The lever closest to the steering box controls 2nd and 3rd. The one closest to the steering wheel is R and 1. The spring holds the finger in the 2 and 3 fork. When you pull up on the lever, it compresses the spring and allows the finger to go into the R,1 notch. Therefore the finger is normally in the 2,3 notch. If you remove the 1,R rod and allow the lever to move, the finger will have no notch to go into and then the finger will not be able to go back into the the normal 2,3 notch. It is not necessary to take the box apart to correct this. However since you have the box apart, squeeze the 2 levers together and make sure the finger is in the bottom notch and the top lever has the notch right above it so the finger can go in it when you move the shaft towards the steering wheel and then put the cover back on. Your picture No. 3 shows the box correctly assembled. The finger is in the 1,2 notch and the R1 notch is directly above it. My computer with my Canon program crashed last Friday otherwise I would post pictures. You have to remember that when there is no rod on the 1,R lever, it is free to move around and wind up in the situation you are in. Put it back together like it was in #3 and then hook up the rods. It is handy to have someone watch the levers so they stay parallel. I used to stick a small board in there to hold the 2 parallel while I hooked the linkage up. Your dilemma isn't anything that hasn't happened a thousand times before.
