Reverse is a PIA

[Infamous05]

Ever since I have owned my car I had problems going into reverse. I figured eh it was just my roush shifter because I had heard that they were harder to work with. Well I put a stock shifter in and was all excited because while the engine/tranny was cold the shifter would go into reverse like butter. Well once it warmed up same damn thing. sometime it is almost requires two hands and I am a big guy so to almost need 2 hands is a bit much. Well I was stumped since my tranny has been re worked since owning the car. New clutch kit and fluid. ( long story completly my stupidity) Well anways I put the shifter back in today and same thing once it warms up hard to go. I had read about a reverse lock out but I don't know if that is the issue or not. Any ideas? My car has just over 30k on the clock.

 

[NastyStang113]

Put it in third gear and than reverse. Seems pretty 'normal' from what I've seen.

 

[rford426]

Put it in third gear and than reverse. Seems pretty 'normal' from what I've seen.

I do the same thing but with 1st gear

 

[Infamous05]

I tried the 1st and no help. I will try 3rd tomorrow. I also read on another forum that moving the handle to the far left in neutral holding for three seconds and then reverse does the trick. Thanks guys.

 

[JeremyH]

50% of the time reverse can be a bitch. I have a Pro 5.0 shifter. I put it in thrid as mentioned above and that does the trick everytime.

 

[Croft]

Same issue here. I noticed it more when I lowered the car.

 

[JeremyH]

Same issue here. I noticed it more when I lowered the car.

+1. Damn Linkage shifters...

 

[Croft]

+1. Damn Linkage shifters...

Yep. Oh well, who needs reverse anyway, lol.

 

[JeremyH]

Haha

 

[fdjizm]

Hmm my reverse never seemed difficult, pops right in like any other gear.

 

[dysan]

Heh...your car's just loose.

 

[fdjizm]

Heh...your car's just loose.

That's what she, oh wait... well I break her in good I guess

 

[Infamous05]

ok guy I went for a long drive after work and let everything get nice and warm and tried various techniques. 1st then reverse was ehhh just a little better, 3rd then reverse getting there, all the way to the left hold for 3 seconds and then reverse, smooth as any other gear. Just thought I would share

 

[dagamore]

some people have noticed betters/smother shifting after changing out the fluid in the tranny, keep in mind that our 5 speeds use ATF (dextron 4 (iirc))

 

[Boondoggie]

+1. Damn Linkage shifters...

Lowering a car doesn't change the relationship of the body to the engine/tranmission. European makes have had linkage shifters just like this for decades, and they're all smooth as silk.

That said, I can't get into reverse first thing in the morning sometimes too. bump the car forward an inch in 1st, and it goes right into reverse. That says it's an internal transmission issue (maybe bad design) to me. Doesn't happen as often with RP Synchromax.

 

[JeremyH]

Lowering a car doesn't change the relationship of the body to the engine/tranmission. .

Not exactly, but it does effect it quite a bit. When you put shorter springs on the rear. It lowers the distance of the body to the rearend/ds/tranny and so fourth changing the pa angle as well. Its gonna be even more noticeable with a one piece ds. Lowering also effects high rpm shifts where the engine/trans is torquing over. Some torque limiters or preferably solid motor mounts help fix this. Also on our 3-link suspension when you lower its gonna cause the rear end to uncenter requiring an adjustable panhard bar.

 

[2006torquefreak]

Shift to 1st helps me go to reverse better. It is a PIA..

 

[mustangdave]

There is a built in reverse lockout,to engage reverse you must come from left of neutral. You don't need to put it in a gear, just pull it to neutral, then reverse.