
So i finally got it, I thought. During these weeks of adjusting a fraction at a time somedays for hours till I would get frustrated and start talking about it's mother and what some folks would do to a mother and quit. Somedays I might just mess (southern for adjust or tear something up) for awhile and quit before I maid (southern for a person who cleans and changes the state of something) things worse.

Well as I said earlier I had it. I was so proud of myself, a broken down brain dead old man was smart enuf (southern for, well you get it) to get it fixed although it took a month , I got that puppy, I am smarter than it is, whats next Ranger come on give me ur best shot I can handle it, may take a month but I am king!

So I and all my pride and self confidence was gonna drive it around for the world to see how good I am. I crank it up, starts fine, remember I FIXED the carb, put it in FL give it the gas and it won't move a inch. I moved the gear selector from F to N and lights are working correctly so with a little force I shoved it into FL and hit the gas, won't move a inch. So I try R and FH same thing all lights work as designed but will not move. I am so smart I did not think to try to move the machine at anytime during this month of agony.

So now I have it apart and can't really see any problems but apparently I ain't the brightest bulb in the fixture.

 

[Wilber256]

Well Guys, I see a place where a spring is missing. I don't know if it was there and I lost it during disassembly or whether it was missing all along, my guess is the first. Because it worked before and slowly got to where the R light and AWD light would stay on when i got it but started to only work with pressure applied to hold it in R.
The spring is the short on that the pin on the ball rest on.
I spent most of last night looking for parts. As expected several are discontinued. I noticed the shifter ball is welded on to the gear selector, wonder if someone has had problems prior to me buying the machine and lost the spring and for some reason had to weld the ball onto the selector handle. I have a couple of pages out of the repair manual but they are copies and dark so I can't tell a lot about it.

I guess I will take it to the mechanic Jethro Bodine at the Polaris dealership for his input but I know about as much as he does on this old machine. I questioned him a few months back about what would cause the R light to go out while moving he answered the switch is bad. I can't see how the switch can be bad. The pin on the switch fits into a hole on the ball and won't move unless the ball moves. But maybe between the two heads we can make one head but that $175 switch will be the last thing on my list.
Probably gonna put it back together and get it where it will move forward and reverse and that be that. Just got a letter from AARP supplemental insurance where they are going up to $355 a month, thats two increases in less than two years from $125 I need a part time job but it won't be working on old rangers.

 

[Rangerwhit]

Hang in there brother. That light switch is a waste of money. Point a to b is all I care about. You still don't have a service manual? There must be some diagrams of the beasts linkage somewhere.

 

[Wilber256]

Well, As I suspected, all I got was I don't know. I think some other idiot has been in there monkeying around. I believe the little spring Polaris part 3233083 was missing all along, too much evidence in my book. And as my luck goes it is discontinued. Maybe I can luck up and find one on line that has been on the shelf in some dark corner.
I believe the other wear will be ok, better be cause all those are discontinued, I looked last night. If I can find a spring or one close at a parts house then it will take a miracle to get the linkage right after all the turning and screwing I been doing for a month. There is no telling how much out of correct those things are.

Hurry up and wait, patience is a virtue but I done bout lost mine, it takes a couple of extra hours on the heating pad each AM to move out of bed, but maybe i can get it. I know these boys will be glad. Just returned from one of 8-10 trips a day to the ranger for the little one he can't understand why his seat is out but is glad the tires are on.
Let the hunt begin......

 

[Wilber256]

Ranger, I found a drawing on the web but it's pretty dark and can't tell anything about the pictures. Must be a copy of a copy.

 

[Wilber256]

Well after 6 hours of searching I found a guy in Canada that has both parts that are missing. After looking at a diaphragm I noticed a pin stop that was not in the shifter box either so I ordered it as well. All I could find on the web and he had 1 of each so I lucked out if that's all that's wrong with it. Be here tween Oct 2-13. I just wonder whether I should go ahead and tear it all apart and check other components being I am this close. Better not push my luck and hope these two will fix it. Got by for $15 total including shipping. There was one place that would order the discontinued one from ten buck two for $39 + S&H and 21-28 days so I feel good about what I got, he bought out a dealers parts inventory so NOS. Later Guys.

 

[Rangerwhit]

I wouldn't touch one thing till you get this one out of the way. All the gears work as long as you assist the shifter right? That 99 6x6 is a different beast for sure. Almost there paw-paw!

 

[pede58]

Let me apologize on the shift cable, should have looked at the parts book first. Now with linkage like this minute wear hear and there add up, sometimes the pins wear but usually it's the clevises and I use to braze the holes closed and re-drill for a tighter fit.

 

[Wilber256]

pede58, That's ok. Most folks on here are not used to anything this old and it's antiquated ways of operation. All that seems to be in pretty good shape, i found that i am short one leveling spring and the pin stop. I believe/hope that is all my problems I can see where it would not work correctly without the spring but not certain about the stop. Most likely the combination of the two would do it. Thanks for your help.

 

[Wilber256]

Ranger, Yeah the tranny seems to be good, the gears snap into their places and stay there. If I can figure out the proper adjustments on the linkage i think all will be ok. If not then i will tear back in to it and look farther. Thanks man.