Series 3 Floored selector rod...? Transmission wind-up? FWH's?

The selector rod of my car is floored and floppy. It won't pop back up when I shift between 2WD and 4WD, and has never done so during the very short time I have owned my Series 3 88" truck cab diesel. The previous owner said it "had always been like that", but he had free-wheeling hubs fitted, which were removed at the time of my purchase.

So, I suppose the chance of getting a transmission wind-up is extremely high if I was to keep on driving, ignoring this...? How quick does transmission wind-up occur? My garage, which aren't used to Landies, but skilled in most cars, has had a look at it and thinks it is something inside the gearbox, since the selectror rod is connected as it should be. But what could it be? Do I need a new gearbox? There is no grinding or noise from the gearbox. Could the risk for transmission wind-up be reduced by refitting free-wheeling hubs, as a temporary fix? Lots of thoughts and questions, so I list them to facilitate the wise ideas of fellow forum members...:

1. How likely am I to end up with transmission wind-up if I keep on driving?
2. How quick does transmission wind-up occur (on solid ground)?
3. What's the problem with my selector rod/gearbox?
4. Could the risk for transmission wind-up be reduced by refitting free-wheeling hubs, even if the selector rod seems to have given up?

its either broken or spring isnt doing its job, hold it up then pull lever fully back then forward if it was in 4wd youll feel it go upwards

Most likely the selector rods are seized in the front output casing take the little tin cover off and spray with release fluid give the shafts a tap back agaisnt springs and they will eventually free up.

Does it feel a bit peculiar to drive and awkward to turn around a tight corner/wants to keep going straight on? If not then it's not in 4wd and isn't winding up.

The garage fitted a new spring to the selector rod, since the old one was.... gone. The thing now works as intended, as in popping back up when I shift from H to L and back. But, I still don't think the 2WD/4WD works as intended.

The solution was to fit freewheeling hubs... and ignore the gearbox issue for now. That disconnects the 4WD thing, and should reduce the risk of transmission wind-up. It does feel a bit awkward to turn around tight corners/wanting to keep going straight on, but I think it is the nature of the Landy in question....

Didn't the garage test it whilst off the ground?

You could easily test it yourself if you have axle stands perhaps? I think it's an issue which wants confirming / fixing.

Free wheel hubs do not like the shafts turning when they are disengaged.

Do the test,jack up one front wheel and in high ratio [yellow knob up] see if it spins.If not then do what Blackburn say's in his first post.

Thanks guys. The garage did test it off-ground, and the FWH's did work as intended, so it seems that the wind-up issue has been avoided. I am probably still stuck with the original issue though, i e the gearbox "stuck" in 4WD. To make sure that nothing happens to the FWH's or shafts, I make sure that I engage them every 120 kilometres or something, so everything gets lubricated. The car won't be used much until next spring anyway, so everything is hunky-dory for now. Blackburn, your comment about seized selector rods is very interesting, so that will be the next item of investigation. I am not entirely sure which tin cover you mean though, is it by any chance 266956 "DUST COVER" according to the parts catalogue (jun 1988 edition, page 1H10)? It's the last page but one in this document: http://www.seriesdiesellandrover.com/series-3-part-manual-3.pdf

Edit Nov 16: Or is it this cover... (see below)? The red marking is made by me.



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