problems with B&m shifter
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
problems with B&m shifter
I just recently purchased a 76 corvette with a 4 speed and it has a B&M t-handle shifter with a reverse lockout handle on it. It's very hard to shift into reverse and seems harder to shift gears in general than it should be. Any Idea what shifter this might be and whether I would need to lube or adjust anywhere to smooth it out? I have looked all over for the model but im guessing its older and no longer in production.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
From: Sayville New York
I am not trying to be funny or highjack the thread but I have always had an issue getting it into reverse from neutral. I always thought it was me. I couldn't understand why I never had a problem with any other gear just reverse
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Ok thats news to me too, but the problem is more with the lockout sticking (you pull it up to put it in reverse and when you pull it out the lockout stays up so i have to shove it down by hand before i can get it into first) and just generally feeling unwilling to go into any gear without a fair amount of force
Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 591
Likes: 3
From: Monroe Washington
B&M mega shifter? Think that was the one with the T handle... The quicksilver had where you pulled the whole lever up...
http://www.jegs.com/i/B%26M/130/8069...Fedj7AoduWIAfw
^^^ mega shifter
Oh, and it's a ratchet shifter... Meaning you slam it up, or slam it back, and it only changes gears one at a time ...
And by ratchet shifter , I mean, slam it, hit it, punch it, kick it... Only one gear change per time... The finger pull up is only to get past neutral into reverse ...
http://www.jegs.com/i/B%26M/130/8069...Fedj7AoduWIAfw
^^^ mega shifter
Oh, and it's a ratchet shifter... Meaning you slam it up, or slam it back, and it only changes gears one at a time ...
And by ratchet shifter , I mean, slam it, hit it, punch it, kick it... Only one gear change per time... The finger pull up is only to get past neutral into reverse ...
Last edited by FireballXL5; May 15, 2014 at 10:25 PM.
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,611
Likes: 345
From: No Where USA
B&M mega shifter? Think that was the one with the T handle... The quicksilver had where you pulled the whole lever up...
http://www.jegs.com/i/B%26M/130/8069...Fedj7AoduWIAfw
^^^ mega shifter
Oh, and it's a ratchet shifter... Meaning you slam it up, or slam it back, and it only changes gears one at a time ...
And by ratchet shifter , I mean, slam it, hit it, punch it, kick it... Only one gear change per time... The finger pull up is only to get past neutral into reverse ...
http://www.jegs.com/i/B%26M/130/8069...Fedj7AoduWIAfw
^^^ mega shifter
Oh, and it's a ratchet shifter... Meaning you slam it up, or slam it back, and it only changes gears one at a time ...
And by ratchet shifter , I mean, slam it, hit it, punch it, kick it... Only one gear change per time... The finger pull up is only to get past neutral into reverse ...
Those are auto shifters, he says he has a 4 speed.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 591
Likes: 3
From: Monroe Washington
My bad guys... It didn't sink in when I read it ... Probly cause I just converted from a 3 speed th350 to a 4 speed 700R4... And back in the day when I heard B&M shifter, I thought of the ratchet shifters... More of my experience stems from automatics... So it seemed odd to me personally that a manual would have a reverse lockout of any kind.. Just my inexperience... Carry on. ;-)
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,626
Likes: 2,553
Owners Manual
I have a 69 purchased in 73 and in the owners manual it states before engaging reverse place the shifter in a forward gear. I believe the underlying reason is related to reverse not being a synchronized gear unlike the forward speeds.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,626
Likes: 2,553
Lubrication
Did you try unscrewing the shift **** and pulling out the lever and checking for the presence of dirt and the spring that forces the handle back down? What exactly on the shifter makes you think it is B&M as opposed to the stock shifter?
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
The handle is what makes me think it was a b&m but I'm aware those can be changed I didn't think the factory shifter had a lockout but I'm new to C3's and all the ones I've been around were autos
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,626
Likes: 2,553
the factory had a reverse lockout see the link
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...oducts_id=4577
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...oducts_id=4577
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
the factory had a reverse lockout see the link
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...oducts_id=4577
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...oducts_id=4577