No reverse

[scottie]

Just got my 1953 B-4 running. It was sitting for 25 years. Cannot figure out why it will not go in reverse. Any ideas?

[Dodgeb4ya]

If 3 speed trans... column shifter adjustment...

If it also won't easily go into other gears ..stuck clutch disc.

[Tooljunkie]

Im thinking its column shift. Mine took some adjusting and unsticking of shifter parts before it would work. Then i found a 3 speed floor shifter. 

[MarkAubuchon]

if its a column shift, clean and lube everything.  Still doesnt work may need to adjust the shifting rods.  Check out the manual.  not hard to do

[kencombs]

Key question here is 'will it go into low?.  If not suspect the adjustment of the selector rod/lever.

 

Remove any looseness in all the connection points first, replace parts, weld up worn areas, replace bushings etc, before adjustment.  Also examine rear engine mounts as they can 'settle' far enough to prevent shifting.

 

  If yes look elsewhere as the same lever is used for both low/rev.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by kencombs

[scottie]

Thanks for all the input. I am not a mechanic, so i am learning as i go. I love this truck. It is a column shift. All the other gears work perfectly. It has not been started / ran in 25 years.

[Los_Control]

I was messing with my shifter, going to remove it from the steering column etc ... when I bolted it back together, I only had 2nd, 3rd gear.

 

2 leevers coming off the trans, 1 is 1rst/reverse other is 2nd/3rd

I put the gear shift in neutral, then put the 2 shift levers on top of transmision in middle position & everything started working magically again.

I assume this means I have excess play and need to do some adjusting, may be what you need also.

 

Other option you can just crawl under the truck and manually shift it into reverse, then start truck with clutch pedal to the floor ... let up on clutch just to verify trans is working.

[JBNeal]

additional information - column shifter adjustments 

[Tooljunkie]

I figured mine out with the floor pans removed. 

[kencombs]

13 hours ago, scottie said:

Thanks for all the input. I am not a mechanic, so i am learning as i go. I love this truck. It is a column shift. All the other gears work perfectly. It has not been started / ran in 25 years.

Not to be argumentative, but to caution you:  Be absolutely sure that it goes into low gear before dismissing the linkage adjustment.  If the adjustment is off, it will go forward when placed into what appears to be low,  but it will be high gear, not low.  These engines are so torquey (made up word there) at idle, and the diferential is so low geared that they will move almost effortlessly, leading one to believe it may be in low.