20 replies to this topic

[gaspen]

Hello

 

It is pretty hard to put the lever to 1st gear, it behaves if there would be some blockage in the linkage. So I inspected the issue and found that I swapped the male and female cranks - or not ?

 

On the parts drawing they are on the other way thus I removed and inspected them : both looks symmetrical to me. Then I've installed then as on the diagram. 

 

It looks they fit only one position on the shaft (or rod) with very little axial movement before tightening the screws.

 

Now the 1st gear is still hard, additionally I can not put it in reverse because the gear lever contacts the floor  

 

It is a fresh built gearbox, now it is in the car. The cranks have some wear but does not seem problematic for me.

 

Could I make any adjustment in the linkage ?

 

 

 

 

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 08. Manual Gearbox - Selectors and Speedo Drives.jpg   43.11K   7 downloads

[Spider]

Yes, those knuckles are the wrong way around and maybe part of your issue.

 

There's no adjustment anywhere on these, there's likely still some worn parts as many parts for these gearboxes are NLA, unless someone has a stash of NOS parts, they won't have been replaced.

You can usually tell quite quickly by the amount of freeplay in the gearstick.

[gaspen]

Yes, those knuckles are the wrong way around and maybe part of your issue.

 

There's no adjustment anywhere on these, there's likely still some worn parts as many parts for these gearboxes are NLA, unless someone has a stash of NOS parts, they won't have been replaced.

You can usually tell quite quickly by the amount of freeplay in the gearstick.

 

I see

 

Are the surfaces hardened? I mean the balls and the sleeves

[Spider]

I see

 

Are the surfaces hardened? I mean the balls and the sleeves

 

 

They are on the hard side, yes.

There's also a few shafts and bushes - the bushes are replaceable and available - that also wear.

The Balls on the knuckles and gearstick etc can be built up by welding with a hardface type of rod, then ground back in to shape.
 

[gaspen]

Okay, I dismantle the whole thing and check all

[gaspen]

There's also a few shafts and bushes - the bushes are replaceable and available - that also wear.

 

Where can I find that bushes ?

 

This car won't be a daily driver. Could I weld-up with MIG ?

[alpder]

Was that an original magic-wand gearbox, or is it converted from a remote? (The castings are, I believe, the same but as well as lacking the remote housing and having a magic-wand lever, isn't the 'smoking pipe' different too? Please correct me if I'm wrong.) So could [one of the] culprits be that part?

 

Edit:

Here's a conversion kit from my box of spares (never tested it). The smoking-pipe is about 247mm long. Worth comparing?

 

 IMG_20260615_100311247.jpg   77.92K   2 downloads

Edited by alpder, 15 June 2026 - 09:20 AM.

[gaspen]

Was that an original magic-wand gearbox, or is it converted from a remote? (The castings are, I believe, the same but as well as lacking the remote housing and having a magic-wand lever, isn't the 'smoking pipe' different too? Please correct me if I'm wrong.) So could [one of the] culprits be that part?

 

Edit:

Here's a conversion kit from my box of spares (never tested it). The smoking-pipe is about 247mm long. Worth comparing?

 

IMG_20260615_100311247.jpg

 

I believe it is an original MW, but I bought the car 3 years ago, I don't know its life before that.

 

My smoking pipe is the same length.

[imack]

As above, the knuckles should be fitted as per the diagram. It can sometimes be possible also to fit the knuckles 1 spline out of alignment.
Is part 39, circled below fitted the right way around??

Attached Files

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Edited by imack, 15 June 2026 - 12:06 PM.

[gaspen]

As above, the knuckles should be fitted as per the diagram. It can sometimes be possible also to fit the knuckles 1 spline out of alignment.
Is part 39, circled below fitted the right way around??

 

There is no that part in my gearbox.

[Spider]

 

There's also a few shafts and bushes - the bushes are replaceable and available - that also wear.

 

Where can I find that bushes ?

 

This car won't be a daily driver. Could I weld-up with MIG ?

 

 

 

These are the bushes - there's 2 of them in the diff cap;-

https://www.minispar...ox-linkage-rods

 

You could MIG up the worn balls, but not being hard, they'll wear quick.

 

[gaspen]

 

 

There's also a few shafts and bushes - the bushes are replaceable and available - that also wear.

 

Where can I find that bushes ?

 

This car won't be a daily driver. Could I weld-up with MIG ?

 

 

 

These are the bushes - there's 2 of them in the diff cap;-

https://www.minispar...ox-linkage-rods

 

You could MIG up the worn balls, but not being hard, they'll wear quick.

 

 

Oh I see, I thought there is a bush for the female cranks, me silly 

 

Yes I replaced that bush already

 

I have nothing to lose with the weld-up and I can learn if the gearbox is faulty or just the linkage

[timmy850]

I had the two bushes replaced in my diff cover and they made a huge difference

There’s also some in the gearbox casing but mine were OK

Just remember that any tiny amounts of wear at the linkage end will add up to lots of slop at the gearknob end. If it’s still out of the car it’s a good idea to move the linkage in every direction and figure out where there’s any slop. You can add shims to some parts, some parts may need to be replaced or rebushed or sleeved

[gaspen]

I had the two bushes replaced in my diff cover and they made a huge difference

There’s also some in the gearbox casing but mine were OK

Just remember that any tiny amounts of wear at the linkage end will add up to lots of slop at the gearknob end. If it’s still out of the car it’s a good idea to move the linkage in every direction and figure out where there’s any slop. You can add shims to some parts, some parts may need to be replaced or rebushed or sleeved

 

The engine is in the car now, I checked the gear change before installing, it wasn't that bad as I remember.

 

This is the position of the stick  in "reverse" but the reverse gear inside the box is at half-way - I can hear the crackling when the pedal is released

 

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[Spider]

now I see that, I think the knuckles are out 1 spline.  They are awkward but can be gotten too while the engine is in.