[DexKing]

So i recently bought an 07 rancher es. I got a good ride out of it one night, then took it out the following weekend, and about 2 hours in, i could not shift down at all. I could shift up, but not down. The previous owner replaced the shift motor, which still tried to shift even though its not changing gears. It can be heard trying to shift down, but goes nowhere. I can manually change the gears with the emergency tool without any problems. I took the shift motor box cover off to find that the one gear thats basically 1/4th of a large gear was sitting too low in the box. When i pulled it off to adjust its location, i noticed the splines on the gearshift arm are somewhat stripped. My question: i can find a replacement shaft (arm) to put in, but i cannot for the life of me, find any information anywhere that points to how it needs to come out to be replaced. I know i have to remove at least the front crankcase cover, but i dont know what else needs to go from there. Any thoughts and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[subzerosoundman]

Do you think the shift motor was not installed correctly by the previous owner?
Or is there a bad bearing on the reduction gears (2 large to small double gears)?
Or is the partial gear arm that goes on the shift shaft bent/stripped?
I just want to know what caused this failure.

The service manual says you have to remove the engine/transmission and take the front and back covers off to remove the shift shaft.

I might try to drill a hole through the partial gear arm into the shift shaft and thread a stud in, to save a lot of time.
If that does not work, convert it to a foot shift.

 

[DexKing]

Do you think the shift motor was not installed correctly by the previous owner?
Or is there a bad bearing on the reduction gears (2 large to small double gears)?
Or is the partial gear arm that goes on the shift shaft bent/stripped?
I just want to know what caused this failure.

The service manual says you have to remove the engine/transmission and take the front and back covers off to remove the shift shaft.

I might try to drill a hole through the partial gear arm into the shift shaft and thread a stud in, to save a lot of time.
If that does not work, convert it to a foot shift.

My best guess is a constant attempt to shift into reverse from neutral without pulling the engine brake (left handle brake). This is the first bike ive ever owned, so i dont know if its normal for the shift motor to attempt to shift it without pulling the lever. The splines on the partial shaft are stripped, at least enough to make it skip when i shift down. I just need to know if i can replace that partial by just removing the front case cover or if i need to dig deeper.

 

[subzerosoundman]

The shaft going through the front cover into the shift motor reduction gears is not a partial shaft. It is a long shaft that goes all the way through to the back of the engine. Watch this video to see what it looks like under the front cover:

Honda Rancher Shift Problems - How it works - How to fix ALL PROBLEMS!!! Bubba Baryl

 

[Rocketman5144]

You need to download the service manual and check it out.
You have to take the front cover off the motor and then you can pull it out the front. The back end of the shaft is keyed and fits into the angle sensor. So when you put it back together it's best to pull the angle sensor off the back of the motor first. Install the shaft then put the angle sensor back on.

 

[DexKing]

Thank you Rocketman. Thats just what i needed to know. I really appreciate your help!

 

[subzerosoundman]

Before 2007 the gearshift shaft was the same between ES and Foot Shift models.
In 2007 they started making the 2 models with different gearshift shafts/spindles.
Apparently the new ES gearshift spindle is not attached to the back engine cover,
but the Foot Shift is (just like both models pre 2007).
The service manual in 2007 has an error in it at the start of chapter 11,
saying that the engine must be removed to remove the gearshift spindle.
But that is only true for the new Foot Shift model.
You do have to remove the centrifugal clutch before you can remove the
gearshift spindle shaft on the new ES model.

 

[DexKing]

Before 2007 the gearshift shaft was the same between ES and Foot Shift models.
In 2007 they started making the 2 models with different gearshift shafts/spindles.
Apparently the new ES gearshift spindle is not attached to the back engine cover,
but the Foot Shift is (just like both models pre 2007).
The service manual in 2007 has an error in it at the start of chapter 11,
saying that the engine must be removed to remove the gearshift spindle.
But that is only true for the new Foot Shift model.
You do have to remove the centrifugal clutch before you can remove the
gearshift spindle shaft on the new ES model.

Thanks man, i really do appreciate your help!

 

[Jake !!]

Thanks man, i really do appreciate your help!

Before 2007 the gearshift shaft was the same between ES and Foot Shift models.
In 2007 they started making the 2 models with different gearshift shafts/spindles.
Apparently the new ES gearshift spindle is not attached to the back engine cover,
but the Foot Shift is (just like both models pre 2007).
The service manual in 2007 has an error in it at the start of chapter 11,
saying that the engine must be removed to remove the gearshift spindle.
But that is only true for the new Foot Shift model.
You do have to remove the centrifugal clutch before you can remove the
gearshift spindle shaft on the new ES model.

Why would you remove the centrifugal clutch to remove shift shaft?

 

[subzerosoundman]

Service manual says remove the centrifugal clutch.

 

[Anthony lewis.]

Before 2007 the gearshift shaft was the same between ES and Foot Shift models.
In 2007 they started making the 2 models with different gearshift shafts/spindles.
Apparently the new ES gearshift spindle is not attached to the back engine cover,
but the Foot Shift is (just like both models pre 2007).
The service manual in 2007 has an error in it at the start of chapter 11,
saying that the engine must be removed to remove the gearshift spindle.
But that is only true for the new Foot Shift model.
You do have to remove the centrifugal clutch before you can remove the
gearshift spindle shaft on the new ES model.

Before 2007 the gearshift shaft was the same between ES and Foot Shift models.
In 2007 they started making the 2 models with different gearshift shafts/spindles.
Apparently the new ES gearshift spindle is not attached to the back engine cover,
but the Foot Shift is (just like both models pre 2007).
The service manual in 2007 has an error in it at the start of chapter 11,
saying that the engine must be removed to remove the gearshift spindle.
But that is only true for the new Foot Shift model.
You do have to remove the centrifugal clutch before you can remove the
gearshift spindle shaft on the new ES model.

So could you remove the electric shift gears an add a foot shift to make It manual shift with no problem. I have a 2000 450 foreman ES an im having shift problems. I saw a video were a guy did it an it works no problem. But you answered my ?? In your comments saying be4 2007 the shift shafts are the same so basically ther all a manual atv but factory converter to electric. Dose this make sine please let me know thanks..

 

[subzerosoundman]

If the long shift shaft is only stripped on the very end where it contacts the shift motor reduction gears, then you could convert it to a foot shift which would not need the reduction gears at all.
If anything else is wrong, the easiest thing to do is bypass the computer which will make the shift motor always turn when you press the shift buttons. See subzerosound.com/HondaECUBypass.html