Transmission gear engagement mechanism and method of operation

A transmission for a work machine, comprising:

• a gear shaft having an external periphery;
• a hub having an internal wall defining a bore therethrough, the internal wall of said hub rotatably secured and axially moveably connected to the external periphery of said gear shaft, said hub having a single unitary external periphery thereof, at least a portion of the single unitary external periphery of said hub defining a plurality of teeth;
• a gear rotatably moveably mounted to said gear shaft, said gear having an external periphery thereof, at least a portion of the external periphery of said gear defining a plurality of teeth;
• and
• a shift collar having an internal wall defining a bore therethrough, the internal wall of said shift collar defining a plurality of teeth, at least some of the plurality of teeth of said shift collar matingly engaging at least some of the plurality of teeth of said hub, said gear and said shift collar having a first configuration in which all of the plurality of teeth of said shift collar are spaced from all of the plurality of teeth of said gear and having a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of teeth of said shift collar engage at least some of the plurality of teeth of said gear, said shift collar defining a feature protruding away from the internal wall and towards a central axis of the shift collar for limiting the axial motion of said shift collar relative to said gear when said gear and said shift collar are in the second configuration, wherein the plurality of teeth of said shift collar define a first portion having a first set of teeth, the first set of teeth having a first circumferential tooth space width between adjacent teeth, and a second portion defining a second set of teeth, the second set of teeth having a second circumferential tooth space width between adjacent teeth, the first circumferential tooth space width being greater than the second circumferential tooth space width forming steps between the first set of teeth and the second set of teeth, the first set of teeth and second set of teeth defining the feature, the feature configured to assist in deterring said gear and said shift collar from returning to the first configuration, the feature comprising a stop positioned between two of the plurality of gear teeth of said shift collar, the stop protruding away from the internal wall and towards the central axis of the shift collar, and an axial width of the stop being less than an axial width of the plurality of gear teeth.