Toploader 4 speed gear change

[Higgins56]

While assembling the back up switch bracket I hit a thing that bothers me now:

When the assembly was done and I started changing gears ( not driving the car) I heard a "kling" under the car like something had dropped and simultaneously when moving the Hurst Competiotn gear shifter I noticed that I had lost the 2nd gear - no response.

When checking the situation under the car I noted a retaining clip ( the thing that holds the 2 nd gear rod stud to the gear shifter)+ the nylon bushing lying on the floor.

After studying the thing what I think was happened is that when connecting to the reverse the reverse gear rod end hits the 2nd gear retaining clip forcing it out and to drop.

The assembly in the Hurst Competiton gear changer lever system is very tight and the rods move real close. It just occured to me that when installing the back up switch bracket the 2nd gear stop bolt that holds he bracket also adjusts the 2nd gear movement, the stop bolt position had changed a bit...however I was not able to reconstruct the situation to prove that...

Anyway there is ab. an inch and a half free rod length at the end of the reverse rod so I figured out that perhaps I could take out 3/4 inch of the rod end so that it would not hit the 2nd gear retaing clip connection to the stud on the 2nd gear rod.

The car I have just moved in the carage and noticed also before that the reverse was always a bit difficult to connect the last half an inch to get it finally "home".

So perhaps the reason was this rod end hitting the 2nd gear stud clip but not yet pushing the clip away what it is doing now.

The 2nd gear stop bolt looks to be as it was before but I also noticed that the stud which is on the threaded rod has loose manufacturing tolerance so it easily turns around and may be accidentally moved when the retaining clip + the nylon bushing has drops on the garage floor....

Any ideas what to do to have the 2nd gear functionable also after using the reverse gear ?

The Hurst shifter + rods are brand new so they have no wear in the components.

 

[woodsnake]

I hope I understand the question here.

Did you install the new 'track pack' clips with the trans rods?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hurst-3320001-Pit-Pack-Shifter-Bushing-/161037557178?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item257e961dba&vxp=mtr

 

[Higgins56]

I hope I understand the question here.

Did you install the new 'track pack' clips with the trans rods?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hurst-3320001-Pit-Pack-Shifter-Bushing-/161037557178?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item257e961dba&vxp=mtr

The purchased Hurst Competition Plus kit included all bits and pieces - so everything is still as new - unused...

The link you gave shows exactly the components that keep the studs on the rods in place.

Are these components somehow different from the ones delivered in the kit - they however look the same...

My question is actually

a) can the back up light bracket installation mess the settings of the stop bolt / the stud placement accidentally and would it harm if the stop bolt / the stud is - say 2 mm apart from where it originally was. ?

b) does it do any harm to the functioning of the gears if I just cut the reverse rod from the end - say 3/4 inch to prevent it hitting the 2nd gear stud retaining clip.

As long as I do not touch the reverse all gears work fine.

To me this seems as a mechanincal adjustment thing and I also do not understand why Hurst rod ends have to have this extra length to even give this possibility to hit other gears components...

Looking forward to hear more comments - thank you !

 

[Higgins56]

I hope I understand the question here.

Did you install the new 'track pack' clips with the trans rods?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hurst-3320001-Pit-Pack-Shifter-Bushing-/161037557178?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item257e961dba&vxp=mtr

The purchased Hurst Competition Plus kit included all bits and pieces - so everything is still as new - unused...

The link you gave shows exactly the components that keep the studs on the rods in place.

Are these components somehow different from the ones delivered in the kit - they however look the same...

My question is actually

a) can the back up light bracket installation mess the settings of the stop bolt / the stud placement accidentally and would it harm if the stop bolt / the stud is - say 2 mm apart from where it originally was. ?

b) does it do any harm to the functioning of the gears if I just cut the reverse rod from the end - say 3/4 inch to prevent it hitting the 2nd gear stud retaining clip.

As long as I do not touch the reverse all gears work fine.

To me this seems as a mechanincal adjustment thing and I also do not understand why Hurst rod ends have to have this extra length to even give this possibility to hit other gears components...

Looking forward to hear more comments - thank you !

PROBLEM SOLVED !

I decided to take off half an inch of the reverese rod end that interferes the 2nd gear stud and it worked !

Before it was difficult also to get the reverse engaged but now it goes easily.

It took 20 min to do the job.

In case you have similar problems with new quality parts it is always a bit challenging to take the decision as a non professional person and correct the improperly designed product to make it work...so if the thing looks obvious then just do it.

The bracket for the Hurst back up light was also poorly designed so I had to make a totally new bracket to get the switch aligned with the reverese gear - now that works beautifully, too.

It makes one wonder if these manufacturers ever really try to assemble their products before starting to sell them...