my gearbox only drives in 4th gear?

hi all sorry i am new to all this i will find my way around this site in the end, i just got my 1st 109 series 3, 1973 2,1/4 petrol landy to restore and verry happy with her, my 1st problem is she only drives in 4th gear only, i have taken all the seat+floors out redy to take the gearbox off but needed to now is there anything i can check or try to see what is wrong with it befor i start taking it out it will go into all gears ok, would it be cheaper to get a nother used box or try and fix the 1 i have, thank you for your time and any help or advice

Is it that you can only get it to move in 4th or you can only get it into 4th?

Edit: Shoulda read further.

try placing the gear stick into first, you may find its because you keep putting it in fourth :doh::doh::doh:

if it truly only drives in 4th gear,its mostly likely front layshaft bearings gone as 4th gear is the connection of input shaft to mainshaft giving straight through drive ,all other gears have to go through layshaft,

its generally quicker , cheaper and easier to put in a used or recon box rather than try to rebild a box especially if you havnt been in one before..... as jm said above 4th is in most gearboxes direct drive through the mainshaft and every other gear uses other shafts and gears.

you can get just recon main box and bolt your t/box on if its okay

thanks for all the advice, she will go into all gears ok but will only move (drive) in 4th, i think i will take the box off and open it up to see if there is somthing broken inside, but i think i will try and find a nother gearbox as i have never tryd to fix any gearbox befor just changed them as the look complicated, will a gearbox off a series 1 or 2,2a fit, which gearbox would be the best to look for, thank you

im no expert buthave vague memories that series 3 had different ratios to series 2.....seem ro remember my old man moaning the new series 3 wasnt as fast in reverse as our 55 series 2

unless the last e" suffix 2a box all earleir boxes are non synchro 1st and 2nd and have different clutch release mechanism ,all can be converted but you need knowledge to do it,another used box isnt likely to be much good a recon gearbox is best idea as i said can be bought complete with transfer box as normal or seperate which seems a more common request nowadays,3rd and 4th gear are same ratio in all boxes ,1st 2nd reverse vary but slightly ,it has to be layshaft as thats only gear that doesnt use it ,there cant be any drive been transmitted through or to layshaft,depending on damage it may be or not easy to fix once box removed

I had a layshaft go in a Series box years ago, I was only able to use 4th gear, it got me home just about.

thank you all for your help and advice i had some parts off my brother to convert it to a series 2 box with the cylinder and brackets but am not shore which box to look for a 2 or series 3, thanks

series 3 if i was you

ok thanks

Great thread,
Exactly the same problem happened to my Series IIA 109 today on the dual carriageway and I had to drive to my local garage in 4th with very slow pull aways at the roundabouts.
Any comments on where to get a recon box for a 1969 Series IIA LWB?
Is it sensible to upgrade the transfer box to a High Ratio Transfer Box (from Ashcroft Transmissions) at the same time? (Don't know how much of the work is concurrent between the two)
Thanks in anticipation.

Just an update.
Gearbox replaced with an all synchro series 3 recon gearbox.
Decided to get the Ashcroft high ratio transfer box kit.
Installed by specialist (install requires modification of casing for new shaft position in transfer box).
Excellent bit of kit, 1000rpm less at 60mph cruise, 75mph max speed, 35mpg and low ratio is unaffected.

It's confirmed, 35 mpg from my new high ratio transfer box.
The high ratio kit is not cheap and not really a diy fit (unless you have a metal working shop) but in my humble opinion, well worth it.