Difficulty shifting from forward to neutral (rephrase of question)

[kwalters]

I had my forward adjusting collar tightened one notch to stop a slipping problem when in forward. Now it is quite difficult to move from forward to neutral. Something is going to break eventually I am sure. Is it normal for it to get harder to move from forward to neutral as the collar is tightened? With the engine off I can move the lever at the gear box easily into and out of forward(I have not tried this with the engine running) and I can see the shifter on the pedestal move freely. Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot this? I have read all the FAQs and other threads here on the forum and am still at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed. Thanks!
Ken

[boater tom]

replacement part should fix it

kwalters,

I had the same problem this summer.

I was slipping forward, and tightened the collar one notch. While this fixed the slipping problem, it now takes a lot of force to shift, mostly from forward to neutral--so much so that it may overstress the linkage or gear shifter.

This is a common problem and Don Moyer has made part that should fix--it is a replacement notched collar that has more notches, and the notches are closer together.

I have not tried this part yet only because I think you may have to remove the engine to install it--though I'm not sure.

[kwalters]

How to tell if you already have the improved collar or not?

As I recall this is a problem with the older models and Universal made the fix themselves in later years. I wonder how one tells if they already have the collar with more notches installed and if so the problem lies elsewhere? At least the transmission would need to come out and I would want to make sure I really needed it before going to all that work.

[sastanley]

In the Moyer Catalog, they show the two collars side by side. search details are below.

I don't think you need to yank the engine, but I'd imagine you need to pull the shaft at a minimum and probably have some detailed work in the reversing gear housing to change collars.

I don't think very many engines have the newer collar...I think this was at the very end of the run according to what I have read here.

Search for this partial part number in the online catalog for more info - 306

[boater tom]

Has anyone tried this stall?

Installing the new improved notched collar is on my list of winter fixes, but I am hesitant to try it because it might be beyond my abilities. But for a few simple repairs in the past couple of years, I am brand new to A4 repair (or any other type of engine), and am learning pretty much exclusively from this site (which has been extremely helpful). However, the machinery inside the reversing gear looks kind of complicated for me to try to take apart.

--Can anyone out there who has performed this install give me an estimate of the level of difficulty? How much of the engine/reversing gear must be disassembled to get at the collar and replace it?

I would hate to have to pay a real mechanic extra just to clean up my mess if I botched it.

Any advice or comment would be appreciated. Thanks.

[keithems]

shift mechanism or cable problems?

I had my forward adjusting collar tightened one notch to stop a slipping problem when in forward. Now it is quite difficult to move from forward to neutral. Something is going to break eventually I am sure. Is it normal for it to get harder to move from forward to neutral as the collar is tightened? With the engine off I can move the lever at the gear box easily into and out of forward(I have not tried this with the engine running) and I can see the shifter on the pedestal move freely. Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot this? I have read all the FAQs and other threads here on the forum and am still at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed. Thanks!
Ken

it's not clear to me -- but if u can shift ok by using the shift lever on the engine, the problem may well be your cable -- i suggest u review my recent posts on this subject -- in my case, shifting was so difficult i bent the solid stainless steel shifting lever -- and at 5'9" -- 165 lbs., i'm not all that strong -- [i'm not all that weak either, so don't try anything funny ] i'll try to post a photo of the bent shifter this weekend -- but for now, a change of cable might be all you require.

[kwalters]

Additional info

I removed the shift linkage at the transmission and the cable and handle at the pedestal and they move easily, so that is not the problem.

The reason I thought the shift lever at the transmission moved easily enough was because I had lots of leverage grabbing it at the top as opposed to close the shaft on the bottom as is the case with the linkage.

I am going to try backing off the collar one notch just to confirm that it indeed slips. At that point I will know if I need to try the improved collar.

Ken

[kwalters]

resolution without collar replacement

As you may recall the forward adjusting collar on my A4 was either too loose or too tight. I realized the slipping was a safety issue as I took an unplanned tour of the marina this spring in a fresh breeze and at one point really needed full throttle forward to avoid a pier. Luckily a crew member was able to fend off and I avoided contact as the reversing gear slipped.

I asked the folks at Hartge Yacht Yard in Galesville, MD to have a look at it and see if there was something they could try that I had not. As I had done, they moved the linkage down to the hole furthest from the rod on the reversing gear (more leverage) but they then also adjusted reverse and possibly forward again in such a way that there was no slipping and the lever could be moved from forward to neutral with out fear of breaking anything or getting it stuck.

So in the end a combination of adjustments by a professional provided satisfactory resolution without the expense of the new improved collar.

--Ken