Hi-Lo shifter

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Mandelbrot

Member
Posts
15
Location
Gloucester
Having got my vehicle out after lock down it was impossible to get the hi lo shifter to change between hi and lo ratios. It had always been very reluctant but now it's just impossible to move it. First thought was seized or gunked up selector or selector shaft but no. the selector links etc. are all fine and when I removed the housing on top of the gearbox the shaft was dripping in oil and all moving freely. I re-attached the housing and tried to move the selector and it wouldn't budge. This seems to be telling me that the shaft in the transfer box is the problem. Does this mean a new transfer box or is there a fix for this? Any advice gratefully received.
 
You can remove the selector housing from the top with the panel out. Its quite simple under there. If its stuck at the detent ball end then its a Box out job really. Main gear cluster out to sort. Not difficult with the box on the bench. Hopefully in the selector housing
 
ronsealdeath said:
You can remove the selector housing from the top with the panel out. Its quite simple under there. If its stuck at the detent ball end then its a Box out job really. Main gear cluster out to sort. Not difficult with the box on the bench. Hopefully in the selector housing
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Thanks for the reply. The selector housing was fine but I did take the vehicle out today and tried one more time to get it to change between ratios. From being completely seized it suddenly clunked across and now it works fine! Didn't do anything different than before so hopefully it will stay fixed. The change wasn't exactly what you would call smooth but at least it's moving now. Guess I'll just see how it goes.
 
Mandelbrot said:
Thanks for the reply. The selector housing was fine but I did take the vehicle out today and tried one more time to get it to change between ratios. From being completely seized it suddenly clunked across and now it works fine! Didn't do anything different than before so hopefully it will stay fixed. The change wasn't exactly what you would call smooth but at least it's moving now. Guess I'll just see how it goes.
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As there is no synchromesh in there, it will always be clunky!
I daresay that what can happen is like in the old days when, with non-syncro boxes, you tried to put it in first, or reverse and the gear lever just wouldn't put it in.
The reason being the edges of the two cogs were touching and wouldn't slide into mesh.
The trick was to go back into neutral, let the clutch up then put it back down again, that usually shifted the gears round so that one was opposite a space on the other, if you see what you mean.
I can remember my BSM instructor teaching me this! Back in 1972.
Cars needed to be driven back then.
So I'd try that, as wel as ensuring it has had a change of oil.
Best of luck!
 
Mandelbrot said:
Thanks for the reply. The selector housing was fine but I did take the vehicle out today and tried one more time to get it to change between ratios. From being completely seized it suddenly clunked across and now it works fine! Didn't do anything different than before so hopefully it will stay fixed. The change wasn't exactly what you would call smooth but at least it's moving now. Guess I'll just see how it goes.
Click to expand...
Glad you got it sorted, I used to make a point of putting our 300tdi into low for reversing into the driveway around once a week or so, and every so often I'd dowse the linkages in light oil, started with WD40/plusgas to penetrate and free it up, then I'd just use whatever 3 in one / hydraulic / refridgeration oil I had most of. The result was slick linkages that moved out and across the four corners easily, sometimes I'd have a bit of bother getting it to engage a gear, but it was easily fixed because as Stanley said, it is a non syncrho box, just needed a bit of coaxing. What worked for me to get it to engage a ratio was to have the vehicle stationary, transfer into neutral, gearbox in first, let the clutch up briefly then put it back down again, and at the same time be exerting gentle pressure on the stick push the transfer box stick towards it's desired position, it would almost snatch the stick out of my fingers as it engaged in approximately half a second. This worked for going into both high and low ratios.
 
I can get my transfer lever to move forward and backwards, but not sideways. I keep giving it a gentle push, but it won't have it. I know that it will have only been used about twice in its life, just to make sure it worked.
When I got it, I dowsed the linkage and got it moving front to back. Should it move left to right easily or are they pretty stiff to move?
 
