HELP Time ruuing out. Stiff Gearstick

Hi all, can anyone help me with this please as i have a long journey comming up(700 miles) to collect a car on transporter trailer and don't want to end up paralised on the hard shoulder with two vehicles and a trailer!! I WAS TAKING A SHORT CUT THROUGH A LANE (TARMAC LANE) WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT ECHOED THROUGH THE CAR. I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE CAUGHT THE ROOF RACK ON AN OVER-HANGING TREE(AND STILL HAVN'T RULED THIS OUT), BUT SINCE THEN THE GEARSTICK HAS BECOME STIFF AND WILL NO LONGER SPRING BACK TO CENTRALISE BETWEEN 3rd AND 4th GEARS. IS SOMETHING ABOUT TO GIVE UP. HAS ONYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS? Can any one point me in the right direction to sort this, as i don't want to end up taking my disco to the local dealer as they are very expensive. DISCOVERY TD5 ES 2001

Ok this may not be much help as mine is a 300 tdi (1998) don't know if the gearbox is the same.

Mine stopped springing back to center but was quite loose, there are two springs and a metal plate located on top of the gearbox (access is from inside by removing the center console). The metal plate is prone to breaking, if the broken bit has got wedged somehow I suppose that could cause the stiffness. A new plate cost me about 4 quid. However it takes a while to strip out the center console and get it all back together.

Could be barking up the wrong tree here but I hope thats some help.

Jon.

Actully it did help in a round about way, cause your suggestion made me stip out hte console etc and found all was well. So decided to chain lube the gear stick pivot and now all is back to normal.. THANKYOU...Phil