Gear shift lever removal

[calicobramble]

Good morning all, I need a bit of help. with my SWB 1967 Haf' RHD Polycab.

I'm trying to resolve a problem with selecting reverse. Sometimes it does, mostly it doesn't.

I am in the throes of removing the gear shift lever to service the interlock mechanism, and to get rid of some of the lost motion at the link between the bottom of the shift lever and the longitudinal control rod.

I have succeeded in removing the nyloc nut off the M7 bolt at the bottom of the shift lever, and the bolt rotates freely and is loose and oily, but I cannot withdraw it from the link.

If I'm seeing things straight (that'll be a first) on the parts list there is a bush in the end of the gear shift lever, and I'm thinking this is seized on the shank of the M& bolt.

Have I interpreted the clues correctly. If so it is simply a case of exerting sufficient force lengthways to overcome the seized bush and press the bolt out lengthways.

Simply? Huh there's a joke. It's a bit like keyhole surgery upside down with added oiliness.

Many thanks in anticipation

[calicobramble]

Good morning again,

I've answered my own question, with the help of my nephew who's played this game before.

There is a little sleeve over the M7 bolt which was well and truly seized on the shank of the bolt, I couldn't shift it in situ.

Laid underneath it musing on what to wreck first, I decided that the most recoverable damage was to saw through the long rod passing the gear lever motion back to the gearbox, so that is what I have now done. All I have to do is to weld it back together in exactly the position it started from.

It still took the full force of the bench vice to push the M7 bolt out of its sleeve, so I was on a hiding to nothing trying to wiggle the bolt out under the vehicle.

This morning's project is to make a jig to hold the two pieces of the connector rod in position so I can weld 'em back together.

What could possibly go wrong?

[heinkeljb]

Not having done this particular thing before, would it have been possible to undo the long gear rod at the gearbox tower end and manhandle things out having both ends free? I suppose not seeing how long the gear rod is, but it might have allowed you to get the gear lever up above the platform.

I hope you made suitable marks to allow you to lie things up - and also have it set for the right length as if not, you will have to resort to shims in between the joint at the gearbox tower end when you come to put it back together again.

John

p.s. did you take pictures? If so, how about posting them?

[calicobramble]

Good morning again, and thank you John for your encouragement.

I don't think it's possible to get the control rod out with the gear lever attached - I looked at that but the rod goes over the front transaxle turret and there is next to no space spare. I'm not even sure you can withdraw the rod forwards as I fancy the flange won't pass through the gap over the front transaxle. I'll try it later it's ready to go back together.

I sawed through the control rod (which is thankfully hollow) at an acute angle. This was fortuitous in that the access I had pretty much forced me to do this, but it also meant that the registration of the two sections was self evident from the marks on the cut. It was fairly easy to set the two sections end to end and clamp them in a vee block, adjust the surfaces of the cut to be a hacksaw blade width apart and aligned axially, then tack with the mig. Offer it up and check I've now got all gears - bingo.

Maybe I was lucky but it was less frightening in real life than it was considering the job.

I also licked the angle grinder across the control rod flanges to give a nice witness of the angle at the flange. I know that's a bit crude, but it worked out just fine. Anyone looking at it is going to know what that mark means!

I'm waiting on an M7 die to remake the bolt through the end of the shift lever before putting it back together properly.

Sorry, no photo's! Much too oily and greasy.

Next project is to take the carburettor to bits and clean it again, I've had it idling properly but it won't play now.

Best rgds Simon

Best rgds Simon

[heinkeljb]

Make sure you have good filters inline - more than one helps!

Only needs a very small bit of rubbish to block a jet.

John