Abrupt stop going backwards

[SeanDo40]

1949 Willys Jeepster

I say backwards instead of in reverse because the same thing happens when coasting backwards in nuetral.

When I backup, in reverse or neutral coast, i get about 20 feet and it abrupts halts almost as if i hit something. No issues moving forward.

I dont know a lot but i was told by seller that it has a new clutch and I even have the old clutch in a box. I'm thinking brake shoes.

Thoughts?

[gmwillys]

If you are coasting in reverse, then abruptly stop, then I would be looking at the transmission itself. The complexity of the repair depends on the way your Jeepster is set up. I'm not aware of any jeepsters that were not column shift from the factory, but I'm not an expert. If it is a column shift, then I would first check the linkage going from the column, to the side of the transmission. If there is slip in the linkage, then the gear isn't traversing into reverse. The reason that your jeepsters is stopping dead after rolling is that the reverse gear is basically hung up in neutral, but one of the iddler forward gears is not shifting fully either. In short, the transmission is stuck in to gears at the same time. The linkage is most likely the culprit, especially if the clutch was just replaced. Another item to check would be to ensure that the clutch is adjusted correctly. Check the free pedal to make sure that the transmission is fully disconnected from the engine when clutch is disengaged.

[LarrBeard]

" ... Thoughts? ..."

Well, this is a new one .....

A while back we went through an exercise with a Jeepster Overdrive. I managed a fair understanding of the 'lectric things happening, but to me there was a lot of mechanical magic there as well. If I recall somewhat, there is some electrical and mechanical involvement between overdrive and reverse.

Most likely transmission linkage adjustment because it does it in neutral - relatively easy to fix - but don't discount overdrive involvement if you're so equipped.

[SeanDo40]

Thankfully (that sounds wrong) I will be removing the floor pans from the drivers side soon making it easier to get at the linkage and the overdrive cable.
Open to tips since I've never been down this road before.

[SeanDo40]

3919
Following up:
I removed the driver side floor pan today getting ready to replace it. You can see from the attached pic that the linkage is indeed the likely culprit. When engaged in reverse the linkage appears to actually hit the floor pan. If that's the case then it wouldn't be fully engaged in reverse and slip out of gear.
Now to figure out how to adjust. It looks a bit bent up to me.

[SeanDo40]

Update 2:
I removed the low and reverse linkage today. Put it in the bench vise, applied some heat and carefully straightened the threaded rod. Once reassembled and connected the shifter slides into reverse and first and as you can see by the pic it rests under the floor pan.
I wont be road testing until I finish the floor pan replacement but I have high hopes.
Thanks for the inpu3922 myt.
Sean

[LarrBeard]

Yeah, somebody ran over something really hard!

Heat and a big hammer fix a lot of problems like that.

[gmwillys]

Good deal. I'm not sure what could have done that to the linkage? Anything is possible.

[SeanDo40]

Maybe the same hit that left this 3923

[gmwillys]

That's a distinct possibility. Wow, that had to been something hard.