Firebobby1 said:
I can get my transfer lever to move forward and backwards, but not sideways. I keep giving it a gentle push, but it won't have it. I know that it will have only been used about twice in its life, just to make sure it worked.
When I got it, I dowsed the linkage and got it moving front to back. Should it move left to right easily or are they pretty stiff to move?
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If you don't use it, it almost inevitably seizes up. When working it can take quite a shove and as mentioned above it is to do with where the cogs are relative to one another.
Easing it is relatively easy again as mentioned before, you can get to it all from inside the vehicle, you have to drill out the pop rivets. Once you see the top of the box, take the plate off carefully remove the stuff just under it, take it into the shed/garage put it in a vice and douse it freely with the liquid of your choice, knocking it carefully, with a hammer, from side to side until it frees off, then lube it well an put it all back together again. Do the fore and aft movement at the same time.
You don't HAVE to replace the pop rivets which I always find the biggest pain in this whole job. You can fasten it in other ways.
Then move it in and out at least once a week, you only need to shunt the car back and forth a few paces to ensure it goes in and then comes out again, in the box.
Best of luck! :):):)
 
Stanleysteamer said:
If you don't use it, it almost inevitably seizes up. When working it can take quite a shove and as mentioned above it is to do with where the cogs are relative to one another.
Easing it is relatively easy again as mentioned before, you can get to it all from inside the vehicle, you have to drill out the pop rivets. Once you see the top of the box, take the plate off carefully remove the stuff just under it, take it into the shed/garage put it in a vice and douse it freely with the liquid of your choice, knocking it carefully, with a hammer, from side to side until it frees off, then lube it well an put it all back together again. Do the fore and aft movement at the same time.
You don't HAVE to replace the pop rivets which I always find the biggest pain in this whole job. You can fasten it in other ways.
Then move it in and out at least once a week, you only need to shunt the car back and forth a few paces to ensure it goes in and then comes out again, in the box.
Best of luck! :):):)
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I will have a look, mines an auto, are they the same as the manual to strip the interior out.
 
Firebobby1 said:
I will have a look, mines an auto, are they the same as the manual to strip the interior out.
Click to expand...
I cannot be sure as I only have manual D1s and I have never stripped out my Auto D2 which doesn't have a diff-lock lever, although I am considering something as it is an early one with all the diff-lock stuff in the box.
But manuals should tell you how to get the centre console out and Rave will prolly tell you how to go further.
I strongly suspect that as this is the transfer box we are talking about, and not the gearbox, it should be the same or similar.
:)
 
Stanleysteamer said:
I cannot be sure as I only have manual D1s and I have never stripped out my Auto D2 which doesn't have a diff-lock lever, although I am considering something as it is an early one with all the diff-lock stuff in the box.
But manuals should tell you how to get the centre console out and Rave will prolly tell you how to go further.
I strongly suspect that as this is the transfer box we are talking about, and not the gearbox, it should be the same or similar.
:)
Click to expand...
I'll let you know how I get on, thanks for the advice
 
I rebuilt my lads 90 diff lock selector housing, as it was seized solid. Once off the gearbox, just needed a clean up, some new o rings, new plastic bushes, and a good grease up. As said, they seize up if not used.
 
D2 diff lock is cable but lever end gets jammed with crap. I took mine apart a while ago, cleaned an lubricated. Just put a small amount of oil on each year.

Oh and try diff lock at least every few months.
 
I've got the interior stripped out and have accessed the top of the difflock selector.
It looks pretty clean and has plenty of grease. Like I said, it's probably never been used.
I've given the arm that comes out of the casing, a good dose of releasing spray.
IMG_20220509_125128048.jpg

Is this where they normally seize up?
 
I've removed the pin from top of the lever arm and it moves down on the transfer box. So doesn't appear to be seized ther. It looks like it's at the top
 
Yesssss, I now have full sideways and back to front movement:D:D
I used a spanner on the flat of the shaft, where the rod fits. I was able to wiggle it back and forth and it slowly started moving.
I've given it a good going over now
What is the preferred choice on the outer rod..oil or grease??
Thanks to all who have given me advice, really appreciate it.
IMG_20220509_140216527.jpg
IMG_20220509_140213458.jpg
 
I used a good slathering of red sticky grease. You can see on the left hand section of the shaft, its got no grease on it. Penetrating oil will just evaporate away, so make sure you grease it up afterwards. Once its free, make sure you slide in in and out of hi/lo at least a few times a month, to keep it free.. That void below isnt open to the gear box, so put loads of grease in it.
 
Last edited:
tilly2 said:
I used a good slathering of red sticky grease. You can see on the left hand section of the shaft, its got no grease on it. Penetrating oil will just evaporate away, so make sure you grease it up afterwards. Once its free, make sure you slide in in and out of hi/lo at least a few times a month, to keep it free.. That void below isnt open to the gear box, so put loads of grease in it.
Click to expand...
Cheers.
I did just that, plenty of grease and it slides on and out lovely now.
Just got to sort the handbrake now.
 
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