Sloppy and difficult gearchange

[V8MoneyPit]

My 90 has an ex-military recon LT77 gearbox freshly installed. It was rebuilt in the mid 90's and stood, crated, ever since. But the gearchange is like stirring porridge! And the gears are what I would describe as difficult to find! Especially going from 2nd to 3rd. It's also far worse when cold. I failed to get 3rd at all on a couple of occasions on the way to work this morning.

One thought about the difficulty selecting gears is that the oil they assembled it with has got gloopy and might 'free up' as the fresh oil washes it out. Is this a possibility?

As for the sloppy gearchange, I'm assuming it might be the gearlever itself or the lever housing. Was there ever a gearlever for the LT77 that doesn't have the vibration damper? Mine seems far too flexible, which can't help.

[JIMBOBLY]

sounds like the selecta forks are worn to me,or maybe just the detent springs maybe broken,difficult to tell without feeling it for myself realy.

[V8MoneyPit]

I hope it isn't internal to the box  :shock:

I've fiddled with the 3rd/4th bias spring settings and it has improved finding 3rd a little.

[Range Rover Blues]

I've found on the later "remote" selector that there are 2 different strengths of springs for centring the stick which helped me when I fitted the stronger ones, where they came form I couldn't say but it's worth checking and adhusting them too.

The old Sherpa van box was never vrilliant and if it's a recon it might be mechanically sound but if the selector hasn't been rebuilt it might never be as good as new, thogh I would say swap the oil a couple of times and think about some additive.

The isolator, I know yours is different to mine but there are 2 types I've used, the early one is pinched and welded at the top so you see 4 shoulders just below the gearknow, the later ones (disco I think) had a double-ended isolator and are far more flexible, though I dont think they affect my gearchange but the stick might be shorter.

[V8MoneyPit]

Thanks for that. Since adjusting the spring, it does seem a bit better. Haven't missed 3rd since! I'll have a look around about the different springs.

The lever rubber is very soft. It's also beginning to break up at the top. It's the type that is crimped in around the top. I'll maybe watch out for a better one during the show season.  It obviously has fresh oil in it, but I had planned on a change after a few hundred miles. What additive would you recommend?

[Range Rover Blues]

I use whatever my mate sells TBH but Ashcroft's do one for manual gearboxs that's got good reviews and IIRC Difflock also sold one.