The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks stuck in first

i was driving my truck around the block and it died because i didnt keep the rpm's up, when i went to start it again i shifted into first, then it died. now i cant get the truck to shift back into neutral or any other gears its stuck in first. no matter how hard i pull on the stick it wont go back. can the clutch just go out that easy? it feels like its engaging and disengaging.its a 1964 4sp

Check shift linkage...

cm

Clarify what sort of 4spd you have. If it's the original stump puller then it's a top loader and you shouldn't have any linkages to worry about.

Fortunately it is stuck in the gear you want to start out on. Try wagging on the shifter when you get it to speed. In my experience a lot of easy wagging around on the shifter is the usual antidote. That has almost always worked for me, though it seems to always take a lot longer whenever there's people standing around watching you look like a fool.

I have no handbrake and always put mine into 1st or reverse after I've shut it off. Sometimes it doesn't want to engage the gear, imperfect alignment of the synchros or something, and in that case I'm always able to get it engaged by standing on the clutch and doing a sort of pelvic thrust that rocks the truck back and forth until the mainshaft has found a good alignment or whatever. This always works and always makes me look like a weirdo when I have to park it that way.

Anyway, have patience and good luck.

In that last post I assumed you could start out in first. If you're pulled into a spot, just stand on the clutch and have a bud push you out to where you can take off in 1st. Worst case scenario you take it around the block in 1st.

its the original sm420, i tried wiggling it and nothing happened along with the other suggestions, one other thing about it is that the stick moves up and down about 1/4inch and it has a lot of play in it. it had the play before it got stuck but im not sure about it being able to be pulled up and down.could the stick have gotten pulled out somehow?

Remove the lever by taking a pair of channel lock pliers & press down on the coller & turn it counterclockwise about 15 degrees. With a light & large screwdriver look down in the hole. Put the screwdriver in the slot in the rail that is not even with the others & move it to the same position of the other slot's. If the lever is ok put it in with the end going in the slots. That should get it going.

Are you still stuck?

No its free! I did what wrenchbender said and it worked, im able to get into all the gears now thank you.I have another question though,when i go to shift into any of the gears when the truck is running even at idle, i get a really bad scrapping sound like the gears are jamming together.is this normal for the truck or is something still maybe off in the transmission? its also 15 degrees out here so it might just be cold.

It takes practice. You can't just jam it into gear like a modern gearbox, there is a feel to it that has to be learned. Try shifting slower with a little pause in the neutral position to give the gears a chance to align for the next gear. When downshifting, rev the engine a little when you hit the neutral position.

That trans. is sycro'd in all but 1st & reverse. You should be able to put the clutch in & shift to any gear after waiting 2-3 seconds like T'mater say's. Your clutch may be dragging or the trans low on grease.

Hey guys, I have the same scraping / gear teeth knocking when trying to get my 1949 4400 into gear. Right now the truck's in the back of the shed facing the shed wall, so I'm trying reverse and I can't seem to get it to go into gear, no matter how gentle I am with it. It will go into gear with the engine off, but its like the clutch pressure plate won't stop the flywheel from spinning. Two questions: 1)How / where do i adjust the clutch and 2) if I'm low on fluid - how do I check for that and what do you recommend for transmission fluid in the AD?
Thanks,
MNLUGNUT

So, put it in reverse, THEN start the motor and move it backwards away from your shed. Of course you will have to keep the clutch in when you start it...or not.

I've driven home with NO clutch whatsoever...get to a stop sign...turn motor off...put in 1st gear...start her over and the starter will pull the car a bit until the motor catches and off you go...

The new-fangled cars have clutch switch lock-outs and won't let you do stuff like that for safety reasons, I suppose..
In other words, you answered your own question, I think.

If its not a hydrolic clutch like mine follow the linkages, for me the linkage last before the clutch fork and an adjusting bolt on it to make the rod move forward and back.
To me it seems like your clutch isnt disengaging from the flywheel. this would be evident if you put it in reverse with the clutch pedal pressed in and turn the truck over.
If the truck moves your not disengaged enough. and from my readings and experience these are you options.
1.
clutch linkage adjustmest, should be simple and can be done by sliding under the truck. (if a non hydrolic clutch, if it is then im sure its somewhat similar)
2.
your clutch is frozen to your flywheel from sitting for to long
3.
and this has just been my freak misshape which was one of my flywheel bolts came out and was not allowing me to disengage the clutch. This also could occur if one of the clutch pressure springs broke or has come loose.

any more info about the issue would be of help! and ill do my best to give you tips from my experience with clutch issues, Ive done a lot of researching on the subject.

Thanks guys. I'll try what you recommend. Hoping its just stuck from sitting.

Put it in gear and push the clutch in and have a couple of people rock the truck back and forth hard, sometimes that will break the disk from the flywheel, If that don't work you might have to pull the trans.

any luck on the clutch?

Thanks for the inquiry. Swamped with work and travel and can't get to it until after the end of the month. Back to you later. BUT just for my own relief, when I check transmission fluid - if it is low, can I use MODERN transmission fluid or is there something better for my old 1 1/2 ton?

If the spring is bad that is under the cap for the shift lever it will let the lever come up and down, letting it jump out of the rail. Also if the tangs on the cap are bent down the same thing will happen, just bend them back easily. I have also used Justin Brothers friction modifier (about one cup) in my tranny and it lets it shift a lot easier.