[Mike E]

The trans has been rebuilt professionly. Since I just replaced the shifter with a new Hurst, I'm getting a little grinding when shifting into 4th gear only. Any suggestions on what adjustments I need to make. I'm guessing it's something with the shifter. There is hardly any play in neutral like the old one and it everything is shifted over to the left. It didn't grind until I replaced the shifter fyi. Thanks

[Mike E]

The trans has been rebuilt professionly. Since I just replaced the shifter with a new Hurst, I'm getting a little grinding when shifting into 4th gear only. Any suggestions on what adjustments I need to make. I'm guessing it's something with the shifter. There is hardly any play in neutral like the old one and it everything is shifted over to the left. It didn't grind until I replaced the shifter fyi. Thanks

[67ramairowner]

Just read the instructions for installation of the shifter they really are very straight forward. Make sure everything is in neutral....use the pin to assure that the shifter is in neutral. Manually align all the levers that attach to the trans side cover so that they are in neutral. Now just adjust the arms to the proper length. This process REQUIRES that the trans and the shifter are in neutral. Once the arm lengths are properly adjusted you should be fine. Make SURE the stops are all the way out of the Hurst until you get the linkage adjusted correctly and don't go power shifting the hell out of the trans till you have the stops in. You can fool with the stops after you are sure that the linkage is working properly it is not necessary to have the stops set before you drive the car. Just don't go slammin things around till the stops are in. Remember if you set the stops too short you are gonna get grinding. 100% gonna grind if the stops are too short.

A lot of people think the stops are there to adjust the length of throw. THIS IS INCORRECT. They are there to support and stop the stick from overshifting the syncros. They prevent an over zealous driver from jam the shifter hard enough to damage the trans.

The BEST way I have found to set the stops...get the linkage working with the stops backed out or even removed from the shifter box. Shift into 1st or 4th and then adjust the stop till it Just hits the stick then back out just a whisker. Do the same in 3rd and 1st. What you have accomplished is provided a solid "stop" that prevents the stick from trying to push the syncro slider farther than it needs to go. When adjusted correctly the stick hits the end of the stop olt and prevents further travel of the lever.

A quick word about "Professionally Rebuilt". I don't know your rebuilder and I don't know what was put in your transmission BUT understand this. ALL REBUILDS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. You can have the best rebuilder in the world and not spend the money required to get NEEDED parts to do the job right. Syncro ringss alone are not enough for a complete rebuild IF the trans is worn sufficiently. On the Muncie 4 Speed in 4 th gear you are engaging the slider (3rd and 4th gear slider) with a set of small "teeth" on the end of the input shaft. These small teeth are NOT the teeth that match up with the counter shaft. If these teeth are shot they cannot be rplaced W/O buning a new input shaft. The small teeth are integrally ground / cut into the input shaft and only serve as a syncronization method to lock and unlock the transmission in gear. They have nothing to do with transmission of power and look more like little nubs than what is generally called a gear tooth.

If ANY ONE of those three components (input shaft nubs, 4th gear brass ring or 3/4 slider) is bad replacing one or both of the others is JUST NOT gonna produce a smooth shifting trans. You can adjust linkage till the cows come home if you need a 3/4 slider or a new input shaft and you don't step up for the parts you're done right then and there. I am not saying that the rebuild was done wrong or done on the cheap or anything like that BUT whenever 4th gear is giving trouble I suspect that the input shaft needed replacement and that it was not replaced because of cost.

Again I don't know what parts went into your trans and I don't know your rebuilder and I certainly am not saying somebody muffed it. What I am saying is that all rebuilds are not created alike, 4th gear crunching can be a product of a bad (unfortunately and EXPENSIVE input shaft where the original small teeth are shot) even if the big teeth are fine or a bad slider or a bad ring or any combo of those three.

Most rebuild kits include the brass rings None I have ever seen includes a new input shaft and the kit should not include an input shaft. That does not mean you box might not need a shaft during the complete rebuild. The installation of a slider is usually not done and in point of fact the sliders have only recenly (last few years) necome available again.

I have never seen a trans crunch when all three of the components I have talked about are in top notch condition. You need to know what parts went in there to be sure what you have and what you don't have. These boxes are 35 years old and saw hard duty so anything can be tired out at this point. It could certainly be linkage adjustment but as they say "Forewarned is forearmed"