Gear lever loose

[mitchelltjohn]

Gear lever on my 5sp gearbox is very loose - I can move it up adn down by by alomost 1/2 to 3/4inch (10-20mm). Changes gear Ok but something wrong. Someone said may be selector bushes are gone???
Any helpful ideas appreciated...


standard 1981 DHC

[DNK]

Your selector bushes are gone

Don
"No More Cars For You"
71 TR6- Perpetual remodel
80 TR7 V8 Kick in the pants

[Odd]

Oh yes, your selector bushes are gone!
Fit polyurethane bushes and you'll never have to look back...

[mitchelltjohn]

is changing selector bushes easy? Do I need to drop out the gearbox or can I do in situ?
Anyone got instructions or photos?

standard 1981 DHC

[Beans]

Indeed sounds like the bushes have completely gone.





Can be done in situ and from below, and change them in two stages (rear/front).
If you have an inspection pit or a lift it'll take you less than an hour.

A little bit more info [url="http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/2008/08/dhc-gearbox-check.html"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">here</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">My Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

It is unanimous! Your shifter housing bushings are gone!

Yes, it can be done with the trans in the car.

Remove the shift lever knob.
Remove the console.
Remove the 4 sheet metal screws holding the rubber cover over the lever and lift off.
Remove the cover over the shifter ball with a 10mm wrench.
Use a screw driver to push the spring fingers off the shift ball pins and under the heads of the two bolts.
Wrap a shop towel around the shift ball to catch the anti rattle pin and spring.
Pull the lever straight up and retrieve the pin and spring.
Pull the carpet back around the hole and remove the sheet metal cover over the transmission held there with sheet metal screws.
With an extension, you should be able to reach the two front bolts.
You can reach the side bolts from under the car.

Mounted on transmission:



Shifter housing (Up side down):



Clay

[url="http://web.me.com/jclaythompson/Site/Welcome.html"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://web.me.com/jclaythompson/Technical"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="https://public.me.com/jclaythompson"]My Public Folder[/url], [url="http://web.me.com/jclaythompson/tr8/Welcome.html"]My TR8 Site[/url]

[prlee]

Very timely as this is my job for tomorrow.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[darrellw]

I was able to change mine all from the top, though I used some long needle-nosed pliers to help, and dropped them more than a few times (where they usually land in the tranny mount).

One tip on the rears is to install one side without the metal sleeve in place, then tighten that side to compress the bushings and open up a wider gap on the other side. Once you get that side in, take the other bolt out and put the sleeve back in.

Darrell Walker
66 TR4A IRS-SC CTC67956L
81 TR8 SATPZ458XBA406206
Vancouver, WA, USA

[Hasbeen]

I have done 3 of them, & found it easier all from the bottom.

I guess it depends weather you are an upper or lower class person. [:D]

Hasbeen

[FI Spyder]

I did mine from below (I guess I'm just lower class). Usually something else you can do under there while it's up on jackstands. Even if it just contemplating the universe.[8D]



- - - - TR7 Spider - - - - - - - - 1978 Spitfire - - - - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - - Yellow TCT

[DNK]

Nice place for a nap too

Don
"No More Cars For You"
71 TR6- Perpetual remodel
80 TR7 V8 Kick in the pants

[Spectatohead]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by DNK</i>

Nice place for a nap too

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I needed a nap while doing mine. The exhaust pipes on both sides of the transmission made the top ones a bit difficult, but not impossible. I'll take a nap whenever I can [:D]

Jim Clark
'80 TR8
'97 Maxima 5spd

[busheytrader]

Replaced my bushings from underneath as well. There's not much room so fingers and knuckles will get scuffed.

Lowering the rear gearbox mount a bit helps using a trolley jack underneath the gearbox. Don't remove all the bushes simultaneously otherwise you'll disconnect the remote housing entirely causing you extra problems. Loosen all the bolts then slide out one at a time replace the bushes, then move on to the next one.



TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, S/S Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes all round, Anti- Dive, Strut-Top Roller Bearings, Capri Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 14" 5 Spokes or Maestro Turbo 15" Alloys, Cruise Lights, S/S Heater Pipes, Replacement Fuel Tank. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991 courtesy of S&S V8 conversion and big brake kits.

[prlee]

Did mine on Saturday, thanks for the tips.

Did the front first but did not fully tighten, then the rear, then tightened everything up. Done from below using a pit it was relatively straight forward, less than an hour. The rear bushes had all but disintegrated, the front were there but on the way out. The gear stick was raised about 1/2 inch.

Cannot say the difference in feel was big as the change was decent anyway, but a job that was overdue and it does feel tighter. Biggest change to the gear shift was replacing the gearbox mount.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[mitchelltjohn]

Many thanks for all teh helpful responses. I'l order the parts and let you know how I get on...

standard 1981 DHC