3-spd gets stuck in 1st

[no_treble]

I have a 3 on the tree in a '69 Ranger that will occasionally get stuck in first. You go to shift to second and the shifter arm just gets all wobbly and isn't engaged anymore. I replaced the shift tube and shifter lever insulator, and some of the sloppiness is gone, but not the disengagement. When it does this, I can stop and reach under the hood and pull it into neutral by hand, then jump back in and it will engage and the shift lever will take it through the gears again... until some random time later (a minute, and hour, a day, who knows) and it will do it again.

Does anyone think replacing the lever arms and washers as well might be the fix, or does this sound like something else to anyone? I ordered the lever arms and all the spacers and plan to replace them, just wanted to throw this out there in case there's something more obvious I'm missing (like maybe bushings on the linkage arms themselves? although they don't look very sloppy right now).

Thanks for the help.

[boatcarpenter]

There is a procedure ive seen for adjusting the linkage on the shift rods using a pin.Did you follow this?

[no_treble]

No, I haven't seen that procedure... I will look for it (unless you know it?). Thanks for the tip.

[fordman]

replacing the shift arm bushings might help. i dont think 3 speeds have any adjustment in the arms.

[Dragon]

No alignment in the upper arms The alignment is at the tranny put the shifter in neutral. After you take the shift rod ends off the tranny put the tranny arms in neutral. Then try and insert the rod ends again if they don't slide right in without wiggling the tranny arms the ends need adjusted up or down to align freely.

The shift tube if really wore out could lock you in a gear and a broken Blocking ring (synchro) can lock a tranny from shifting. Also if the tranny internal shift rods get loose the ball that only allows one gear to be engaged can cause a shift selection lock up.

[boatcarpenter]

I found procedure in an old Chiltons truck manual that was at the library.When in neutral the shift levers at bottom of column should be aligned there should also be a hole where a 3/16" pin can be pushed through on these.The adjustment is on rods going down to transmission.If pin does not go in freely than an adjustment is in order which for some reason it states 7 turns on both the 3.03 transmission and T85N.Will have to take a look at mine tommorow 1&R seems a little vague,cab mounts have alot to do with this im sure.Once had a 84 Dodge 3/4 ton plow truck that could shift into reverse if you hit a big bump at 55

[Dragon]

The Ford manual doesn't show it and I never used it my way works fine on all column shifters.

[3rdowner]

My father in laws 71 did the same thing and we had to take the column apart and believe we replaced a whit plastic or teflon washer, no proble since.

[Lucky13]

Here is the linkage adjustment procedure. Link adjust (thanks Keith)

Mine would stuck in first once in a while too, and I had to align the shift levers to neutral in order to get the lever inside the truck to come out of first.
You could see the wear on the levers and washers where they interfaced with the shift tube when I took it apart.
I rebuilt the whole thing; thrust washers, levers, shift tube, etc. Works great now.

[balcom]

My 71 3 on the tree would get stuck in first but it turns out that the nut holding the shift arm on the transmission was coming loose. I replaced the nut with a locknut and fixed the problem.

[ContryboyFE]

my 3 on the tree was coverted to the floor and did the same thing. i had to align the arms in neuteral to fix it. mine got stuck while pulling out into traffic.

[no_treble]

Well, I finally had the chance to fix this (only a whole month after asking the question, but hey, it's been a zoo around here...), and it turns out that I had two problems:

1. The little tab that's brazed on the upper end of the shift tube was broken off. I had a friend weld that back on and grind down the welds, so hopefully that will be the last of that problem. Not sure it was contributing to the stuck in 1st problem, but it certainly wouldn't have helped any. The annoying thing is, it's a new shift tube... <sigh> Oh well, it's fixed now.
2. Had to do the alignment thing, using a drill bit to hold the shift levers in place at the bottom of the column (thanks for that tip). The Reverse/First lever arm needed some adjusting, so that was undoubtedly the bulk of the problem.

Since fixing both of those items, it's been smooth shifting for the last week or so. Thanks to everybody for the suggestions and for posting similar situations. If it ever happens again I'll know what all to look for now.

[hotrod ford]

while we are on the subject, what keeps a manual from not shifting into 2nd gear but will shift into 3rd and 4th?.

[Fastbackin1970]

Sorry double post

[rtcapo]

I can’t get into 1st gear at all on ‘64. The column shift is at the correct angle, all the outer bushings are ok. So I’m assuming I should rebuild the column next?

Thanks,
rtc