Hello Hambers, I have the problem that the 39 shifter tower of my flathead toploader stuck up. I don't know how this happened because it was still working great some months ago. I was able to get the small fork back to work but the big one won't move I unscrewed the detents and could take out the springs but could not get the balls. There was no sludge or anything in there so I first drowned it with wd40. So what can I do to get my little friend back to work?.
Did you modify this shifter housing in any way? If so, that is the first thing to suspect, and it would help to know what was done. If the shift housing is still completely stock, the mechanism will prevent you from moving either fork & shaft out of its neutral position while the other fork & shaft is in a gear position. The neutral position is set when you can see a detent notch on both sides of the casting. The balls (if stock parts) are only in place from old gooey grease and dirt. Spray a solvent into the detent opening (watch your eyes). Hold the shifter housing sideways (detent hole facing down) and tap the housing from below with a brass hammer. The ball should fall out. This pic link shows the correct stock parts for a 1939 tower: http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/FH_images/FH_trans-pics/trans-shiftr-housing-81Abottom-D.jpg
If you haven't already done so,pull the shifter out of the tower.This is an area that is prone to rust and hard old grease and often damage.Once that is disassembled you can tell if the fork has movement.Bob
As jailhouse said, pull out the stick...then look for a badly worn ball at the very bottom. IMPORTANT...there is a small pin, a short piece of about 1/4" steel rod, that goes in a notch in the tower casting and from there into a notch on the pivot/fulcrum ball on the stick. If you are not prepared for this, it will drop out and disappear into your transmission as you lift out the stick and you may have to take the transmission apart to recover it!!! Also examine the pin that goes through the tower down low (its head is visible on the outside of casting) and the part of the stick that hooks over it.
I would pull the top off the trans. You can see and move the gears more easily.You can gently try to move the 1st reverse slider so it is in neutral. Do not force it! Leave it alone if does not move easily. Try to move the synchro sleeve to neutral. It would be good to have someone push the clutch in to remove any gear load. Hopefully it will move easily so the teeth are equally visable on the ends. Re-install the shifter and all should be fine. An 81A shift tower does not hang up like the earlier ones.
thanks for all your quick replies. yesterday I got it working again shifts all gears now maybe wd40 helped it's part but mainly I think it's Mac VP who was right. I had taken off the top and moved one fork by hand. Then one Fork locked the other, quite logical when I think about it now.. I wanted to buy the tranny book anyway so I think this is a good opportunity to do so. @bruce: I saw the location of the pin you mentioned but it was already missing. I'll replace it. Good hint!
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