Warford shifting problems

[danhelegan]

I have an original warford 3 speed transmission with an aluminum case. The transmission appears to have been rebuilt and works well except that it pops out of gear in first or underdrive. I have only occasionally used anything but direct drive but recently wanted to practice shifting between gears, and had it pop out of gear when in first.

I have read posts on the forum and it appears that it may be a problem with the detent, but have not been able to find any drawings or manuals that show how this works or if there is an adjustment. When shifting into direct or overdrive, I hear a noticeable click, but not so much in underdrive. I think that the detent would be accessed by removing the cotter pins that are perpendicular to the shifter rails (as shown in the picture shifter 02), but don't know what I would be looking for and if there is only one detent for both rails or if there is a sperate one for the forward underdrive shift.

Is there an adjustment or am I only looking for a damages spring? Also if the direct drive is working well why wouldn't the underdrive? If anyone has pictures of these parts that would be a big help.

Thank you ,

Dan

[Henry K. Lee]

The detents are simple in design. Just has balls and springs. The popping out of gear in compound gears tells me that you have a sprung or twisted shifting fork. Take a square to its plane and compare to its shaft. Look for abnormal wear on one side of the fork is a give away too.

Looking at your shifter tower, that girl has been repaired. If there is not enough throw in the tower by over raising the leverage point you are fighting an endless battle. Been there before.

Good Luck!

Hank

[danhelegan]

Thanks Hank! I will inspect the forks. I guess if this is not right the easiest thing to do would look for another shifter tower.

[speedytinc]

Other than whats been said, look @ the ball on the end of the shifter, where it engages the shift forks. There should be minimal slop. that rounded area usually has a lot of wear & needs to be built back up.

[Dan McEachern]

Show us a picture of your low gear teeth. One of the main reasons for popping out of gear can be worn teeth. Weak detent springs or a bent shift fork can certainly be a cause.

[Alan Long]

I have found that excessive end float can cause it to jump out of gear especially on de acceleration.
Alan in Western Australia

[Mark Gregush]

Canceled comment.

[Craig Leach]

Hi Dan,
Direct is a different connection than under or over as it does not rely on the cluster gear for the transmission of power and has more teeth engaged to drive throught. If you do not feel a strong detent in under it is maybe not going all the way in ( weak spring, dirty bore, or bent fork.) worn dogs will also cause it to jump out of gear. the dogs should be square as well as the gear they go into. if badly worn (rounded) they will try to push them selves
apart. The repair on the shift tower looks good, but the cover looks like a early one that was much taller. A mix match of parts there could cause the same issue.
Hank the gentalman I purchased the case you welded up for me had a complete shifter do you have his # still?
Craig.

[tselliott]

I’m not sure about all aluminum warlords but yours shift tower seems to have been modified. That might be part of your problem.

[Henry K. Lee]

Dan,

Will dig up some old manuals and post for all a little later, have a full house of friends today.

Hank

[danhelegan]

I am attaching a photo of the gearbox. The gears look to be in good shape , no sign of chips or damaged teeth. The gears slide wasily on the dogs with no binding or excessive play. I checked the forks and they do not appear to be bent or twisted. i then clamped the shifter in a vice and heard a definite clink going into all gears except first or underdrive. So it appears to be a problem with the shifter. I did not disassemble the shifter assembly but it looks to be moving all the way forward so the one road is even with the edge of the case. just not clicking into place. It also find a have something to do with the custom shifter tower. I did find an aluminum warford shifter assembly on Ebay which I ordered. so I will check this out when it arrives.

Thanks for all the help.

Dan

[danhelegan]

[SurfCityGene]

Those gears look New!! That tower sure looks like somebody made it? Sometimes the little steel balls and springs get sticky with hard grease for not being used.. Since it has evidence of modification I'd check to make all the balls are actually in there with the springs..

The very early Warfords used a threaded plug instead of the little cap and a cotter pin. That set up could be adjusted for spring tension.

If after you install and drive it you might see some oil leaking from around those shifter rods! World Famous T Racer ED Archer showed me how he attached and encased the ends of the oil leaking rods with copper tubes! I do that with each Warford for the guys here to prevent lots of oil leaks.

Just in case... I have an extra shifter tower