Komatsu D 21 A stuck in reverse

[KomatsuD20A]

Hi folks. I just sent a PM to Orchard Ex as he has the same dozer as I do. But I wanted to post it to see if possibly someone else has dealt with this problem.

The little D 21 A is a gear drive machine. It has always been a little tricky and require a little more muscle every now and then to get it out of gear. This time, if I try any harder I will bend the linkage or bend the shifter, so muscle won't work.

I tried starting it in gear, double clutching, popping the clutch.

I ended up just parking it on level ground to come here and ask. I hope someone has ideas....I'm not the mechanic I wish I was....

 

[Steve Frazier]

I had a similar problem in a J/D 410 TLB, it ended up being one of the shafts had broken and jammed the transmission in gear. Are there inspection covers you can pull yo look inside the tranny?

 

[Orchard Ex]

Sent a PM back before I looked here. Steve might be on the right track already. Try pushing a little like in the PM. If that doesn't work I'll usually take a trip to the dealer and pick the mechanics brain.
Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[KomatsuD20A]

Sent a PM back before I looked here. Steve might be on the right track already. Try pushing a little like in the PM. If that doesn't work I'll usually take a trip to the dealer and pick the mechanics brain.
Good luck and let us know what you find.

OK, reporting back....today, I tried a few things:

1. muscle after letting it set a day, no go...
2. tied a chain to my tractor, and with dozer off but still in reverse, tried pulling the dozer forward to relieve tension, then worked the shifter, no go...
3. pulled it backwards, then trying the shifter, no go...

The shifter goes through a plate with 4 bolts, looks easy enough to take the plate off to look inside...

so are there any unintended consequences of taking this plate off, like springs shooting in 9 different directions?

 

[Orchard Ex]

Stuff should only shoot out in 5 or 6 directions - you should be OK.
When I need some tech help I usually take a trip to the dealer and ask the parts guys/mechanics if it's something that they have seen before. I usually get good advise on troubleshooting and then come back and buy whatever parts I need from them. The cost of buying a coke for the mech while picking his brain is cheap for the good info I've received.

 

[KomatsuD20A]

well, I took the plate off of the part of the gearbox thatholds the shifter in place. Pulled shifter and boot out and looked inside. Appeared to be low on lubrication, so I added half gallon of 30 wt oil, and a container of standard transmision addiditive, and now it is is slick as a minnow.

I can't believe how simple the solution was...i'm a little embarassed! haha. Thanks to all for the help.