1054 prospect with transmission issue

[JUSS10 250]

i found a 1054 that i am interesting in purchasing, the previous owner said it has been sitting for 5 years without use do to the transmission going bad. i feel like i have read on the forum a time or two that the weak part of this great tractor was the trans. they made it sound like it just doesn't work, it any gear. anyone have any idea what could be an issue and if i should pass on this? they said make an offer, its 100% complete from the grill to headlights and all the other bits. also comes with a few attachments. just dont want to get stuck with spending 100s on a new transmission. i have a spare trans from a 704 but I'm guessing very little, if anything is interchangeable between the two, am i right to assume this? thank you

Justin

[JUSS10 250]

just talked with them again, it doesn't move in any gear. so i suppose thats either an issue at the input of the trans or the differential. thoughts? thank you

Justin

[stevasaurus 22,282]

I would buy the horse...if it is the trans, you can fix or replace it for not to much (unless you start buying new bearings etc). The 1054 should have a #5047 heavy duty 3 speed uni-drive. That means that it has the bevel gear differential. Depending on your axle length and size, a 3 speed uni should bolt right in. You can change the differentials between the trans you have and the trans in the tractor and be good to go..if both axles are 1". Let's go from there.

Doesn't move in any gear could mean a lot of things...belt, pulley, gear shifter. If you jack up the rear end, can you turn the wheels? Are the key ways tight? Does it shift? Does it roll? If you can say yes to all these things, I would go for it.. That uni-drive 604 trans will give you the parts you need to fix this horse. Almost all parts are the same. :WRS:

[JUSS10 250]

well i just made an offer based on one that i missed the other day, we'll see what they say. guess if i buy this one i better sell another....

[stevasaurus 22,282]

Justin, just curious, did you end up buying the horse, and if so, what did you find out?? :hide:

[sorekiwi 761]

I've never had a 1054, but I thought the transmission had a different hole pattern on the front than the common unidrive?

The bevel gear diff does get a bad rap for blowing up. I think it was Charlie that posted a way to put an 8 pinion into the 1054 case.

A decent 1054/953 is a fairly hard tractor to find these days, if the rest of it is OK I'd go for it.

[JUSS10 250]

I haven't jumped on it yet. I sent a pm to lane ranger asking about the transmission. he said the same about the bevel gear being a potential weak point. the sellers aren't home till later tonight. they have been very gracious in answering questions. i also got a pretty high offer on a 654 i've had sitting around for a while, I've been on the fence about selling it as its rough looking but everything is there and works well, if i sell that, it will more than cover the cost of what the 1054 would cost me.... I'm hoping the 1054 would just be a shifter issue or sheered keyway but i guess i need to think worse case.... decisions decisions

[Kelly 1,028]

I had a 953 with no trans PO thew it away, I was going to bolt another trans in to move it around, the bolt pattern to the frame is different so nothing but a 953/1054 trans will bolt right in, at least with out mods, and the axles in them are much longer than stock axles, if it's a good deal, I'm sure you can with work swap a reg 3 speed in to it, I think Rollerman, put a 8 speed in one, but had to have some machine work done to fit longer axles in, don't remember the details.

[JUSS10 250]

thanks kelly, thats kind of what i was worried about. its actually out near you, if you are around this week, maybe i can swing in and pick up those brackets for my GT14 and then go look at the 1054. i figure i can take a jack and get the rear end off the ground, spin the tires and see if the diff works or at least try a few things and see how it goes.

Justin

[Kelly 1,028]

Call first but I will be home most of the day, I'll send PM with phone no.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

A tranz from a 1057/1257 is supposed to be interchangeable.

I can't think of any other 3 speeds with long 1 1/8" axles. :hide:

[stevasaurus 22,282]

After reading the above posts and doing a lot more investigation, I was wrong on some things and need to correct my statements.

Justin, about the only thing in common between the trans you may be getting, and the spare that you have appears to be the cluster gear, reverse idler, and a few shafts. As Mike was saying, the bolt pattern is even different. I am sorry, and I need to be more careful in my investigations before I say something.

I would still go after the tractor, and if you buy it and need parts, I can help look at the big show and bring them to Charlotte. :hide:

[Kelly 1,028]

Well if a 1257 trans will fit I have a trans here, but I can not say it will fit.

