Club 80-90 Forums

I am having trouble selecting reverse gear on my nicely refurbed gearbox, I noticed the rear bushes needed doing when reinstalling the gearbox a few days ago, so my plan is to refurb the bushes etc.

I have just dropped the cover on the gear lever box under the spare wheel to discover what appears to be the selector for a 5 speed box

Is having this arrangement going to cause problems?
Or can I just go ahead and refurb whats there?

This is whats under the box



Hope someone can advise me?
Aidan? Pretty please

Definitely 5sp gearstick.

Where is your housing though? Is it the one with Aluminium blocks on it, and one guide on the side, or is it the 4sp variant with no Aluminium blocks and two guides ( one on each side? )

I have gone the other way - 4sp stick and housing to 5sp version.
I'm half way through it, so have a 4sp stick and housing if you need it.

I started mine for similar issues - it was just awful changing gear, but after dismantling I am not sure how much of the issue was due to bushes as they were shot too and in a really bad way.

I have no idea?

Its a Westy with tunnel heating thing on the inside. Have not removed the bellows yet.
When I was underneath today I could feel the whole thing moving about. I assumed it was held by the 4 x m10's that the box fits to?

Cheers for the offer, How much would you want for the 4sp arrangement?

badgerfax wrote:I have no idea?

Its a Westy with tunnel heating thing on the inside. Have not removed the bellows yet.
When I was underneath today I could feel the whole thing moving about. I assumed it was held by the 4 x m10's that the box fits to?

Cheers for the offer, How much would you want for the 4sp arrangement?

Sorry - I edited my post as you typed this - just have a quick skim of my reply above.
I am not sure what the 4sp stuff is worth. Someone here can give a realistic value and I will go with that.

See exactly what you need though. It may just be bushes and adjustment etc that would help - I don't want to sell you something you won't need.
Post a pic of the housing you took off ( The cover you removed that looks like a black box that goes under the bottom of the gearstick in your pic. )

Is it LHD van too?
( Mine was RHD and the gear stick will not interchange in that case )

Lastly, if you change the stick, you will need the front linkage that goes with it. 4 and 5sp differ.

It's probably best to think basic first.
Was it always hard to find reverse, even before the refurbed box?
Is it the same gearbox that was originally on it that has been refurbed, or have you bought a new refurbed one and fitted it?
Can you select reverse from underneath by hand at the gearbox ( i.e. not from in the van with gearstick. )

Yep its a LHD, the housing did have some guide lumps on the bottom, Did not investigate too far once I realised it was a 5 speed arrangement.

If this is not going to cause a problem then I will just refurb as is, But I don't want to damage the recon box.

Reverse gear has always been a pig to find, all the others, no problem.
The recon box was in the van when i bought it but who knows if its original to the van.

badgerfax wrote:Yep its a LHD, the housing did have some guide lumps on the bottom, Did not investigate too far once I realised it was a 5 speed arrangement.

If this is not going to cause a problem then I will just refurb as is, But I don't want to damage the recon box.

Reverse gear has always been a pig to find, all the others, no problem.
The recon box was in the van when i bought it but who knows if its original to the van.

I see. It could just need adjustment then and new bushes etc?
I know I was advised that the 4sp stick and housing would work OK with 5sp box, so presumably OK the other way too.
( Others would correct me if I'm wrong. )

If it were me, and I am a novice, I would remove the guide on the side of the housing you took off.
That is the locking mechanism bit that makes you push down for reverse.

It's only one bolt, so take that off and refit the housing.
You may find that works, although you will now not need to push the stick down to find reverse so not ideal.

It would prove if it's just adjustments though?
Also try just selecting reverse by hand at the gearbox end - i.e. not via the stick in the van - It should be good enough though if it's just been refurbished.

I can get the gears at the gearbox end, no problems

The rear nylon bushes are worn so they definitely are not helping.

The ball & socket visible from below appear to have movement & are not greased at all.

The housing was really gummed up with grease and I did not understand at the time the importance of the lumps,

Much to do I have!

badgerfax wrote:I can get the gears at the gearbox end, no problems

The rear nylon bushes are worn so they definitely are not helping.

The ball & socket visible from below appear to have movement & are not greased at all.

The housing was really gummed up with grease and I did not understand at the time the importance of the lumps,

Much to do I have!

The lumps are the guides that help select the correct gear.
Take that guide off the side of the housing though, just temp as a test - it might be getting caught and preventing reverse, especially as you have described play in the socket that the gearstick goes through.

There is some good stuff on the WIKI for adjusting and refurbing the linkage with new bushes etc too, but it does take a lot of time and swearing...

If you really find adjustment and new bushes etc doesn't help, and others here advise you need 4sp bits, I think the linkage and housing I have will be OK, although you would need a LHD stick.
PM me if you find you need it, but do try little things first - I think I would have got away with just doing bushes - they were a right state.

Cheers Smiffo I'll let you know how I get on

I may well be after your 4 speed mechanism tho

badgerfax wrote:Cheers Smiffo I'll let you know how I get on

I may well be after your 4 speed mechanism tho

No problem.
I will hold it back for a while until you know where you are with it all.
( Just make sure you let me know even if you don't need it. )

Did you take the reverse lock mechanism guide off of the side of the housing yet?