Author Topic: Ford 4 speed reverse  (Read 1881 times)

Offline deaconhp

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Ford 4 speed reverse
« on: May 29, 2017, 06:25:11 PM »
This may be covered somewhere BUT

Have just installed a newly (correctly) rebuilt 1969 Ford shifter and getting the  blasted shifter past the lockout to reverse is like near impossible. The linkage is aligned so do not need to go there...

Anyone have useful ideas on how to "break" in the lockout spring??????

Not the tranny or the linkage, it is the shifter.


Other than buy a Hurst setup :)

Thanks all
« Last Edit: May 29, 2017, 11:21:34 PM by deaconhp »
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline Brian Conway

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Re: Ford 4 speed reverse
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2017, 07:11:13 PM »
Correctly rebuilt and the linkage is aligned.  Yes it should go into reverse but it doesn't ?  So it would seem one of the two is not functioning correctly.  I think if you follow the directions given in the 69 Shop Manual pg.  06-03-02 IN-VEHICLE ADJUSTMENTSAND REPAIRS.  Pay particular attention to the sequence and step 2.  It is an easy fix.   Brian
« Last Edit: May 29, 2017, 07:26:38 PM by Brian Conway »
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline CharlesTurner

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Re: Ford 4 speed reverse
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2017, 10:03:39 PM »
Make sure the reverse lever on the trans is all the way to one side before adjusting the rod.  It's not centered like the other 2 levers.
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Offline deaconhp

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Re: Ford 4 speed reverse
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2017, 11:16:53 PM »
Thanks for getting responses started....

The issue is not with "going into" reverse....it is getting the shifter past the lockout gate, the spring if you will that the shifter must "slip" by.

I took several pics before the tranny went in....it is the "V" shaped "spring" that the lever must pass to get to the reverse lever.
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline deaconhp

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Re: Ford 4 speed reverse
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2017, 11:20:06 PM »
And I have the blue books so saw all the detail on installation. It is just the dag gum "spring"...... have put some lube on it and if you pull left hard enough it goes but geez it is a hard pull...
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline Brian Conway

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Re: Ford 4 speed reverse
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2017, 11:41:25 PM »
OK.  It is possible to install the 3-4 selector and the reverse selector incorrectly.  From the bottom does yours look like this ?  Brian
« Last Edit: May 29, 2017, 11:48:05 PM by Brian Conway »
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline Brian Conway

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Re: Ford 4 speed reverse
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2017, 09:29:32 AM »
Thanks for getting responses started....

The issue is not with "going into" reverse....it is getting the shifter past the lockout gate, the spring if you will that the shifter must "slip" by.

I took several pics before the tranny went in....it is the "V" shaped "spring" that the lever must pass to get to the reverse lever.

Not familiar with that ' v ' shaped piece and don't have it on my shifter.  Brian
5RO9A GT  4 Spd Built 5/29/65
9TO2R SCJ 4 Spd Built 9/19/68
Owner Driver Mechanic
San Diego, Ca.

Offline deaconhp

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Re: Ford 4 speed reverse
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2017, 06:28:55 PM »
Brian, yes, my shifter arms are as in your first picture.
1969 T5 2Dr deluxe Coupe, Marti says 1 of 218, three in the registry and two of them are in Europe. Owned car since 1972 and disassm most reassemb myself
Oh, also have a one owner 72 Vette, 454 coupe. ordered when I got back from Vietnam, NCRS Top Flight, same disass reassm myself.. I know I know :)

Offline Kiwi428

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Re: Ford 4 speed reverse
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2017, 04:30:49 AM »
I went through some similar problems as you have outlined. I did a complete rebuild on my 69 shifter and thought everything was OK so installed it on the box only to find I could get the reverse properly through the shifter, ie getting it to work properly. I then proceeded to remove the shifter and mad up a dummy mount in the vice so I could see what was going on and make sure it moved through all the gears before going on the box. It was Brian's comments  that prompted me to check out the shifter movement before installing. In my case  I had a washer in the wrong place which hindered the movement into reverse properly.

The bench test gives you a good chance to see everything as it moves.

Hope this helps :D