[stevasaurus 22,282]

Kelly, I got to say that I am not sure. According to the manual (the large one) the 5045, 5047, 5051,5059 and 5038 are all covered by the section II 5058. They have the same parts...I am not sure what if any the differences are. With that said...the 953, 1054,1054A, 1057 and the 1257 should be able to exchange transmissions. I and a couple of other members are experimenting with the Wheel Horse transmissions to see what is really possible. Sounds like Charlie and Mike have already been doing this. We've only just begun. "song title" Sooner or later, we will figure this out and really be able to help the members. Every little bit of information puts us closer to our goal. :hide:

[JUSS10 250]

well I think i may have sold my 654 so thats one tractor gone which means a new one can come in, right? so hopefully this week i can run out and take a look at the tractor. its a bit of a drive but i'm blessed with a car that gets 40 mpg so wont hurt me too bad to take a look.

thanks for all the help everyone, this would be a great tractor.

Justin

[sorekiwi 761]

one tractor gone which means a new one can come in, right?

Everyone here knows that for each one you sell, you can get two to replace it...

[JUSS10 250]

well then in that case I'm due for 4 more, guess i better start looking! haha

Justin

[JUSS10 250]

UPDATE! went out tonight with a trailer in tow and came home with a slew of goodies. got there and the guy had all sorts of parts and pieces laid. took a look at the tractor, grabbed the shifter and i can pull it out, so I'm going to dare bet thats the issue as to why it "stopped" and was parked. he said there was a cart, and snow blade included. turns out the snow blade appears to be NOS and has never been assembled and the dump cart is the older tub style and in great condition. also threw in a set of chains and it has the mower deck. i feel i came away pretty good. so now the question is how do i get the rear fender off to put the shifter back in the transmission?

i just want to say thanks to everyone who helped me out on this, this is one of the tractors i have always wanted and I am very excited to get it up and running.

(looks like the snow blade is missing some parts, I may have to ask a few favors for pictures as to how it goes together or if there is an instruction manual, I'll have to look)

oh and i do have the seat pan, though its pretty rotted out

Justin

serial number: 49869

[Lane Ranger 10,576]

JUSS10: I will bet you have a 1965 1054-A and you have a really good looking one!

This tractor for a 1965 is pristine compared to some I have seen (and bought).

I think when you get the transmission off you will find you don't have as many issues as you first thought.

The Red Square folks will be with you and if all else fails you can ask my brother David and I to come up and give you a hand with the transmission! You are not too far from Northern Indiana!

:hide:

[Martin 2,130]

its a bit of a chore, but you can get the shifter back in without pulling the trans. (the fender is part of the frame so hope you can get it back in, otherwise the trans needs to come out anyway).

make sure the set screw in the front of the boss that the shifter fits in is screwed out before you try to get it back in, maybe its missing if the shifter fell out.

[Indy w h 4]

You'll hafta pull the trans out of the 1054a The fenders are welded to the frame

it's not that big of a job !!

Indy

[Kelly 1,028]

Justin the body fenders and all are welded to the frame, you will have to sneek the shifter back in, and may have to pull the hyd. pump, I've only worked on one in the past, if you pull the trans, that is a good time to clean the gas tank also, because you have to remove the trans to get the tank out.

[Martin 2,130]

by the way, thats a really nice straight tractor youve got there! nice to see yet another 953/1054 tractor on here! great find

good point kelly. that would be a pain to get the trans sorted and then have to deal with the tank.....speaking from experience..... :WRS:

[JUSS10 250]

I think I'll drop the trans then.... it sat under a pine tree or near a pine tree from the looks of it, there are a ton of pine needles down by the shifter and i don't want to pull the shifter out and have all the crap fall in.

thats kind of a screwy setup that the fenders are welded to the frame. guess thats part of it.

thanks for all the info on how to get it going. I'm quite excited to start working on it. I plan to get it in a running state then use it for a while. but due it being so straight and complete, i would really like to tear this one down and restore it. it has the potential

[Martin 2,130]

I think I'll drop the trans then.... it sat under a pine tree or near a pine tree from the looks of it, there are a ton of pine needles down by the shifter and i don't want to pull the shifter out and have all the crap fall in.

thats kind of a screwy setup that the fenders are welded to the frame. guess thats part of it.

thanks for all the info on how to get it going. I'm quite excited to start working on it. I plan to get it in a running state then use it for a while. but due it being so straight and complete, i would really like to tear this one down and restore it. it has the potential

wise decision to pull the trans. its not that hard, i just blocked up the tractor forward of the trans mount and then used a jack to support the trans while unbolting it. lowered the trans down and wheeled it back out......

the fender thing is what makes this tractor unique, i didnt know much about when i got mine and didnt like the whole fender thing at first, but it grows on you.