Shift Tower Question

HKDude · Post by **HKDude** » October 2nd, 2006, 11:16 am

I think I'm missing something oblivious here... Can somebody tell me how the gear shift lever is supposed to move the shift forks? I rebuilt the tower this weekend and when the shift rods are engaged in the detents on the housing, I can't see how the gear shift lever is supposed to move them. The only way I get them to move is by pushing the shift forks toward the middle or outside of the shift tower (to disengage them from the detents on the shift rod). The shift rods will then slide by using the gear shift lever. I don't see how the gear shift can move them once they're engaged.

Does depressing the clutch somehow move the shift forks and then allow the gear shift to move them? I can't quite wrap my brain around this and want to make sure I rebuilt the tower correctly.

REM · Post by **REM** » October 2nd, 2006, 2:23 pm

I'm not exactly following what you are saying but I can tell you the clutch has nothing to do with how the shift lever and forks work. The detents are spring loaded and it takes some force to get the shift rails to move past the detents. When the top in on the trans the forks will be held in the position they belong by the shift colars they set over.
You should be able to see how the end of the shift lever engages either shift rail as you move the lever from side to side. When it is engaged in either rail you should be able to shift it for and aft moving the rail and fork but it takes quite a bit of pressure and it is hard to hold the top solid enough to do it.
Hope this helps some.
Richard

HKDude · Post by **HKDude** » October 2nd, 2006, 2:39 pm

Yep, that was what I was asking.

Basically, the gear shifter provides enough force (leverage) to disengage the shift levers from the detent on the shift rails. I think maybe I just didn't have enough pressure on the shifter. I didn't have the tower bolted down or even clamped in the vice when testing. Perhaps I need to do that and see how it works.

Thanks! I don't want to get my transmission rebuilt, tower assembled and be sitting there trying to figure out why I can't shift...

REM · Post by **REM** » October 2nd, 2006, 3:16 pm

I think you're ok. It seems like a lot of pressure to pop the rails past the detents when the top is flopping around loose but won't seem that way when it is on the trans.
Richard