Hello folks...just a question about my old 2N. Things have been working great up until the other day when I started her up and put her in gear...she moves just fine but when she moves, it's like the gears are VERY loud...not grinding, just loud. Doesn't matter what gear either, 1, 2, 3 or R. If I put her out of gear and release the clutch, there is also a noise.

Over the years the clutch has been somewhat sticky, but this year it's been fine..up until now.

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what this might be? The gear oil is all topped up and clean so it's not like she's running on empty. At this point I figure the tractor's going to need splitting to fix whatever this is.

Over the years the shift lever can wear the socket of the transmission cover. That allows the shift lever to drop down and to be rubbed by the gear. Lift the rubber cover and look at the wear. You can try lifting up on the shift lever while the tractor is running and see if the noise stops.

Fire up the machine in neutral, foot on clutch, any noise? That would be your clutch release or throw out bearing. The transmission itself is out of gear and nothing should be turning because you are in Neutral.
Then,
Release the clutch pedal. Your still in Neutral and no gears moving.
Got noise? The only thing turning now is the transmission main input shaft that goes into the main transmission. If you are hearing any noise with your foot off the clutch, your problem is the main input shaft bearing.

Could be.

Could be that Kevin is keeping crickets to go with the tractor .

Hah..nope, not crickets.

So you folks might want to know what the cause of the noise was. It wasn't the gearstick sinking down, wasn't lack of gear oil and it wasn't crickets.

So...when I got this girl (courtesy of my father in law) there was an extra shift on the side of the engine. The guy who sold her to me said "Don't use it." And I didn't. But the cover I put on her this year had this little loop and that pulled it for me. Hence, transmission noise and maybe malfunction...I don't know. But once I returned that shift to it's original position, she was fine again.

I'll let you decide why it happened...is it a hi-lo, a step up? Whatever it is, it doesn't work.

I did not see the mention of a side shift lever in the original post. Details do make a difference. ps I have a number for Ford Ns that include tractors with Sherman "combos", Sherman step ups, F&T step ups and Hupp "combos".

Which side of the engine (looking forward) is the extra shifter? Does it have a dogleg shape or a straight shift lever?

Looking forward, it is on the left side of the engine. It's dogleg shaped with a black ball on the end (like the main gearshift). It kind of goes inconveniently in front of the toolbox.

Dogleg on the left sounds like a Sherman Combo which are fairly difficult to break.
Not impossible though. At least you have it figured out.

What is it supposed to do if it is working? I did try the other settings on the shifter and all it seems to do is render the transmission inoperable (as in it won't move, even in gear).

A Sherman combo has 3 engaged positions. The shift pattern is a backward "h" to the driver position. The crossbar of the h is neutral and slides in and out. Out and pulled back toward you is "standard" range. The Sherman is only acting as the original input shaft to the transmission gears and ground speed is the same as no Sherman in place.
Push forward and inward. Now, push forward again and you are in "step down" mode. It reduces the input speed to the transmission and therefore reduces your ground speed in each gear and reverse.
If you have moved neutral inward and pulled back, you are in "step up" mode. Your input speed is higher and your ground speed is higher.
I have never taken one apart but there are instructions written by John Smith available. However, parts may not be available.

I did a quick Youtube search and this is exactly how my tractor is configured.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVD47xcqQfg

As I discovered, the shift needs to be as far forward as it can go (this is what the loop on the tarp had snagged and pulled back). In any other position the gears won't engage.

I see that the Sherman shifter appears quite different in some videos (much more of a "dog's leg" as you put it).

So, it sounds like you have either the step-up or step-down Sherman and not the combo (high/low) that has the dogleg shifter. Did you use Kirk's method to determine which one you have? The step-down is highly desirable and can add a little value to your 2N.

Just 8N's has rebuild kits for the combo tranny.

• click here to see it

Parts, installation and rebuild instructions are available on the Ford/Fordson Collector's Assoc. website:

• click here to view them