Should there be a centering spring for B&M shifter?

[Kenneth G Zinis]

In my '03 5 spd Rubi, with B&M short shifter by PO, doesn't have any spring action to center stick in neutral. Is this typical or is something amiss.

Thanks guys.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I've had many manual transmissions but I don't recall any of them having a centering spring for the shifter.

 

[rubicube]

my 04 with stock shifter goes to center...

 

[Chris]

No spring is needed, it should always return to center.

 

[Kenneth G Zinis]

No spring is needed, it should always return to center.

Thanks Chris. Any thoughts what to look for? Shifts smoothly, quiet, fluid level good and looks clean.

 

[Chris]

Thanks Chris. Any thoughts what to look for? Shifts smoothly, quiet, fluid level good and looks clean.

I'm not entirely sure. My experience with manual transmissions is that the transmission itself always returns the shifter to the center position. However, I'm not sure what's inside of it that causes this.

 

[WallyWest]

*edit* haha, ignore me, going off previous experience, the TJ isn't setup that way.

Usually that's caused by the little plastic connectors that hook the cables to the shifter. Blah blah whatever.

 

[Kenneth G Zinis]

Usually that's caused by the little plastic connectors that hook the cables to the shifter. Sorry, don't know all the technical terms. There are two cables, one for front to back motion, and one for side to side. For such a critical part they tend to be real flimsy. There's no spring in the shifter itself, if one or both those plastic connectors is cracked or broken the shifter will just flop around like a dead fish. Real fun when that happens while driving.

If they look fine, spray some WD 40 or whatever on both ends of the linkage cables, and look into replacing the bushings, they can also cause that issue.

Thanks WallyWest

 

[Kenneth G Zinis]

I'm not entirely sure. My experience with manual transmissions is that the transmission itself always returns the shifter to the center position. However, I'm not sure what's inside of it that causes this.

Thank you Chris

 

[Kenneth G Zinis]

Also, I checked with B&M, they said any centering action is by transmission not by shifter itself

 

[Lou]

Usually that's caused by the little plastic connectors that hook the cables to the shifter. Sorry, don't know all the technical terms. There are two cables, one for front to back motion, and one for side to side. For such a critical part they tend to be real flimsy. There's no spring in the shifter itself, if one or both those plastic connectors is cracked or broken the shifter will just flop around like a dead fish. Real fun when that happens while driving.

If they look fine, spray some WD 40 or whatever on both ends of the linkage cables, and look into replacing the bushings, they can also cause that issue.

You must have never touched a jeep Manual transmission..... this isn’t a fwd car dude....

There are no shift cables...

 

[Lou]

Where do the shift cables go wallywest?

 

[doktormane]

Also, I checked with B&M, they said any centering action is by transmission not by shifter itself

That is somewhat the case with the AX15 but on the NV3550 I can tell you that the return to center action is from the shifter housing only. I've had an issue with stock shifter recently on my 03 Rubi.

 

[Goatman]

The shift forks do the centering from pressure applied to them from the gears and/or springs on the shift rail. Only time I've not seen some sort of centering action is on a manual 3 speed. It has only two shift rails.

 

[WallyWest]

LoL, ok. No I haven't worked on my Jeep, didn't realize it was mounted right on the trans.

 

[doktormane]

The shift forks do the centering from pressure applied to them from the gears and/or springs on the shift rail. Only time I've not seen some sort of centering action is on a manual 3 speed. It has only two shift rails.

On the NV3550, if the bushings in the shifter tower are missing or worn down the shifter will be floppy. Check out the thread I made a while ago, it has a video. On the AX15 the centering mechanism is in the trans, right below the shifter tower. I am 90% sure of that because I have a spare AX15 in my garage at the moment.

 

[xxdabroxx]

along similar lines my NV3550 sometimes gets stuck and doesn't want to return to center. If I jiggle it a bit it frees up and starts working again. Think that's something in the shift tower messing up? I can feel and hear it click, it almost feels like a spring or something that gets out of whack.

 

[Bababooey]

I have the B&M short shifter in mine and can at least confirm that it should indeed return to center as mine does.

 

[doktormane]

along similar lines my NV3550 sometimes gets stuck and doesn't want to return to center. If I jiggle it a bit it frees up and starts working again. Think that's something in the shift tower messing up? I can feel and hear it click, it almost feels like a spring or something that gets out of whack.

Take the tower shifter off and open it up to inspect it. One of the two plastic bushings might be worn out.

 

[Kenneth G Zinis]

On the NV3550, if the bushings in the shifter tower are missing or worn down the shifter will be floppy. Check out the thread I made a while ago, it has a video. On the AX15 the centering mechanism is in the trans, right below the shifter tower. I am 90% sure of that because I have a spare AX15 in my garage at the moment.

Hope bushings aren't missing or worn, truck <75k miles and shifter is newer yet