# Gravely 5660 (Need help)



## Rockoon

Good Day or Night
Last year we bought a Gravely 5660 in December.
Now we need to sell it again, because my Dad can't handle it and just won't learn how to use the FwD/Rev Lever.
The problem now is that the Lever that goes into the transmission to turn on/off the Snowblower is jamming and this surprisingly often

The gravely already got new oil for the transmission (SAE 30/10-W40) since the dealership told us not to pour in transmission fluid...
I do hope you folk know what to do, because in that state i can't sell it.
I added some pictures so you can see in which condition it is.

If i made some grammmatical errors, then i'm sorry. I only had english lesson's back in what you would call High School and that 5 years in the past, since german was more important at school.


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## mtumilspec

I am new to gravelys but I have pulled my PTO engagement apart to clean since the unit was flooded. I have a 5665. What is the issue that you are having? Will it not engage or will it not disengage? The control rod for the PTO is bent in a special way so that it rubs on a bracket on the left side of the tractor under the fuel tank. This "interference" locks the PTO in. If the rod has been bent in another way it will make the engagement harder or looser.

If you have the pto engaged and start going into heavy snow and the blower stalls but the engine keeps running then the safety clutch is slipping. This could be due to the fact that you used transmission oil in the unit. If the friction washers are damaged they will need to be replaced. I tried to check the price online in the US but could not find. My dealer is closed so I could not call them either.

Please take a look at the photos

PTO On/Engaged (Snowblower on)

PTO Off/Disengaged (Snowblower off)


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## mtumilspec

I forgot that I had a photo of the safety clutch. So here it is. That Gravely looks to be in good condition. I did not know that they sold them in Europe. There are a lot of 2-wheel tractors in Europe from Swiss and Italian companies so I never thought Gravelys were over there. I go to Germany every year for work but unfortunately do not speak German. I took some classes but could not pick up much. Everyone in Europe says that their English is bad but I think that it is very good. All of the Germans, Swiss, and Austrians that I met at Rock-Am-See this summer spoke very good English even when drunk.


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## Rockoon

HEllo and thanks for the quick reply.
I can assure that that the safety clutch is in good condition and is not slipping, we will replace this lever kind plate that is infront there were the clutch is. Because we only improvised it, when the old one lost one tooth and you couldn't turn it back on. So we took a steel plate, placed the original part on it, marked all holes and spots and made this crap. We already ordered and original one and when it comes il replace it immediatly. It seems that the screws above the safety clutch that hold the engager in place are extremly loose but when i pulled the too hard it will jam so i loosened it up and maybe too much. Il write another post when i replaced them to give a status of the situation.
My Dad is arranging now to get the other Snowblowers for 1000 sFr. ~ 1100$.
One is working perfectly, the second one for spare parts, il take some pictures of them. I think the Gravely's were cheaper and easier to handle, with the Swift o Matic and some people bought them, instead of a Rapid or Aebi.
Btw the new ones will be Aebi SF5 with 2 Cylinder 20 HP Kohler engines but with a normal transmission like a car.

Too bad im not such a Open Air concert guy, otherwise i would visit you when you would be around


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## Richard-tx

The PTO engagement rod connects to a moveable plate (ref. #28) at the front of the tractor. That plate connects to the shipper shaft mechanism. There are two bolts that hold the plate to the front casting. Make sure those bolts are tight and that the plate isn't flopping around. That would cause your symptoms.

Take a look at the parts diagram below. The two bolts and their associated nuts are #61 and #65

The Hi-Lo lever is supposed to be in neutral when engaging or disengaging the PTO. Failure to shift into neutral will also result in hard shifting.


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## Richard-tx

I do like your comment about the car transmission. The Gravely transmission is based on a US Army Tank transmission and is just as rugged and reliable as a Tank. Here is a training film for the Tank transmissions. The same principles apply to the Gravely. The clutches in the Gravely last longer than most cars.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8fAHTeDGiQ[/ame]


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## Rockoon

That was the problem from the first time. It's impossible to shift the PTO in neutral but the Rev/FwD works without problems. So as i understood the PTO is now messed up or do i have to loosen it up a bit?


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## Richard-tx

The HI-Lo (left side handle) is what I was referring to. Unless it is in neutral, shifting the PTO in or out will be difficult.

Unless the tractor is running engaging the PTO will likely be impossible too.

If the shifting plate (#28) cannot be moved, then something is wrong. 

One more bit of advice. Never attach the snowblower to the unless the PTO is in the disengaged position. Failure to do this will result if bent or broken parts.

There is no adjustment of any kind for the PTO mechanism. The bolts (#61) should be tight. 

Please see the diagram below. Make sure block #66 fits into the groove in gear #60. Also make sure that shipper shaft #63 slides easily in #64.

Assembling these parts can be a little tricky but not overly difficult.

