The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Tranny stuck in gear ('42)

My red '42 (1 1/2 ton) has been sitting in the driveway for about a year. Today, I tried to push it inside, but couldn't get it out of gear. I think it may be in reverse.
After a lot of rocking it back and forth while trying to move the gear shift, I finally had to resort to removing the drive shaft.
Does anybody have any ideas with what could have happened. Although it has not been started in many years, it has always shifted in and out gear fine.
I am planning on doing a mild restoration, but wasn't going to open up the transmission.

John

J Lucas,

From your post it appears you weren't able to push the clutch in and move the truck. This must mean the clutch is stuck to the flywheel...does this sound like what might be happening!

Does the '42 in 1 1/2 ton have the little reverse lock-out flipper on the shifter?

Stuart

Hey Stuart,

Yes it has the reverse lock-out but didn't make any difference either way. The clutch pedal pushes in fine. You would think that even if the clutch plate was rusted to the flywheel, I should still be able to force it out of gear by rocking the truck back and forth. What's your thought on this?

John

J Lucas,

I agree that the rocking should allow it to come out of reverse. Again, this might not be pertinent, but I think you can push the clutch pedal in and have the pressure plate release its tension, BUT the clutch disc can still be stuck to the flywheel, and not allow the drivetrain to disconnect so to speak!

If you pushed the clutch in and were still not able to push the rig, I would say the clutch might be glued to the flywheel.

But I agree with you, rocking should have allowed you to get the transmission out of reverse. If you get the engine operating, and can run the truck, even without the driveshaft, I'll bet the splashing lube in the transmission might get everything oiled up and moving fine again.


Stuart

You didn't have the gearshift out of the transmission back around when you parked it,did you? I had that happen once,and it was because I'd pulled the shifter out to heat and bend it with the torch,and when I put it back I missed the gates. I fought that damned thing for half an hour before I decided to remove it again and see if I'd dropped something down the hole and jammed something. Nothing wrong that I could see,and when I replaced the shifter I realized what I'd done wrong the first time,tried it the same way to verify,it wouldn't shift,pulled it out and changed the angle a little,dropped it into place and everything worked great from then on.
Just a possibility.
Speed

Hi John,

You might have some moisture inside the tranny that has frozen (ice) and will not allow the shifter to come out of reverse. I would suggest warming the tranny case and try rocking the output shaft back and forth while pulling on shifter with moderate effort. If this is unsucessful you could drain the case of all oil/water, since the case is warmed up now. Fill the case with diesel fuel and let it set a few days and try again.

You also might try removing the shifter tower from the top of the tranny and make sure it is not bound up in the shifter itself.

Good luck, Carl

Hello Speed and Carl,

The gearshift has never been out, and it was 50 degrees in the middle of the afternoon. I'm sure that it was not frozen. I removed the driveshaft to get it inside. I am going to pull the tranny and check out the clutch when I get a chance.

The truck has not been driven, or even started in over 15 years, so everything has to be checked out anyway. I suspect that you are correct, and I will have to take off the shifter tower.

Thanks for your help.

John

This has happened to me. In my case rocking would not help, the pressure plat was stuck to the flywheel, the clutch moved in and out, but no release. I was lucky, I guess, the truck was parked in the garage and I could move the gears in and out as long as the engine was not running. I use the battery, (in first gear) to move the truck forward about a foot. Turn the truck off, switch to reverse, start the truck, with the clutch pedal pushed in, and let'r run into the back wall. The force of the collision will unstick the pressure plate, and your clutch is already in and free. I thought for a while before I did this, I could foresee my drive train laying on the floor twisted with the plate still stuck. Its worked twice for me with no damage to my truck or the drive train. If that doesn't work, well, you got bad advice.

51flatbedchev,

WOW, pretty stout walls.


Stuart

Oh, yes, I forgot to mention, the wall was 12" poured concrete, with reinforcing, holding back a hill. Something was going to give, and it wasn't going to be the wall.

Post note: I would not actually start the engine, use the starter pedel and battery to move the truck, leave the ignition switch off. This should have been in the first posting, its been a year or two since I've done this, forgot some of the sequence.

I could get my 38 in and out of gear when NOT running. Found out when I got the truck running the clutch was stuck. I shoved it in gear it broke it loose but the truck took off. This method will work but I don't recomend doing it inside. Unfourtunately this doesn't help Jlucas problem. lean with the others who recommend pulling top cover filling with diesel and letting soak for awhile.put catch pan under transmission likely to be some seepage and a little diesel goes a long way on a garage floor

Thanks for all of the ideas, once the Holidays are over, I plan to look into this problem further. At least for now it is inside.

John

51flatbedchev, where are you in northern Ky? I'm in Lewis county, in between Maysville and Ashland.

I had a '40 1.5 Ton with similar symptoms once. Turned out to be a friggulated, snarffleginked input shaft bearing, the one that is between the FRONT of the MAINSHAFT and the BACK of the INPUT shaft (they overlap, and the bearing is betwixt the twain), causing the thing to spin input & output at 1:1, so of course I was able to drive (forward). Probably the one & only time I was "happy" these suckers are geared so daggone low! Anyway, this was in 1975 or so...Motion Industries I think came to the rescue. Good luck! Not hard to fix, but ya gotta take out the tranny. Know any high school football players? -I could do it when I was 17, not sure at 50!

I was following along OK thru the friggulated, but once you started on snarffleginked you totally lost me. Just kidding, it's either been too cold, or snowing, so it's still on the back burner. I have had plenty of other things inside to keep me occupied.
I do think that pulling the tranny will most likely have to happen anyway. I have twin nephews that are college football players, so my back up plan is all set.

I do appreciate your input.

John