Morning guys, Bit of an issue here (and being in the UK these 'boxes are not a dime a dozen to compare!) My 3 speed OD column shift in my 1950 Ford Shoebox engages all gears ok, and runs and drives with no crunching, smooth shifting etc... however, I have noticed that when the shift fork on the side of the transmission engages 1st, it doesn't engage as far as it does for reverse 2nd and 3rd, like it doesnt seem to 'click' into place correctly, as a result it will pop out of first quite easily on any bump/nudge of the column shifter. This doesn't seem right, but I dont know what is going to be worn. is it likely to be an issue on the outside of the box, say, rotation of the selector fork ( it doesn't engage proiperly even with the shifter rods to the column disconnected, so its not badly adjusted rods) Or is it internal issue? the fact it goes into gear with no crunching tells me the syncro is probably ok, and from the diagrams in the workshop manual I can't work out what gear set might be worn, or what fork might be worn, as it shifts so smoothly. All the threads in here seem to be about popping out of 2nd/3rd so apologies if my use of search has missed something, and any help from the old Ford guys would be appreciated.
Check to make sure that the shifter housing and the two levers match the correct setup for a 1950 Ford (we’re ***uming you have a p***enger car, not a truck). This link shows the correct side cover. http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/FH_images/FH_trans-pics/Flathead_Gearshifthousing_1949-50-51.jpg If I read your post correctly, you stated that you removed the shifter rod to the lever, and that the lever wouldn’t move all the way into first gear position. Naturally, you might have to rotate the gears slightly to allow the slider gear to mesh with the cluster gear teeth. Once it has moved all the way into position, the detent spring and plunger would hold it in place. A close inspection of the detent ***embly should show a 3/8” steel ball at each end of the plunger/sleeve. You’ll have to remove the shifter housing to inspect this. Perhaps the one on the 1st/reverse side is missing. I suppose it’s also possible that the first/reverse fork was installed backwards. Usually if that were the case, the gear would be slightly rasping with the reverse idler gear when in neutral. By the way, these transmissions were not synchronized into first or reverse gears. The only synchro ***embly is for second/high gears.
Thanks a lot, I will look closer into this tonight, and check the shifter from the outside, rotate the gears etc.. yes its a p***enger car not a truck. The plunger definitely holds it in place for reverse and 2nd 3rd, and there is no rasping in neutral, its only 1st where it doesn't seem to want to hold itself in place. Is it possible that the spring/plunger and ball may have become disconnected in 1st and that is the cause, its going to be easy to spot when the side cover is removed if its missing i guess?
Although it also 'clicks' into place for reverse, which I ***ume is the plunger holding it in place, is there one per gear or just one per selector fork? as if its one per selector fork the the 1st reverse one is installed correctly
The detent ball for that side 1st/reverse) handles the “clicking into place” for both first and reverse. So at this point I would think this is not the problem. Pull the cover and look at the positioning of the fork for first/reverse. Make sure that it is offset correctly per the exploded parts drawing. Take a picture of the ge****t and post it here. I’d like to see the placement of the first/reverse slider gear.
Thanks I think I might have managed to get it to engage properly now, I took the selector rod off again and bumped the car back and forwards a decent distance while pushing down on the selector fork for first, and it did pop into correct engagement at least once. So i think perhaps the lack of synchro just meant that once i'd readjusted the shifter forks I wasn't giving it enough time to rotate the gears to line up for engagement? If its engaged once then it is going to again, even if it takes a bit more effort to get it in! Cheers for the guidance, its good to have a bit more knowledge about how these old transmissions work.
Check your linkage for wear in the bushings at the steering column and replace if worn. Check the fit of the shifting linkage (rods) down at the levers on the trans. The end of the rod could be badly worn. Likewise with the hole in the shifting lever on the transmission. Weld up the wear to tighten up the fit if needed.
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