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Electric shift not working - 2008 Rancher

16K views 16 replies 5 participants last post by  Helmut 
#1 ·
Hello,

Hoping for some advice. I have a 2008 rancher electric shift.

I rode it today for about 20 minutes no issues, loaded it on the trailer left it in 1st gear while trailering home.

Got home, went to unload from trailer, electric shift wont shift from 1st to neutral, tried the manual shift at the front of the engine, cant budge it.

I tried to roll the quad off the trailer, but rear wheels will not move at all.

What should i try next?
 
#3 ·
Welcome to the forums. If you can't shift with the manual shifter, more than likely, you have a problem with the shift linkage under the front cover. I've also heard of the shift motor reduction gears breaking and wedging the shift linkage.

If it's not the shift linkage, then you have a problem with the transmission itself, but 9 out of 10 times, it will be something wrong with the shift linkage.
 
#5 ·
I'm not sure about the cost and time at a shop because I always do all my repairs myself, but usually any kind of repair at a shop will be fairly expensive. But if they know what they're doing, it shouldn't take them long to find the problem.
 
#7 ·
Will it roll backwards? I figured the reason it wouldn't roll forward was because it was in first gear?
 
#8 ·
No, it wont roll forward or backwards at all. I cant even get it off my trailer. The rear wheels are frozen solid. Usually when its in 1st gear, you can roll it and just get the typical engine resistance. Not the case now.

The rear wheels wont even move a little bit.
 
#9 ·
OK, I didn't realize that. I would check the brakes first. I would unhook the cables from the rear brakes and see if it will roll. Seems like it should still shift gears, but it might be in a bind somehow. I would check the brakes first, just in case.
 
#11 ·
ok, Update:

I loosened up the rear brake cables and was able to free up the rear wheels. I tried the electric shift and it was unable to shift, after a few tries the ES stopped working completely.

I then was able to manually shift into neutral using the shifter bolt at the front of the engine case.

I tried the ES and it was still not responding/shifting.

This morning i tried the ES. It would only shift into reverse, no other gears.

So now, its stuck in reverse, The ES will not work. I can not manually shift out of reverse either.

any suggestions?
 
#13 · (Edited)
In reading your post over I noticed where you said you were able to free the rear wheels up by backing off the adjusters, by chance because your stuck in reverse is the reverse cable maybe stuck, or frozen also not letting you manually shift out of reverse, and can only shift into reverse? Just giving you something else to check as it sounds like things are frozen up from cold wet weather riding. (I'd have to read in my manual to confirm if a stuck reverse cable could cause this issue,,not quite sure as I haven't had to fix an issue like this yet, but I know people adjust this cable as well to bypass the red button and they shift)Rock it back and forth easily when your trying to shift it manually also, and agreed on the battery check.
If you get the battery issue taken care of if it is indeed low, and get it back to neutral make sure to cycle your ignition off, then on to reset the system to let make it shift again. If all else fails download the online manual we have for your machine on this site to on how to check the shift angle senor,,shift buttons, etc. for a faulty part, and hopefully nothing is damaged in your linkage causing your issue's.
 
#14 ·
Guys,

Thanks for all the input. Since my last post, I was able to manually shift back to neutral (from reverse) by rocking back and forth. It was hard to get it into neutral but it worked.

Next i tried to start it and the starter wouldnt kick it over. It just made this deep buzzing sound back near the battery. I waited a couple minutes, turned it on and off to "reset" it, then tried starting it again. It started to crank at the starter then stopped followed by the deep buzzing sound at the battery again.

Next I checked the electric shift for functionality by running through the gears. Nothing, could not get the shifter to do anything. Electric shifter is completely non-responsive.

I dont supsect the battery is bad because it was starting the machine without issue just hours earlier, headlights were strong, ect... (although, admitadly I did not test it)

I supsect there is a mechanical issue such as gear linkage, shift plate ect... given that it was near impossible to manually shift the machine, and the starter was seeminlgy unable to crank telling me there is some internal problem.

I also suspect the rear drum brake is either a concidence or wasnt actually seized.

maybe im wrong, ive been wrong before...

I hate to admit it but i dropped it at the shop today. waiting on the diagnosis now $$$. Expensive Christmas present to me.

I would welcome any further comments / suggestions

thanks again
 
#15 ·
It sounds like your battery might be discharged, but it should still shift manually. I think you have a couple different problems. I think the brakes being stuck was different problem, but sometimes, you may have to rock the ATV back and forth a little to get it to shift. You might need to adjust the clutch free play. This will usually help it to shift without having to rock it back and forth. If after adjusting the clutch free play, you still can't manually shift it easily, then I would guess that you have a shift linkage problem. Hopefully nothing more serious, but its' hard to say without actually being there to look at it.

Also, the reverse cable being stuck wouldn't cause it to not shift out of reverse. The way it's set up, it can only prevent it from shifting into reverse.
 
#16 ·
Problem solved.

Helmut, you were correct, it was indeed a week battery causing poor electric shifting.

Also, the rear brake cable(hand cable) was siezed causing the rear wheels to be locked.

All is good, thanks to all the posters for the help and suggestions...
 
#17 ·
Glad you found the problem and it wasn't anything serious.
 
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