Richard


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## Rockoon

Richard-tx said:


> The HI-Lo (left side handle) is what I was referring to. Unless it is in neutral, shifting the PTO in or out will be difficult.
> 
> Unless the tractor is running engaging the PTO will likely be impossible too.
> 
> If the shifting plate (#28) cannot be moved, then something is wrong.
> 
> One more bit of advice. Never attach the snowblower to the unless the PTO is in the disengaged position. Failure to do this will result if bent or broken parts.


Thanks for the reply.
I was corious from the beginning that there was no neutral postion for the Hi/Lo Lever and i always had to lower the torque of the engine and then snap the PTO in and immediatly pull up the torque immediatly, so the gear won't jerk around like a manual transmission without pushing down the clutch pedal by taking the gear out.
I just need to know how to adjust the Hi/Lo lever so it can go into neutral.

Just gave the Hi/Lo Lever a bit more playroom, and it seems that the gear's nearly stand still and if you pull the PTO lever fast it will engage without any problem's.


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## Richard-tx

Simply not locking the hi-lo lever into place is neutral. There will always be a little bit of a spin even when in neutral. That is due to the oil coupling the clutch to the ring gear. That spin is needed to allow the gears to mesh properly when engaging.

One of the better written procedures for engaging the PTO is in the manual at http://gravelymanuals.com/pdf/500_Ser_Convert_Op_Man_0277.pdf

See page 9.

Also make sure that the clutches don't slip. See the clutch adjustment procedure.


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## Rockoon

Sorry for the late reply, 2 weeks before we fixed everything and last Weekend we had a heavy snowfall, about 50 centimeters of pulverized snow. My dad took his own snowblower and i took the GRavely, everything wen't smooth, the blower didn't even got clogged by snow, now this week it started snowing again and since im working from 7am to 5pm i'm not able to clean the grounds so my dad took the gravely and first he broke the gas cable, blaming it was rusted anyway, it's fixed already. Now he's complaining that the PTO is shutting off itself while it's engaged.... Blaming that it's american junk, yeah right(Sarcasm) When i worked with it, everything was fine the PTO never shut itself off nor the gas cable was jamming. I don't know what he's doing with the poor Gravely and if this is going to contiune i will never be able to sell it or he should keep his hands off it and take his damn Snowblower.

Edit: Just checked it and i can't believe it, i can't disable it, the lever won't move an inch and then suddenly it starts slipping and you have to pull the PTO again but pushing is impossible but i managed to disable it with a 22" Wrench and it was soooooooo hard to push but now it's disabled to avoid more damage. I can't explain it, i don't know how or why it became like that, i mean everything was fine, i never had this problem,w hy does it came out of nowhere? Is the Oil too thick or was it replaced with treesap? Did someone glued the iron plate? I don't know what the f*ck (sorry for swearing) happend, i think im going insane, i mean it was just standing in the barn (It's empty No cows) for 2-3 days and now this?


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## Richard-tx

The problem could be ice. Take the blower off the front and go over the PTO shifting mechanism. Most of the issues with regards to repairs have to do with understanding how it works.


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## Rockoon

Well, i was working and fixing moped's, so a bit of mechanical understanding is here.
I called the Dealership today and he said i should just take off the blower and then the front to take a look at the Safety clutch and the insides. I really hope it's just ice, well it was -10 degrees some nights.


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## Richard-tx

Seems that the dealer and I agree. Study the Illustrated parts list. Have and assistant move the PTO control while watching the mechanism. The only hard part about getting to the PTO mechanism is removing the battery box. Once that is out of the way, servicing the PTO is easy. I won't even attempt to work on that mechanism unless the battery box has been removed. The exception is the Pro series battery box. Those usually have enough room underneath to work on the PTO.


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## Rockoon

We sold it today, the problem was the part 63 and 64. We told it the buyer and the deal wen't over the table. First he pays half the price and after it's fixed, he sends the other half minus the material cost, because his company got an intern mechanic. 
I miss the Gravely a bit but i will post other pictures of the new monster. 2 Cyl. 20 HP Kohler Engine, completly manual transmission. pIcs coming end of the week. THe annoying thing is i had to leave work at the break and lost time til lunch but now this is over and i can get back in my normal life.


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## Richard-tx

Part # 63 and #64 almost always damaged if the attachment or quick hitch adapter is put on when the PTO is in the engaged position. 

Intern mechanic? I take that as meaning a rookie. Depending on how diligent he is it could be OK.

If the engine is a Kohler Magnum or M20 be aware that engine parts are expensive. Kohler wants US $800 for a crankshaft. Pistons are also out of sight.


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## tomhlee78

I also need help with a 5660. I need the flange bushings that go in the lift carriage for the caster fork weldment. I have been looking for these since 1989 and cannot find them or even a measurement to have them made by. cananyone help? deck model number ma-605. part # 11947


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