Hi All,

 

I'm having problems with the Gear Selector on my manual-transmission 2010 Yeti. The nut in the centre of the Gear Selector collar (the bit that rotates a bit when you change gear, nut arrowed in attached photo) keeps coming loose, and when it gets too loose the Gear Selector collar slips off the teeth of the gearbox cog underneath, looses its alignment and only allows me to select 2nd, 4th & 6th gears. This has happened twice so far in the last 6 weeks or so.

 

Mr RAC Guy says that he would expect there to be some kind of locking nut stopping this nut from coming loose but there doesn't seem to be one. I don't think anything has fallen off, and what technical diagrams I can find online do not give any explanation if this single nut is supposed to be a locking nut of some kind.

 

Can someone please tell me what is supposed to stop this nut from coming loose and causing this problem?

 

Kind Regards,

Alan G

 

Dunno but why not take it off, clean it and put some Loctite on before resembling?

10 minutes ago, Urrell said:

Dunno but why not take it off, clean it and put some Loctite on before resembling?

Tempting but I would prefer to find out what kept it from coming loose originally. Would I be able to tell if the nut was originally self-locking and now needs to be replaced?

I just noticed that on the linkage above it there is a what appears to be a hole for a split pin, without a split pin.

 

4 minutes ago, gumdrop said:

I just noticed that on the linkage above it there is a what appears to be a hole for a split pin, without a split pin.

 

It looks like that but the technical drawings seem to indicate it is a push-clip which doesn't need one. The issue I have is the grey collar bit keeps loosing its alignment due to the nut coming loose. RAC Guy couldn't find anything else wrong.

If it has been loose for a while and the mating surfaces have become worn then it will keep coming loose.

The alloy component should be a snug fit on the shaft with no rotational movement even without the nut. The nut is there to keep it on. If there is any rotational movement then it can turn underneath the nut and keep undoing it. If you loc-tite the nut it may stay on but the the parts could still move and continue to wear until completely unusable.

So nothing missing its just unfortunate it came loose for the first time.

 

Put another nut on top of the one shown.

Then tighten the two nuts together, that should stop it coming off.

Alternatively, replace original nut with a Nyloc nut. (as shown below)

 

Hi Alan

 

It's hard to tell from a photo, but the original nut might be the type that relies on being slightly deformed to an oval shape ("stiff nut"), or it might be peened on with a punch.  Neither of these is as good once movement has happened, either accidentally or deliberately

 

I agree with Carlo diesel, and recommend replacing it with a nyloc type, making sure that the thread goes all the way through the nylon insert.  A dab of paint or nail varnish will then act as a tell-tale for any unwanted loosening

Thank you all for your replies.

 

@RickT

What rotational movement are you referring to? From what I can see the collar part moves correctly with the gear linkage but does not seem to move any other way.

 

@Carlodiesel & @Austin 7

The double-nut or replacement nut idea seems like a good one, but I am paranoid about removing that nut now just in case the collar slips and I lose the gear alignment again. Also, silly question I know, but how do these Nyloc nuts work? I have never fitted one before so what causes them to lock in place, and how easily can they be removed once locked?

21 minutes ago, CmdrStarbuck said:

how do these Nyloc nuts work? I have never fitted one before so what causes them to lock in place

A nylon insert that tightens on the thread.