Gear shifting question

[HamptonT]

I don't know if I should be starting a new thread for each question or just using my "rookie needs help" one. Or if it even matters.
I've looked at the sub trans and the shift linkage on the clutch side. I can't find anything wrong, worn or out of place.
Big question: should I be able to run up and down all four gears without moving the crank? I have the motor off and on the bench. It will shift some of the time without turning the crank. I can't just run through the gears by the shift pedal. It might go to second or third, but the next gear it stops a bit short. If I turn the crank a little, it will hop into gear. Is this normal or abnormal???
Thanks!

[HamptonT]

Maybe I should reword my question.
Can you run through all the gears sitting stationary without the motor running?

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Not usually.

To shift up and down through all the gears without the engine running usually you have to rock the machine back and forth. It's just because without the transmission spinning the gears don't necessarily mesh and slide from one gear to the next.

Does it have a shifting problem when riding the machine?

[HamptonT]

Thanks for that! I did not have it running long enough after I bought it to determine if it would move. I found out after I pulled the motor that the high/low lever was not fully engaged to one side or the other. I bought it from a guy who got it from his girlfriend. He told me that he never had it running, but thought that the shift fork was bad. He had at least a half dozen old four wheelers and sleds in his garage so I figured he knew what he was talking about. After tearing into it, I'm thinking that there's actually nothing wrong with it. When I had it running, the carb was so bad that I could not get it to idle properly. But I did have it running good enough to drop it into first and give it some gas. I got nothing. But then again, the high/low was on the middle. I did try again. I just shut it down and proceeded to pull the motor out.
Now, I have not pulled the clutch off yet or the main drive gear, but from what I can see, it all looks good in there. The sub trans was also good.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

What model ATC is it that you have??

I ask becuse the type like an ATC110 for example has the sub-tranny shifter mounted hehind your left heel and sometimes due to it's location can be inadvertantly kicked patirally out of gear. It happens to me sometimes with my '85 110. The type like a 200ES Big Red has doesn't do that due to it's location and locking shift lever.

Now as to the possibilty of a bad shift fork.. It is possible, but now that the engine is out you won't be able to tell for sure till you get the transmission apart and inspected. Look for scoring on the shift forks and correspoding gear hubs that the forks ride in. If you find a bad fork, then you will most likely need to replace the corresponding gear as well. Any scoring of any kind on a fork and/or gear hub can cause it to lose that gear. And 99% of the time if you find one bad the other will also be bad. So, replace as a set.

Do your inspection very carefully and throughly. It is very common for a transmission that is missing a gear or 2 with the engine running and under a load to shift fine and appear to have all gears when ops-checking with the engine off.

[trike savior]

ride red is right on. you have to rock it to get through all gears and the hi/lo box has to be engaged in either setting for that to work as well. that hi/lo shifter gets rusty and wont move as far as it needs to. take the cover off and remove the e-clip and the shift fork, then you can slide the lever out through bottom of case. wire wheel it and apply a dab of grease and you should be all good. make sure you reassemble properly or fork connected to lever will not move the fork that moves the gear and you will be at square one again. you should be able to feel it click into each setting when moving lever.

[HamptonT]

It's an '80 110. Scoring? What exactly does that look like? I was going to look for something broken, worn down or stripped. Maybe I need to look more closely for this scoring business.
I'm taking this slow, so I've got time to research before buttoning it back up.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

When you get the transmission apart you will see and recognize the shift forks pretty easily.

Once you get them out, pay attention to what gears hubs they ride in and check the tips of the forks for any signs of damage. They could be discolored, scraped up looking, etc. Even if you find a damaged one, you likely still have at least 1 good one. The difference between a whipped shift fork and a good one will be stark and easily recognizeable.

Again, as I said before, if you find a bad fork, its very likely the gear it was riding in will need to be replaced as well. That;s why I say to note where each shift fork went. The hub on the gear that the fork rides in should be smooth and not all gouged up as well. If you put a good fork in a bad gear hub, the fork will be junk in short order.

[HamptonT]

Understood. Thanks!

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Any time. :beer

If you have any uncertainty, post up some pics and we will help you out. :)