First Gear Engagement

[390xlt]

When I shift into first gear, it doesn't engage about 40-50% of the time. At the shifter it feels like I'm in gear, but when I engage the clutch I just get noise. It's not grinding exactly, but it's definitely something rotating and metallic hitting something else. It doesn't seem to make any difference whether I'm stopped or rolling, and if I am stopped, it doesn't matter whether I've just stopped or have been sitting for a few minutes. It will always engage eventually, but sometimes it takes a few tries of putting it in neutral and back to first. It never gives me any trouble going into reverse, second, or third. I've adjusted the clutch pretty far in both directions with no results. I've adjusted the first/reverse shifter linkage a little bit with no effect, but I'm hesitant to move it very much since all the other gears are working fine. Any ideas or suggestions on what to try next?
Thanks,
Chris

[cep62]

With the truck blocked front and rear so that it cant roll. engine off
shift into first gear. Then from underneath see if it will engage any farther ,
if you have worn bushings the shifter may not push it far enough.
Does it make a difference if it's running or not.
Do you have a column mounted shifter ? maybe the cab moves around sometimes.

[390xlt]

I've done your first suggestion and everything seems to be engaged (i.e. I can't move it any more), but it's hard to tell when it's not running since I have to either fire it up or see if it will roll. That being said, it doesn't seem to make any difference if it's running or not when I shift it, but the health of my battery is pretty questionable, so I try not to start it and run it for very short periods any more than I have to. It is a column shift and the bushings on the column end are brand new. I don't recall what condition the transmission end is in, but nothing struck me as out of the ordinary; I'll double check when I get a chance. It's entirely possible that the cab is moving, but wouldn't that affect the other gears too?

[cep62]

When the cab is moving it can affect the clutch adjustment and maybe put a bind on the shift linkage.
I'm kinda guessing. I haven't had a column shift in a log time.

[390xlt]

Turns out the threads on the linkage were worn just enough in one place that the piece that connects the rod to the shift arm on the transmission could wiggle a bit, and it wouldn't move the arm enough to engage. I pulled it out, cleaned it up, built it up with a few beads of weld, then ground it down and cut new threads. It's working like a charm now

[cep62]

Thanks for the update.