Yes I know it,s hard to visualize & explain. The spring pulls the shaft towards 2-3. Therefore you have to pull foreward to shift to 1st & R. The levers like you say are free to go up or down, depending on which position the noggin on the shaft is in. The trans. cover has lockouts that keep it from going into 2 gears at once. If the lever gets hung up there is to much gap between the levers or the noggin is worn down.
