Max IV Split Shifter

[mudbug3]

This is the split shifter that Brushcutter made for my Max IV. Most of the time if I could not skid steer my way out of some thing , I could use the split shifter and get myself unstuck. This worked most of the time , but, in really thick mud,, if you can,t skid steer, you can,t split shift your way out either. I also found out that the factory belt won,t take the strain of split shifting in really thick mud either.

[whipper-ag]

Pretty cool guys. I like that.

Whipper

[Bw6]

Hey Dave, thanks for sharing, it seems to shift very smoothly. I like all those heim joints.

[mudbug3]

Brushcutter fabricated the split shifter all by himself. This was totally his idea from start to finish. So my hats off to him. This is a modification that I,ve wanted done to my Max IV for a very long time , and its well worth the effort for any one considering this modification. Even if I could,nt split shift , the ease of shifting now was well worth it. It now shifts 50 % better than the easy shift kit ever did , that I bought from Richard Clark. One side will always go straight into gear, and with just a slight jiggle,the other side drops into gear also.

[Mike]

Great job. I like the mirrored shifter on the right side.

[brushcutter]

Wow, Thanks guys, I feel special!

Dave started asking me about this split shifter way before he brought his IV to my place to have an axle replaced. I knew how I would do it the first time I looked at it, it just seems to me that the mirror effect was the only way that would look right and be easy to use. I think he was happy with it because we went for about a 2 hour ride and for some reason he had this big ol' grin all over his face the whole time- even while we were stuck lol.
It was easy to figure out what I wanted to do with it, the tough part was having to do it in the available space and still get everything to clear everything that it needed to clear. Is that clear?
Those helm joints are really sweet!

[brushcutter]

I've been thinking[I know what you're all saying "it's never good when he does that"] about the advantages of this type of split-shifter setup and I thought I would share some of this information with anyone who is considering this mod for their machine.

Now, my 950 has a shift setup that is quite complicated to use, the right side is linked directly to the shift handle so that the handle always indicates the direction the rt side will pull. The left side breaks free by pulling a lever which then allows the right side to be shifted in a direction opposite of the left side.(told you it was complicated).

At the time I built my shifter I wanted a shifter that didn't require moving 2 levers each time that I changed direction. I have changed my mind and the reasons for this are as follows.

The biggest advantage that I can see is the solution to the most common complaint against the t-20 "there is always one side that doesn't want to shift into gear". With this setup that problem dissapears immediately, you always know if you are in gear or not and wiggling the sticks as you shift will ensure that the gears will drop into place.

Ever get into those situations where you need to back up just a little and turn as you do , just pull the necessary side into reverse and make the turn, no worrying about one side not going into gear, no rocking to be sure it did.

Then the obvious reason: being able to turn on a point, I don't need to use the split on my 950 very often. I almost never use it on hard ground, but I can say this, there have been several occasions that without it I would have been winching. And turning in water is like having an outboard on the back, the thing will turn so fast that it is easy to overshoot your mark and have to go around again. I crossed some swift water last winter with no problem, but when I got into it on the return trip the current caught me and began to spin me away from the shore. I was able to split and spin around in time to get out on the same side I was coming from, but farther downstream. You can believe that when I hit it the second time I wasn't trying to save any gas!

I hear that Argo is coming out with a new drive system and I really hope that some type of split shift capability will be possible on their new machines because after using one to the fullest advantage I know what a useful mod this has been on mine.

[matrob]

Thanks guys, for posting the video. I, too got sick of having my t-20's shifting difficulty. I never can seem to get it synchronized and have worn out several shifter pins. So I tore it apart to do the split shift. I had in mind exactly how I wanted it to work. Your video shows, almost exactly, my vision. Now, to weld it all together. Thanks for the help. Now I know this will work.