John deere gator 550 shifting issues

[jimmydale]

I bought my gator in the fall of 2013 and now with less than 17 hours on it I have shifting problems. I have to fight it to get it to go in forward and reverse. Do you guys think The clutches are the problem? How easy are they to replace, (no warranty left).

[Dane]

Most commonly it's one of two things or both. First check to make sure the engine is not idling too fast. If the idle speed is correct then the other fix is to replace the drive clutch. A no cost work around is to turn the Gator off when you want to shift.

If you want to replace the clutch you would only need to do the front, drive clutch. You may also want to replace the drive Belt as Deere has switched to a slightly thinner belt that allows a bit more slack to help with clutch disengagement to ease shifting.

Replacing the drive clutch is not technically hard. There is a special clutch removal tool you will need but everything else can be done with standard tools. It is an annoying job simply because 3/4 of your time will be spent removing covers and panels to get access to the clutch. I use a Torx 20 bit in a cordless drill since there are a lot of them holding the body panels in place. Then a 1/4" socket with several extensions and even a universal joint help in removing the clutch cover. You'll also find it much easier to remove the clutch cover if you remove the skid plate from the belly to allow easier access to the bolts. It's a big job just because there are so many parts you have to take off and put back on but none are particularly difficult so it is a very doable project.

Just don't try removing the drive clutch without the clutch removal tool. If you have a trailer you can strip down the Gator then take it to the dealer. They will probably break the clutch free for you at no charge if you don't want to buy the tool.

As for the drive clutch you have two options. One is to buy a replacement clutch from Deere. Or, you can remove your clutch and send it to forum member MBDiagMan who has the tools and experience to disassemble and modify your clutch.