3rd slipping out of gear?

[Macdaddy]

anyone have trouble with third gear slipping out while coasting or letting off the gas? my 69 has a toploader with a Mr gasket floor shifter (don't think its the shifter, its shifts perfect) doesn't do it all the time, but lately pops out of third a couple times every time I drive it and seems like when I I'm coasting or letting off the gas...

[Mancar1]

Check the linkage, may need adjusting?

[mrtleavitt]

My old NP435 did it a lot and my newly rebuilt T19 does it occasionally. I usually just keep my hand on the shifter as an armrest to hold it in place when decelerating. I think the weight of the long, heavy shifting rod doesn't help at all.

[Macdaddy]

mrtleavitt, I tried keeping my hand on it, still came out... someone actually told me by keeping weight on the shifter you can ruin the syncros? dont know for sure!..Im going to try and adjust the linkage tonight.....I put a new shifter boot on it and its pretty tight, it may have something to do with it too...I may take off the boot and drive it and see if still does it......thanks

[mrtleavitt]

Ya, you will ruin the syncros if you keep lots of pressure on it. If you are, you can actually feel it through the shifter. Just keep your arm lightly resting on it when decelerating, don't give it all your strength to hold it in gear. Good luck

[averagef250]

Holding the shifter in will not affect synchros one iota. The shifter cannot apply direct pressure to synchros of that design.

Synchros pass through the slider's gear clutch teeth as soon as you're in gear.

Put pressure on the stick and you may wear a shift fork.

Popping out of gear is generally a sign of profuse abuse and neglect. Sometimes it's just a bad shift fork, worn detent or even really sloppy bearings, but usually it's from a hefty helping of abuse wearing the fine details of the sliding clutch teeth down.