Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

My Toro 824 Power Shift will no long move. I have changed the drive belt. At this point, it looks like the gear box. Is that something that can be fixed for a decent price? Or is it time for a new machine?

  You could check the links to insure your guess that the drive box is gone is correct.  A long shot for sure but worth the check.

  Chances are very high it's the gearbox. 

   It can be fixed but it's cost prohibitive.  After flipping the machine up to get a look at what it would be involved to get the
gearbox out my estimate was it would take many hours and probably special tools just to get it out.  Just guessing it might take a
Toro shop 4-6 to swap out the gearbox.  I doubt any independant dealer would do it. 

   For repair you'd have to be real good to swap out some internals if you could get the parts. 

   For a swap, the gearbox price I got was ~$600.

   I don't know of anyone who's ever replaced or fixed a Toro PowerShift  gearbox.  When they go people dump them. 
Dump it or part it out.  Time for a new machine.

I would repair it there is no better machine than a Toro Powershift.
Any competent technician should be able to remove a Powershift Transmission in 15 min or less!!

The steps are(from memory):
1 Drain the gas
2 remove the top belt cover pull it to the right side
3 tip the machine up on the bucket
4 disconnect the linkage at the transmission & remove the small plate that covers the transmission
5 rotate the wheels until you see the master link & remove the master link & chain
6 remove the wheels
7 remove the 2 shoulder bolts that form the pivot of the powershift & remove the axle assy
8 remove the lower belt cover
9 remove the plastic retainer for the cable on the right side & slide out the barrel end of the cable
10 lower the pivot latch assy
11 remove 2 bolts on either side that hold on the transmission mount to the machine
12 push the transmission up & remove the belt
13 pull the transmission mount out
14 remove the 4 bolts that hold the transmission to the mount
15 remove the forward/reverse cable from the transmission

reverse to assemble after repair

It is likely that the forward/reverse collar is broken(but could be anything!) Post back with what you find!

   The time estimate in the prior post is just plain silly. 

   But whatever time it takes to get it out what then? 

   The list for the transmission (PN: 66-8030) in a Power Shifter model 38540 is $959.93 but you can probably find it for less, maybe $600-800. There's a used one on Ebay for $499. 
   On some models the parts list only has the transmission as an assembly.  There are models where the drawings for the transmission internal parts are broken out and can be purchased.  You'd have to check on your model specifically to see if internals are available.  Maybe you'll luck out with a linkage problem.

    For cracking it open take a look at this series of YouTube videos on working on one.  Note:  not just one but a series of videos because the job is so extensive.  Just opening it up and cleaning the gears in there would take a couple of hours and that would be with a tank cleaner with flowing solvent, but I’m sure if done by ajallen could be done under 2 minutes with a rag.

Repair video:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHFgpdpYzDc

Parts:

http://www.toro.com/en-us/parts/Pages/PartsDetails.aspx?mybeid=19886&serialNumber=8900001&modelNumber=38540&searchTerm=9lzIRv+p5zd2NP/eK/kYAD+aQn+0Z4slTWTXkmrTa99ETtUZ3ntRpMgJmh6rhrY+&defaultTab=parts