# PowerShift reverse speed



## KVacek (Jan 9, 2015)

This is about a (1989?) PowerShift 824, but I think it's common to all. I also have an 828 and bought (and adjusted etc) a 624 for one of my sons-in-law. Same issue with each...

Reverse tends to be at 2nd and 3rd gear speeds rather than 1st and 2nd as marked unless I adjust the long vertical shift linkage rod almost as short as I can while still being able to get into 4th. Once so adjusted, I can shift from 1 forward into 1 reverse, but if I then go into 2 reverse (and it still can get into 3rd gear reverse), I have to get out of reverse, move the lever to 1st forward again and carefully pull the lever along the right side of the shift detent opening (closest to 1) to again engage reverse in first gear.

Looking at the detent opening in the control plate (where the shift lever runs) reverse is definitely offset to the left from the positions for the forward gears, and thus this isn't particularly surprising. Is reverse really supposed to be fast? What am I missing? For an old guy with new hips, a slow reverse is helpful, while a 3rd-gear reverse is useless.

Thanks!
Karl


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

KVacek said:


> This is about a (1989?) PowerShift 824, but I think it's common to all. I also have an 828 and bought (and adjusted etc) a 624 for one of my sons-in-law. Same issue with each...
> 
> Reverse tends to be at 2nd and 3rd gear speeds rather than 1st and 2nd as marked unless I adjust the long vertical shift linkage rod almost as short as I can while still being able to get into 4th. Once so adjusted, I can shift from 1 forward into 1 reverse, but if I then go into 2 reverse (and it still can get into 3rd gear reverse), I have to get out of reverse, move the lever to 1st forward again and carefully pull the lever along the right side of the shift detent opening (closest to 1) to again engage reverse in first gear.
> 
> ...


* there are only 2 speeds for reverse. 1st reverse is a lot slower than 2nd reverse. that shifter rod moves the yolk in the trans up and down thru the gears. I am trying to understand what you are getting at here. post some pics or a vid of what is going on so I can get a better handle on this problem. or you can always PM me. yes 2nd gear reverse is a lot faster. *


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

The speeds on the Powershift are fixed by gear ratio in the transmission.....I don't understand how they could be to fast or slow....if it goes into a gear, it is the speed set by the factory.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

cranman said:


> The speeds on the Powershift are fixed by gear ratio in the transmission.....I don't understand how they could be to fast or slow....if it goes into a gear, it is the speed set by the factory.


* I think he wants to be able to adjust those speeds.:smiley-confused013: Other than that I have no clue what he is trying to get at. *


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## 10953 (Sep 4, 2017)

any chance someone has changed the engine governor speeds to too fast?


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## KVacek (Jan 9, 2015)

What I'm saying is that the shift gate on the top plate (dashboard?) controls the lateral position of the shift lever when in reverse. 1st Reverse is NOT directly behind (closer to the operator) 1st forward - the lever positions for reverse are offset to the left - toward the next gear up.

The 1st Reverse lever position is opposite a spot between the lever positions for 1st and 2nd Forward. 2nd Reverse is similarly opposite a spot half way between the lever positions for 2nd and 3rd Forward. Thus the book adjustment of the shift linkage makes 1st Reverse use the same transmission gear as 2nd Forward. Fine in open areas, but I like the slower 1st-gear speed for backing up in tight spots in ice and snow.

My engine is running about 3400 max top speed, per the manual. I know someone quoted 3600 for all Tecumsehs, but my Tecumseh manual doesn't agree.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

the speed on a powershift is the speed...no adjustment as far as I can tell.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

sounds like your best/easiest option to slow things down in reverse is to add a throttle control up on the dash .


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

A smaller pulley on the crankshaft going to the transmission is the only way to slow that bad girl down


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## KVacek (Jan 9, 2015)

The issue is gear selection when in reverse. The forward speeds all work just fine, and I have two reverse speeds. They're labeled 1 and 2, but in 1 reverse the transmission is really in 2nd and in 2 reverse the transmission is really in 3rd, due to the position of the Reverse notch in the dash plate where the shift lever rides.

When you pull back into reverse from 1st gear forward into the Reverse position marked 1, the steel dash plate has a notch for reverse that makes you move the shift lever a bit to the left (towards 2nd gear) to get into the notch in the plate where the two reverse speeds are. The transmission naturally tends to move into 2nd gear.

SO...
Is the slower reverse speed supposed to be the same speed reverse as 2nd gear forward, and the faster reverse speed the same speed as 3rd gear forward? That's how all of mine work unless I adjust the shift lever differently from the Toro manual's position of 2nd aligning with the center of the PowerShift notch. I need to have the lever adjusted to the right of that to get a 1st-gear reverse speed. On all 3 snowblowers.


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## 351beno (Oct 12, 2017)

Yes you need to be in 2nd gear forward to shift into 1st reverse. You should never adjust 1st to close to 2nd.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

cranman said:


> A smaller pulley on the crankshaft going to the transmission is the only way to slow that bad girl down


* Don't you mean a bigger pulley there CRANMAN????????? Any bigger of a pulley would start to get things real tight in there. and might just affect the POWERSHIFT Feature.:surprise:*


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

KVacek said:


> The issue is gear selection when in reverse. The forward speeds all work just fine, and I have two reverse speeds. They're labeled 1 and 2, but in 1 reverse the transmission is really in 2nd and in 2 reverse the transmission is really in 3rd, due to the position of the Reverse notch in the dash plate where the shift lever rides.
> 
> When you pull back into reverse from 1st gear forward into the Reverse position marked 1, the steel dash plate has a notch for reverse that makes you move the shift lever a bit to the left (towards 2nd gear) to get into the notch in the plate where the two reverse speeds are. The transmission naturally tends to move into 2nd gear.
> 
> ...


 * TORO has it set up as this. 1st reverse is second forward and 2 reverse is 3rd forward. that part can not be changed in any way, shape or form. as for the shifter stick if that is out of line. then yes you can adjust that. but you will never turn 1st reverse into 1 forward and 2nd reverse into 2nd forward.*


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

No Todd...the smaller the pulley on the engine drive the slower the machine will travel.


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## KVacek (Jan 9, 2015)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> * TORO has it set up as this. 1st reverse is second forward and 2 reverse is 3rd forward. that part can not be changed in any way, shape or form. as for the shifter stick if that is out of line. then yes you can adjust that. but you will never turn 1st reverse into 1 forward and 2nd reverse into 2nd forward.*




OK - THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING. Not how to change pulleys or adjust my governor or ride a horse.

For what it's worth, it is indeed possible to adjust it so 1 Reverse uses first gear and is nicely slow. It just seemed weird that Toro made it so difficult. I sure haven't read anything about that in the manuals. For an old guy with cars in my driveway while I remove snow, a first-gear reverse can be helpful and a 3rd-gear reverse is useless.

Thanks to all...
Karl


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Well Karl...unless you need the speed that high gear gives you...the smaller pulley on the engine ( and shorter belt) will give you slower reverse, slower 1st , 2nd etc, with no change in throwing ability or impeller speed. Seems to me an easier route to slow the machine down some........


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