Slips out of 1st

[DynaBro]

Can anyone explain this? Stock 4 speed on a 1970 so it’s metal on metal no bushings. Just installed fresh clips on the rods. Shifter always kicks back out of first. If I hold it forward and begin motion it will stay in gear. I can’t just lock it in and trust it. There is some play in the plate for reverse but that shouldn’t be the issue as far as I comprehend. Everything else is tight.

 

[davek]

You might have a bad synchro in it.

​

 

[gkent]

Stock shifter or aftermarket ?? Had the same problem - the "stop" was in too far not letting me put it all the way in gear. A stock shifter will not have a "stop" so you'll have to dig deeper.

First thing to do is disconect all the levers at the box and put the shifter in neutral with the pin in place - a 1/4" piece of rod or drill bit will do. Get all gears in neutral then adjust the rods so the levers slide into place without having to move anything. While you're at it, check for any wear of free play at all pivot points.

This is the "low hanging fruit". If your issue isn't here, its inside the box !!

 

[DynaBro]

I saw a few videos doing this. Pretty difficult to get the clips back on without a proper lift. I’m just flattened under the car with the driver side jacked up. Gonna be…. Fun?

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Both these guys are correct. Try to re-adjust the shifter linkage. My 70 uses a “shim” to align the shift levers (instructions to make the shim are in the factory service manual…easy peasy). If the shifter is good, it does sound like a synchronizer. My 70 pops out of 2nd the same way unless I hold it

 

[kiwigtx]

It could be the synchronizer hub assembly causing the problems. That happened to me where I had second gear also popping out all the time.

 

[matthon]

Just a thought, make sure the gearshift levers are squared off, as well as the holes in the operating levers.
They wear each other out.
Mine would get stuck in second on a brand new shifter because the gearshift levers were worn, no longer squared off.

1/2 lever would put it into 2nd but not take it completely out.

Sent mine off to Brewers. New gearshift levers are not only squared as heck but deeper than originals, more closely matching the depth of the operating levers for more/better engagement.

1966-70 SIDE COVER 1-2 GEARSHIFT LEVER REBUILT -EXCHANGE ONLY- Mopar A833 4-Speed Transmission & Component Specialists

 

[Orig69]

I saw a few videos doing this. Pretty difficult to get the clips back on without a proper lift. I’m just flattened under the car with the driver side jacked up. Gonna be…. Fun?

It's not necessary to remove the clips.

 

[WileE]

If you have a competition plus shifter, there are "stops".

 

[multimopes]

If you have a competition plus shifter, there are "stops"

I had one on my 70 Challenger RT 52 years ago! No issues at all.

 

[DynaBro]

If you have a competition plus shifter, there are "stops".

I didn't see any and found this:

The factory-installed Hurst Competition/Plus shifters in 1970 Mopar vehicles did not include stop screws for the following reasons:

1. Factory Design Simplicity: Chrysler’s factory shifters were designed to be cost-effective and reliable for production vehicles. Stop screws, which limit the shifter’s travel to protect the transmission’s synchronizers, were considered an aftermarket performance feature. The factory relied on the transmission’s internal detents and synchronizers to manage gear engagement without additional external stops.
2. Transmission Design: The A833 4-speed transmission used in 1970 Mopar vehicles had robust internal shift mechanisms. The factory deemed stop screws unnecessary because the transmission’s internal stops and synchronizers were sufficient to prevent over-travel during normal driving.
3. Hurst’s Factory vs. Aftermarket Shifters: As noted in sources like Hurst’s documentation and enthusiast forums (e.g., Moparts.org), factory-installed Hurst shifters for Mopar were slightly different from aftermarket Competition/Plus shifters. The factory versions often used simpler components, such as non-adjustable shift stops within the transmission, and lacked features like stop screws that were included in aftermarket kits for performance enthusiasts.

 

[DynaBro]

It's not necessary to remove the clips.

Oh yeah... I would have realized this once I got back under the car.

 

[1967coronet]

I saw a few videos doing this. Pretty difficult to get the clips back on without a proper lift. I’m just flattened under the car with the driver side jacked up. Gonna be…. Fun?

I read this , then again.
Not picking on you but get 4 good jack stands and a 3 ton or bigger floor jack.
Get that car up were you have room to work.
I like a sheet of cardboard in place of a creeper .
These guys all had good advice, I hope adjustment takes care of it.

 

[DynaBro]

I removed all of the rods from the transmission side and can access everything now a lot easier. The alignment was WAY off and I still cannot get the aligning tool through the third (reverse) plate for some reason but am going to remove the speedo cable for more play and hopefully get it all in line and put back together with fresh retaining clips in place this afternoon.

 

[Orig69]

You won't be able to get the aligning tool through the third one (reverse) because there is no hole.

You can use one hand to hold the second and third ones together with your fingers, while you turn the reverse shift rod to the correct length with the other hand.

 

[DynaBro]

This confirms my suspicion. I can either get R to shift in or the rest. They’re like on separate plains. Have to realign this all again.

 

[DynaBro]

Much more difficult that expected. Suppose I should have taken a photo of how the plates were aligned because getting 1-2 and 2-3 to shift was easy, but then R would be inaccessible. Hell of a day. I still think the shifter needs completely rebuilt to work smoothly.

 

[Orig69]

Do you have a picture?

 

[DynaBro]

Do you have a picture?

I did the work with it still on the car so nothing really to see. First doesn't bite, and left to right between the plates is clunky. Probably needs new everything from sitting. The guys I got it from never did much with it, but the guy before them loved it.

 

[AR67GTX]

I’ve not seen a Hurst shifter with an adjustable stop on first gear. The 2 I have on various cars (Ford & GM) have stops on 2nd and 3rd gear. The brass synchronizer won’t usually make it jump out of gear - once in gear it’s just along for the ride. But if the friction cone is worn down far enough it may prevent the gear from being pushed far enough into the hub slider. The gear engagement teeth and the hub slider are primarily what locks it in gear. The shift fork detents also contribute to it staying in gear but under load a hub slider that can’t hold will over-power the detents. Still there could be something like a loose transmission lever bolt that is keeping the fork and hub slider from being pushed all the way into full engagement. I would sure check all the lever bolts and for excessively worn lever holes or rod pins.