Reverse gear selection - too easy

[StuM]

Hi All,

I fitted a gear lever repair kit to my 4 speed van this weekend - and took the opportunity to clean everything up a bit whilst it was apart. The gear shift is a lot slicker now, so that seems to have been time well spent.

Unfortunately, it made another of my issues better, but did not totally resolve -namely that if you move the gear lever across to select reverse, with a little force the mechanism jumps under the reverse restriction channel (sorry, don't know the correct name) without having to depress the lever.

I had a look and all looks ok at the cab end - alignment of selector bracket holes is fine etc, and in the 'three-sided box' the channel looks undamaged and the lugs on the bottom of the lever look fine. The 'top hats' at the bottom of the lever were good too.

Is this likely to be an adjustment of the linkage further back that needs doing? To help to visualise - if the lug on the bottom of the lever was 5mm longer, it would work ok.. ie. require a push down on the lever to select reverse.

Thanks,
Stu

[StuM]

To assist with what I'm trying to say, the green part is the lug to which I was referring:



And this is the 'three-sided box' seen from the back of the van looking into the open side:



On mine, moving into reverse can be achieved without pushing down, so the green lug doesn't do its job - any ideas much appreciated.

Thanks,
Stu

[peasant]

Isn't there supposed to be a spring in there somewhere that pushes the whole contraption up?
Maybe that wasn't included in your kit

[Yozza]

WHS, the spring fitted above the pivot (ball & socket joint) keeps the gear stick 'high' which means you shouldn't be able to engage the reverse mechanism as per your diagram. It could be as simple as the grub screw securing the collar above the spring has loosened or moved?

[StuM]

Thanks both. When I installed the repair kit, the spring and the collar went back in fine and are good and tight. The change is better, if I gently push the stick to the left it does hit the block, but if you move it across with any force, I can feel it hit the block, but then bump under it. I think I'll get under the van and get someone to move it so I can see what's happening.

One thought is that if the spring (the forces the gearstick up) is a bit old and has lost 'springyness', maybe the stick isn't lifted high enough..

[jamesc76]

would say the spring is worn! you can move it by drilling another dent for the grub screw further down? go very careful tho as the stick is hollow and made from old kit kat wrappers!

[StuM]

would say the spring is worn! you can move it by drilling another dent for the grub screw further down? go very careful tho as the stick is hollow and made from old kit kat wrappers!

Thanks James, will have a look. Worse comes to worse I'll have to consume a load of KitKats, which is not a problem