I Have a 950E , serial number 22z03738, that will not pull in 2nd gear. 1st gear pulls fine, if I shift to 2nd while in motion, it will shift and pull, but if I get into soft dirt or an incline, it will stop pulling. 3rd gear seem to pull fine. I would say taking off in 3rd gear from a dead stop is about equivalent to pulling off from 1st gear.
Check pressures? Cut open filter? Fluid level?
I havent, I dont have a way to check the pressures. I put a new filter in it and cut the filter open and didnt notice anything that stood out. Fluid level is good
Try pulling the magnetic screen on the transmission suction side and see what you find. What colour is the fluid. Clear & bright or dark & cloudy.? Does the fluid smell burned at all.?
It was definately darker. How is the screen accessed?
Dark oil is NOT good news. Take a good sniff at it to confirm it's burned. Sorry I don’t have access to the O&M Manual to show the procedure for accessing the screen but it is usually located behind a 3 or 4-bolt cover somewhere on the transmission transfer case. You need Cat Publication reference SEBU6244, for machines S/N 22Z3189-Up, which can be downloaded from Cat for $52. Alternatively buy this one from eBay for $19. A Parts Manual would not go amiss either. SEBP1757 covers all 22Z-prefix machines from S/N 3189-Up, which includes yours. Here's one for $30 on eBay