Transmission Help

[Ole Blue 68]

I was driving the truck today and when I went to back out of a parking spot, I could not engage Reverse amd then had the same problem with 1st gear. It's a 3 on the tree (Saginaw?) that was moved down to the floor. It would occasionally slip out of first from a dead stop but other than that, I haven't had any problems with it. I don't know squat about trans so any input would be greatly appreciated.

[jimfulco]

Sounds like some slop or maybe mis-adjustment in the linkage. Put it in neutral and set the parking brake. Chock the wheels if the P-brake doesn't work extremely well. Crawl under the truck and make sure both lower arms of the shifter are aimed straight down and are parallel to each other. If not, make them so. Then make sure the arms on the trans side cover are both in the centered position. Tighten up any loose nuts & bolts that you might find.

[Werewolf]

It was a pretty common problem on those "back in the day" where the linkage would bind up. My first '68 would constantly lock in 2nd and not come out. You'd have to get out of the truck, mess with the rods, get back in, and keep going, hoping it didn't happen again.

[LockDoc]

If the adjustments won't cure it try a different shifter. I guess it could possibly be the syncronizers too....

LockDoc

[Ole Blue 68]

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll get under it this weekend. With my limited knowledge I was thinking it had to do something with the linkage because I can't even "find" reverse or 1st with the shifter right now. Makes getting out of a parking spot a whole lot of fun....

[timcos]

I think you have to discombobulate the gaffronameter to mesh with the synchronizing thingamajig....LOL

Yeah that its...Pure Freaking Magic.

Transmission and anything associated with tem have been PFM to me.

Sorry..just had to toss in my .02.

Cheers,

Tim

[Ole Blue 68]

Originally Posted by timcos

I think you have to discombobulate the gaffronameter to mesh with the synchronizing thingamajig....LOL

Yeah that its...Pure Freaking Magic.

Transmission and anything associated with tem have been PFM to me.

Sorry..just had to toss in my .02.

Cheers,

Tim

You ain't kidding Tim.

[mrein3]

One of, if not the best upgrade I've ever done to my truck is pulling the 3-on-the-tree and putting in a th350. That bleeping thing worked fine all day every day until I pulled into line at a busy ramp at a big bass tournament.

It is a great theft deterrant. How many homies know how to drive a truck with a column shifter?

It is retro cool. However how many of your buddies know how to row through the gears on the column?

If you stay with the three-on-the-tree, get good at adjusting those two shift levers.

There. Now I feel better too.

[Ole Blue 68]

Originally Posted by mrein3

One of, if not the best upgrade I've ever done to my truck is pulling the 3-on-the-tree and putting in a th350. That bleeping thing worked fine all day every day until I pulled into line at a busy ramp at a big bass tournament.

It is a great theft deterrant. How many homies know how to drive a truck with a column shifter?

It is retro cool. However how many of your buddies know how to row through the gears on the column?

If you stay with the three-on-the-tree, get good at adjusting those two shift levers.

There. Now I feel better too.

mrein3,

It used to be a 3 on the tree but now it's floor shifter (Hurst Kit). I don't know if I could drive it if the shifter was still on the column.

[Longhorn Man]

First isn't sycronised on that, and I highly doubt reverse is either.
if the adjustements don't do it, check the clutch adjustment.
Was it able to go into 2nd or 3rd? Would it grind at all when going into those gears?

[Ole Blue 68]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

First isn't sycronised on that, and I highly doubt reverse is either.
if the adjustements don't do it, check the clutch adjustment.
Was it able to go into 2nd or 3rd? Would it grind at all when going into those gears?

Yeah, it shifted in 2nd and 3rd just fine (thankfully) with no grinding. But you know how when you shift you kind of get that feeling like your sliding the shifter into a gate? Well, when I tried to pull the shifter left/up for reverse and left/back for 1st I got nothing, no gate.

[Longhorn Man]

OK... stick with the adjustements on the shifter then. It could be internal damage... but it is probably shifter related.

[Ole Blue 68]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

OK... stick with the adjustements on the shifter then. It could be internal damage... but it is probably shifter related.

Thanks Longhorn, I'm hoping that's all it is..shouldn't be too tough if so.

[Ole Blue 68]

Ok boys here goes. I got under the truck today and sure enough it was the shift linkage; busted cotter pin on the rod for 1st/Reverse. So I reconnected with a new cotter pin and now I can engage 1st and Reverse BUT only Reverse works, no 1st gear.

I double checked the movement to make sure the rod wasn't getting hung up on anything that would prevent it from fully engaging 1st gear but it all looks good.

Any ideas?

[Ole Blue 68]

No one?