Gear knob disconnected itself from gearbox

[popegregory]

Driving to petrol station this morning, went to select first, suddenly aware that the gear lever (and what feels like six inches of thread below it), was definitely no longer connected to gearbox. Interesting.

[Tanguero]

The rod that the knob screws onto is an extension fixed to the shifter mechanism by a couple of horizontal bolts. I guess that these have worked loose freeing the upper extension.

Unfortunately they are a bit of a pain to get to. They are below the level of the top of the transmission tunnel, so to access them from above would involve removing the centre console or at least cutting the rubber gaiter. To get to them from below you will need to remove the exhaust, drill the rivets out of the heat shield and remove that too, then reach up the side of the gearbox at the back.

Edited by Tanguero on Saturday 20th July 12:04

[ukkid35]

Tanguero said:

To get to them from below you will need to remove the exhaust, drill the rivets out of the heat shield and remove that too, then reach up the side of the gearbox at the back.

To start with I thought you were being overly pessimistic, but no, that's not going to be so easy is it...

[popegregory]

Hi Tanguero. Got it to garage and had a look. Where its come apart is exactly level with the top of the slightly open drawer in the background of your picture and it looks like we can get to it from the top without removing anything more than the gaiter in the car and cutting through the rubber underneath. Fingers crossed...!

[Tanguero]

popegregory said:

Hi Tanguero. Got it to garage and had a look. Where its come apart is exactly level with the top of the slightly open drawer in the background of your picture and it looks like we can get to it from the top without removing anything more than the gaiter in the car and cutting through the rubber underneath. Fingers crossed...!

Excellent news if you can do it that way. The extension shaft goes right through through a thick rubber bush down the middle of white part in the photo and has a nut that clamps it in from below. I would be interested to know exactly what failed on yours. Good luck with it!

[Pursyluv]

This happened to my Cerb on the M62, the AA actually repaired it at the roadside, managed to access from above, after this I had the linkage riveted for added security.

[scotty_d]

I just cut the rubber to disconnect mine. Not much dirt or water makes it that far north. I will repair it with a puncture repair kit or the likes when it is all back in the car