Peerless 820 Shifting Issue

Well I must've screwed something up today. At times I cannot shift out of gear with the clutch pressed in, it doesn't matter if it's reverse or a forward gear. I mean, I might be able to if I forced it but I'm not forcing more carnage. When I parked it tonight, I put the parking brake on, it wouldn't move out of reverse again so I crawled underneath it to look at the linkage to see if it could be binding just to rule that out. While under it, I lifted the one side up by hand, moved one tire just the littlest bit since it was in park and then I reached up and could move the shifter. So for some reason at times it's acting as if there's tension on the transaxle. So what is probably causing this? I've never had this apart, I've only swapped a 3" pulley onto it.

No idea man, but let's see some teardown pictures!  Don't be afraid to take it apart because they're are plenty of people here willing to give you advice on putting it back together.

Sounds like there is tension on the shifter keys, like if it's parked on a hill or what have you. How often does it happen?

Could just be that it’s too cold for the weight of oil in it. They’re made to mow at 70 degrees and up give or take. When it’s cold out, that oil gets real thick and slows everything down. When you warm up the transaxle it oughta shift fine

Alliskidd21, this just started today when I was out driving around with my daughter. And I thought these were a greased transaxle from the factory. What could be causing the tension?

If you rock back and forth does it help? If so it's probably just tension on the shift keys. Does it only do it when you stop on a bit of an incline?

Yeah, once it’s moved a little bit, it will shift out of whatever gear it’s in. And this was happening on flat ground, including in my shed on flat concrete.

Is it possible the belt isn't fully disengaging? Even just barely? That would cause the tension for sure.

I crawled under with the parking brake set which also keeps the clutch disengaged and could move the belt around the pulley. I did that as well because I thought the same thing. I’ve been doing more research and the only thing I can come up with is maybe the shift collar isn’t able to shift properly due to lack of grease lr water got inside and mixed with the grease and is causing an issue. After seeing a video of these being tore apart they don’t look overly complicating the way they shift.

No they are not too complicated.  I'm betting on the grease getting worn/low.

Yeah I guess that could be a possibility. I didn't think of that, haha.

I took the transaxle out tonight and popped it apart to see. Grease is flung everywhere and the shaft isn't very greasy.
I apologize for the sideways pictures, my computer is a pos for all the more I use it, it won't let me turn them correctly.

That doesn't look to bad. Better than no grease at all!!

Pix are fine.  Your gears look ok, but that grease... Ick!  Cleanup, re-grease, maybe switch to oil?  Not sure how yours would do on the conversion.  I haven't converted one before.

Yeah, I’m thinking oil conversion would be best. With the internals spinning faster than normal that grease isn’t sticking too good. But with the bull gear idk if oil would be able to get inside of that.

I would definitely agree with the oil conversion, some stuff looks a little dry in there.

I think the old grease in there is a little too sticky now and it causing parts to not slide on one another lile they did when the grease was new. An oil conversion would get rid of that problem.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I’m gonna try cleaning it up without disassembling everything. Like try to remove most as a unit and soak it in kerosene or brake clean in one of the wife’s roasting pans. Lol

Use a glass one.  It will clean up the easiest and she'll never notice.

How much should I use in it? I was just cleaning the grease out before work, that crap is nasty.

How much oil you mean? I fill mine about half an inch or less down from the middle of the case. If you go too full it will leak out the seals on the axle if there slightly worn.

Alrighty, thanks.

Something else, if you are going to run it hard, you will need to vent it.  Maybe not so much if running at normal speeds.  If you do need to vent, maybe a barbed fitting where the red plug is?  Run a tube up and under the seat.  You can put an old fuel filter on the end under the seat as insurance mud doesn't go back down.

I was thinking likewise. I was going to remove the red cap and try to find a fitting that would fit there. Because it does run at 15mph at times and I don’t know how much pressure can build up in there on a hot day. Thanks for the term of the fitting.

Have you checked the condition of your shift keys? Maybe there's a burr there or they're chowdered up.