1983-4 580SE foreward/reverse

[syndy]

All of a sudden my reverse shift lever drops all the way to my lap. The shift works fine but the entire F,N,R has shifted or rotated to the left. I looked at the manual and from the photos can't tell if the control arm (with the three holes, indents) is keyed to the threaded part of the control valve. I'll go under it this weekend but would like to know if anyone else has had this issue.

 

[jimr]

syndy, the control arm has a flat spot that fits to a flat ground onto the control valve. It can not slip on the shaft. Maybe I should say it should not be able to slip on the shaft, strange things do happen. If I understand correctly, the shuttle lever still works it has just moved south, I would suspect the linkage has bent. jimr

 

[syndy]

jimr That was my first thought but I have not run over anything that would bend it. However that is the first thing I will look at, thanks.

 

[syndy]

I went under the machine today and found nothing amiss. Linkage was straight, nuts on the linkage were tight, nothing moved. Control arm can only move so far back and it seats on the casting of the case. However there is something strange. At the end of the shift shaft there is a lever that the linkage attaches to. There appears to be an adjustment in that there is a bolt clamp similar to a tie-rod end clamp. I loosened it but could not move it. I have a cast on my left wrist so wrenching was not easy, especially trying to re tighten it. Everything works fine so I will just live with it for now.