sunbeamtiger.co.uk

Just had engine and gearbox out for clutch renewal. Gone to take the car out today and has stuck in forward gear! Is this to do with linkage or something else?

Hi Rob,
presumably you drove the car home from where the clutch was changed?
It is more than likely that the linkage is at fault,was the gearbox and engine removed to replace the clutch,perhaps the linkage was disturbed.
You can remove the inspection plate on the side of the gearbox tunnel to view the linkage and may be re align if out.

David

Hi Dave, have been driving for a couple of weeks but noticed gearstick was sticking as it came out of reverse, will look at linkage later. It looks like it is stuck in top gear.

Thanks Dave, worked a treat. Old age is telling on the girl.

I've had a similar problem in the past. It was simply the rods getting all tangled up. They needed aligning correctly, but a short term fix was a 5/8 ring spanner at side of box to persuade the linkage to free. First time it happened to my at a petrol station was on the way to LMC with only an hr spare for the boat from Portsmouth. That was rather stressful.

What I did find, if I engaged 3rd gear first before selecting 1st. The linkages never tangled up and seem to line up for me. Each Tiger has their own idiosyncrasies!!

Since then, I've had Hurst linkages which have been fine.

Thought I'd mention this incase anybody else gets stuck in first, as it might be a solution and fix to get you home. You'll need a jack, but a perfectly positioned kerb works wonders.

Tomaselli wrote:I've had a similar problem in the past. It was simply the rods getting all tangled up. They needed aligning correctly, but a short term fix was a 5/8 ring spanner at side of box to persuade the linkage to free.

Sorry to be picky Tony but its is a 9/16 ring spanner.! Easy when you know how, but very frustrating when you are in a hurry

You're right

I've had it happen to me. I found a part solution by putting the washers for the linkage arm pins on the other side of the rods. This takes a little of the play out the equation. Then set up with a 1/4" drill in the alignment hole. The small levers that fit onto the gearbox don't seem to be that worn, more the pins on the gearstick end. However some of the play can be taken out by whacking the small levers with the ball of a hammer, just to swell the metal and create a tighter fit on the gearbox input shafts.

I think the biggest problem is wear on the hardened pin with two flats that sits at the bottom of the gear lever. Just a new pin would sort most of the problem.

Does anyone know if and where you can get a linkage rebuild kit. I'd prefer to do that than changing to a Hurst Shifter

theres a guy in the states has all that gear think its john knee toploaders or something like that .very helpful

Yes very good http://www.davidkeetoploaders.com. But no linkage rebuild kits.

Have a look to see if they sell what you want.

http://www.toploaderheaven.com/


or..

http://stores.ebay.com/Vintage-Ford-Manual-Shifters

perhaps.