3 Speed Manual Transmission won’t shift to 2nd & 3rd

[Tonyduc]

My 66 is having trouble shifting into 2nd and 3rd, 1st and R are fine. Other posts have referred to difficulty shifting into 1st and R as being linkage adjustment problems. I followed the procedure in the workshop manual. Not sure why it instructs to run the sleeves out 7 turns (bringing the sleeve closer to the end?) but that didn’t help.

It was shifting fine before I recently put in a new wire harness and had to remove the shift lever to remove the dash. Perhaps I missed something putting the shift lever back on the column?

Thanks
Tony

 

[Beer and Fish]

They bind up and rub again each other. Just reach under the Bronco and push them manually and try again.

 

[Smedley]

Inside the column is a shift tube. There is a tab welded on the top near the shift handle. This tab fell off on mine and I lost some gears. I had to pull the tube and have it welded back on.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I wouldn't worry about the number of turns. Looks like you have a pin in the shifter, locking that into neutral. That is good.

Take the linkage off the transmission. Put the 1-R shift arm into gear, either one. That will lock the 2-3 into neutral. Adjust the linkage so it fits in the middle of the backlash of all the parts. Don't hook it up. Reverse the steps. Put the 1-R shift arm in neutral and the 2-3 in gear, now set the 1-R linkage. Put the 2-3 back in neutral and hook up all the linkage, pull the locking pin, see how it drives.

 

[Tonyduc]

I wouldn't worry about the number of turns. Looks like you have a pin in the shifter, locking that into neutral. That is good.

Take the linkage off the transmission. Put the 1-R shift arm into gear, either one. That will lock the 2-3 into neutral. Adjust the linkage so it fits in the middle of the backlash of all the parts. Don't hook it up. Reverse the steps. Put the 1-R shift arm in neutral and the 2-3 in gear, now set the 1-R linkage. Put the 2-3 back in neutral and hook up all the linkage, pull the locking pin, see how it drives.

Thanks Broncobowsher. So to be clear, I leave the pin in the shifter the whole time, and I am moving the 1-R and 2-3 shift levers on the transmission? Which are the 1-R and 2-3 levers?

 

[Broncobowsher]

Correct, the pin locks the shifter in the neutral position.
Then you set the linkage to match the neutral position of the transmission.

If that doesn't do it, probably worn/damaged parts in the column. The good news is those are rebuildable now, parts do exist.

 

[DirtDonk]

The arms/levers should be 2-3 in the front of the trans and 1-R at the rear.
But you can follow the rods down to their destination too. The 1-R lever on the column is the rear/upper lever (remember you have to pull up on the shifter to get to first or reverse) and the 2-3 is the front/lower arm.

At least one of those bushings looks like it's seen better days too. Might consider updating all the wearables at this point as well. Or at least verify that the shift rods are tight in the arms.
You should inspect the adjustable tabs at the transmission end, because those can wear the pins down where they go through the holes in the shift arms.

Paul

 

[Tonyduc]

Turned out that the inside shift lever on the column that I took off to get the dash off wasn’t installed correctly. This time I pushed it in further until I heard a click, all 4 gears shifting fine now. But I will replace the bushings anyways.
Thanks

 

[DirtDonk]

Great! Glad you found it.
I totally ignored that last paragraph in your first post. Never even registered on my brain that you had the shift lever out just prior to it starting to act up!
Glad you clearer minds (yours) prevailed.;D

Paul

 

[broncochevy]

So glad you got it fixed. I love this forum.