Why is this so difficult?

[96_Sport]

Hi guys, quick question:

Why is it so hard to get the tranny into 1st at the light? I've to really reef on the shifter to get it to go into gear. Sometimes have to go 2nd to 1st too.
???

Pretty hard to go into Reverse too sometimes, and when it goes in, it hits hard with a thunk and shudder through the truck. Not supposed to do THAT!!

Previous owner said that the clutch was replaced last year, and there's plenty of fluid in the clutch master cyl.

Any ideas? Any work-arounds? FWIW, I'm putting in the new Hurst shifter this weekend!! Maybe that will make it better?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[410Fortune]

how many miles on that 5 speed?

Sounds like either a failing slave cylinder, bad clutch job, worn out nylon shifter ball pivot thingy,
OR the shift mech inside the trans are worn out

 

[XLT]

Sounds more serious then mine was. I use to have a 93 explorer and once in a great while it would not want to shift into first gear very well. I found that it would slip into first easier if i revved the engine up a little bit. Otherwise i am not sure about the problem. I had a new clutch put in and after that i was told my synchronizer was off because it would shift hard into second if i shifted fast and would make a bad grinding noise.

 

[KPT]

I don't have a solution but I have the same problem with first and reverse. No issues with second though.

Mine is so hard to get into first I usually just ease it in first as I'm rolling to a stop and keep my foot on the clutch.

I have changed the clutch, master cylinder, slave cylinder and hydraulic line. Nothing helped.

I did have the transfer case off recently and noticed the tranny output shaft was spinning while the tranny was in neutral. I could grab the shaft with my hand and stop it. Shouldn't be happening though.

I'm eventually going to take the tranny apart and see if anything is worn.

 

[HahnsB2]

I did have the transfer case off recently and noticed the tranny output shaft was spinning while the tranny was in neutral. I could grab the shaft with my hand and stop it. Shouldn't be happening though.
.

Totally normal. It's just friction on the rotating parts. Just lke a boat motor prop will spin slowly while in neutral. There is a leak/air somewhere in the clutch hydraulics. Try bleeding it, but it's most likely the slave leaking.

 

[Rayz2000Sport]

Had a 91 Sport with a five speed. Got like that. Was going up a hill one time and it was so hard to shift into second that I ripped the shifter knob right off!! Ended up having my clutch bleed when it got like that and it was fine for awhile after that. Eventually needed a new clutch after a year or so though.

 

[90ranajo]

Sounds more like the synchros than anything else. The old 5-speed that my Ranger used to have had the same problem. If I remember right 1st and reverse use the same syncho.