Locked Out

-
JGC403

JGC403

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2010
Messages
1,051
Reaction score
49
Location
Baileyton, TN
The transmission has to be shifted into second gear to be able to shift into any other gear. So when I put it in first I have to move it to second next or I'm locked out of 3rd or 4th and neutral, so I'm guessing I don't have the linkage adjusted right. All of the arms in the shifter were aligned when I adjusted the rods initially. I don't think its supposed to be like this.
 
Miss aligned shifter or a real sloppy worn shifter will do the same thing. Do you have that little alignment tool, it looks like an L about 3 inch's long and about 3/32 round. Even a old drill bit will work too to align shifter. Usually the trouble is getting alignment tool it in the slots with the shifter bolted all up.
 
You have 4 vehicles in your signature. Are we supposed to guess which one?
 
Yep, linkage misalignment.
The trans has little metal rods between the shift shafts that make it so the trans cannot get into two gears at the same time.
It has to be totally out of the last gear before the little rods will let the shift rails move to the next position.
Sloppy or misadjusted linkage causes the rails to not move to the right places at the right time.
Here is an example of how they work.
Notice that the left rod has to be in the postion it is in for the right rod to be able to move because of the little parralell pins moving into or out of the grooves in the rails.
 

Attachments

  • tshiftrails2.jpg
    50.8 KB · Views: 322
TrailBeast said:
Yep, linkage misalignment.
The trans has little metal rods between the shift shafts that make it so the trans cannot get into two gears at the same time.
It has to be totally out of the last gear before the little rods will let the shift rails move to the next position.
Sloppy or misadjusted linkage causes the rails to not move to the right places at the right time.
Here is an example of how they work.
Notice that the left rod has to be in the postion it is in for the right rod to be able to move because of the little parralell pins moving into or out of the grooves in the rails.
Click to expand...


Keith Mopar said:
Miss aligned shifter or a real sloppy worn shifter will do the same thing. Do you have that little alignment tool, it looks like an L about 3 inch's long and about 3/32 round. Even a old drill bit will work too to align shifter. Usually the trouble is getting alignment tool it in the slots with the shifter bolted all up.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the helpful replys. The shifter mechanism was rebuilt by passion. All of the swivel ends are new, and I rebuilt the transmission.

I was going to use the tool to align the shifter, but my mechanism is one that doesn't have the hole in the reverse rod. So I can't use it in my case. I asked them when the rebuilt the shifter he said some were like that.

So the 1-2 rod needs some adjusting.
 
JGC403 said:
So the 1-2 rod needs some adjusting.
Click to expand...

Maybe, it does kind of sound like it may not be returning the 1-2 shift rail to the fully neutral position when it comes out of first.
But does return it correctly coming out of second, so it sound like the 1-2 rod needs to be adjusted longer if your lever on the trans points up.

Make sense?
 
TrailBeast said:
Maybe, it does kind of sound like it may not be returning the 1-2 shift rail to the fully neutral position when it comes out of first.
But does return it correctly coming out of second, so it sound like the 1-2 rod needs to be adjusted longer if your lever on the trans points up.

Make sense?
Click to expand...

Ok. I was going to have someone shift it form 1st to 2nd while I'm under the car. But makes sense what you are saying. Yes once its out of 2nd everything is fine. Goes into 3 and 4 fine.
 
JGC403 said:
If its a trans linkage issue, I don't think it matters what vehicle its in.
Click to expand...

Don't be stupid. Of course it matters. Either the Jeep you listed, or the Dodge pickup could have completely different transmissions

This could also be a SIDEPLATE issue, bent, worn forks or linkage or detents worn, broken in the sideplate setup. You should be able to get some idea of this by crawling under, unhooking at least one shift rod and manipulating the 1 / 2 and 3/ 4 levers manually. You should have a definite and sharp "click" as you shift, and as you put on EG 3 /4 into 3rd, you should not be able to move the 1 / 2 out of neutral and vice versa

There was at least one thread on here where the shifter (Hurst) box seemed OK, yet was AFU inside. Whoever it was sent it off for rebuild and it cured the problem.
 
67Dart273 said:
Don't be stupid. Of course it matters. Either the Jeep you listed, or the Dodge pickup could have completely different transmissions
Click to expand...

Not trying to be a smart *** but, we are on a A-body forum and we are in the 4 speed section. Anyways not trying to start anything.

67Dart273 said:
This could also be a SIDEPLATE issue, bent, worn forks or linkage or detents worn, broken in the sideplate setup. You should be able to get some idea of this by crawling under, unhooking at least one shift rod and manipulating the 1 / 2 and 3/ 4 levers manually. You should have a definite and sharp "click" as you shift, and as you put on EG 3 /4 into 3rd, you should not be able to move the 1 / 2 out of neutral and vice versa

There was at least one thread on here where the shifter (Hurst) box seemed OK, yet was AFU inside. Whoever it was sent it off for rebuild and it cured the problem.
Click to expand...

Before I put the transmission into the Duster and I did this about a month ago. I could move the levers and feel the click that you are describing. The trans is out of a 1968 Barracuda, and it has the ball and detent side cover. It used the brass forks and they seemed OK, so i reused them.

The box was rebuilt.

I thought it was odd that its doing this because I was pretty sure the operating levers were in neutral and the rods adjusted correctly before I put it in the car. I had to disconnect some of the rods when I put it in but I checked the adjustment on them when I reconnected them.

Thanks for the input.
 
You might be able to put the alignment tool in part way up to the reverse rod. and have someone hold it and just see how far off the first second shift is out...
 
I checked the linkage and all of the rods are adjusted properly. I found why its locked out. When I shift into 1st the 3-4 lever on the shifter, is moving forward also. When I crawled under the car I had to move the 3-4 lever back into neutral then I could move through the rest of the gears fine again. Any idea whats going on?
 
Hah! I would not have thought of that.Good on you! Oh I guess your shifter uses those OEM type curly clips. I forgot about those. I switched to cotter-pins. Thanks for responding.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top