T-18 shifter issues

[CJLove]

Howdy - This is my first post.. Try to make it short. I bought a running 79 CJ7 10 yrs ago..because it looked and sounded really cool!!.. and now I want to get it in drivable shape. It has a T-18 tranny with a strange issue. When you attempt to shift to reverse (over and down to the right on the 79) the shifter falls to the floor and the jeep is not in any gear. I have to pull the boot off and unscrew the shifter cap, pull the shifter and and align the gate with a screwdriver and put it back together. It works great through the forward gears. I have been researching this for a year!. I have installed a new shifter..replaced the pin..etc. It acts like the shifter finger is to short..but its not. Its 3 1/8 (I tried the 3 1/2..no fitty in there). It appears as though the shifter finger is popping out of the reverse gate. My only conclusion is that the reverse gate is the problem..but it looks like new.
Any Ideas....Ive had two shops look at it and I get the deer in the headlight look. I dont want to end up getting a whole new tranny when there has to be a simple solution. Thanks....

 

[Vick68]

Well to start are you sure that its over and down because mine is over and up on my T-18 for reverse. If its a t 18 then the first gear is a non syncro gear that for mine you have to put in reverse first to get it to go into first. I start out in 2nd most of the time. I've never had the problem of it falling into empty space.

 

[HackFabrication]

It has a T-18 tranny with a strange issue. When you attempt to shift to reverse (over and down to the right on the 79) the shifter falls to the floor and the jeep is not in any gear.

The OEM T18b (4.02 1st) in my 1976 CJ5 had reverse Over and Down:



The later CJ with the T18a had reverse Over and Up:



The mid-80's Ford T18a I have in my CJ5 also has reverse Over and Up:



I had the original Jeep T18b shift lever modified to work in the Ford Transmission :

Any Ideas....Ive had two shops look at it and I get the deer in the headlight look. I dont want to end up getting a whole new tranny when there has to be a simple solution. Thanks....

Get Parts Mike on the phone: (530) 885-0673 business hours are Monday - Friday 8 a.m to 5 p.m. PST Mike has forgotten more about T-18 's than most Transmission shops have ever known.

 

[Hedgehog]

If all else failes find a new shifter top for your existing Transmission . Actually this should be simple enough. I'd remove the top, put it in a bench vice and force it to repeat the problem while you are watching things work from the underside. There is a pin either missing or sheared off. Parts should be easy to find for the T-18 . Problem, I bet there is almost never a problem with the shifter top.

 

[CJ007]

Welcome! If u don't get it figured out from above post up and I'll dig out my T-18 manual and see if it has an answer. And can mail you a copy. It's only about 30 pages.

 

[SteveJr]

Maybe a broken snap ring that keeps the shift collar from moving to far..


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