Stuck in reverse

[rloaderro]

Was about to descend a very steep hill and went to put it in the low gear and I think maybe it didn't enter completely and then I tried to put it from neutral into first and it wouldn't enter any gear, it appeared to be stuck in neutral. I took my foot off the clutch and the motor stalled. Tried again and realized it was actually engaged in reverse

I can engage all the transfer gears, 2x4, 4x4L and H. But the gear box is stuck in reverse and I can't get it to enter any gear. Any suggestions? Had to abandon ship

 

[65swb45]

3 or 4 speed? If 3, column or floor shift?

Give us something to work with!

 

[rloaderro]

Sorry, it's a 79, 4 speed

 

[65swb45]

Ok then. The 4speed reverse idler has a tendency to float forward on descents. The positive detent in the tower over the shift rail keeps that from happening unless the shift rail is actually engaged by the shift lever.

So, either your shift tower is missing the detent spring that keeps the rail from ‘floating’ (I’ve seen this more than once) or the pins that guide the floor shift lever into the tower are worn to the point that something else has happened.

In any event, on level ground, wheels blocked, you should be able to release the lever from the tower, manually reinsert it into the tower over the reverse shift rail, and get the transmission out of reverse.

But if you don’t identify the cause, it will happen again.

 

[rloaderro]

Thank you! Do you have a reference for the springs? I had the clutch changed recently and the mechanic mixed up the springs at least once

 

[65swb45]

Sorry I don’t. Chances are you have a 74-80 tower. When you pull the six bolts that hold the upper section of the tower to the lower, there are three springs. You probably only have two. But you can use one as a reference.

And ANY spring is better than no spring.

 

[Steamer]

Post #15 in "THIS" thread has the spring part numbers.