Series 3 stuck in 4wheel drive

As above, this gearbox was a spare and been standing a while, just got everything set up on a series three i have been building up and find it's stuck in 4 wheel drive, any tips for this problem, or is it knackered ?

Probably just gummed up (assuming it was ok before).
Possible it's the 4wd lever at the front, see if can be oiled/beaten into moving. Otherwise you'll have to take the cover off.

don''t know wether it was ok before it came with a series three i bought just for spares, which cover you mean SpringDon ?

I have a similar issue when I had a IIA; it was easily solved by reversing backward about 10 foot. It's something to do with wind-up within the gearbox.

Ok,i have heard of that, i will try it tomorrow, thanks

Does it have the body cover over the gearbox ?
And does this have the Spring and spring holder in place under the yellow knob?
And if these are in place it is still not disengaging when pulling the red lever back and forward again?

Red lever forward - yellow knob up - high range 2WD
Red lever forward - yellow knob down - high range 4WD
Red lever back - low range 4WD - (this is also needed to change out of high range 2WD)

The yellow knob position for Hi- range 4WD is usually with the spring below it nearly fully compressed.
If you have tried this with the red lever fully forward, and it has sprung back up again, there is probably shite inside the tin plate cover...

peter8315 said:

don''t know wether it was ok before it came with a series three i bought just for spares, which cover you mean SpringDon ?

Click to expand...

front of front output housing ,there are 3 shafts poke through, the red knob lever and 2 hidden behind a tin cover ,when you pull red back the others have to come forward through the housing ,these get seized through corrosion

Could be wind up but that's most likely if you've been driving on Tarmac for some time in 4wd.
The first cover is the double column one on the front of the box where the front prop comes out. There is a shaft that moves with the yellow lever, this can seize here. If it still can't be freed, the box might need to come off.

No got no covers on yet, so quite accessable

SpringDon i havn't drove it yet its one i am restoring, so only just got engine running to try the box today, but i will have a look tomorrow it sounds promising that it might just be corrosion

Spray the three shifts with wd40 or similiar and move high low lever two shafts should move middle one is 4wd lock when red lever is back this shaft should go backwards lift the lever in front of box that locks two wheel drive ,then move high low lever forward with latter lever lifted should hold middle shaft in place . If the offside shaft is not moving spray and gently tap the shaft end there is an internal Spring once it starts moving against Spring it will eventually pop out to the right position

Had another play this morning, took off tin cover for end of shafts and both shafts seem to be free, tried reversing to unlock as prior suggestions,still same.
will have another bash 2morrow with Blackburn's advice

when you pull the red one back does the outer one push out

Shaft info copied from another post I had elsewhere unfortunately photos have not copied across I had also posted on here but away so only using my phone .
"I have been taking some measurements of shaft positions as below.
high 2wd h/l 68mm 4wd lock 15mm 4wd shaft 27mm
High 4wd h/l 68mm 4wd lock 27mm 4wd shaft 51mm
Low 4wd h/l 44mm 4wd lock 15mm 4wd shaft 51mm
Nuetral h/l 44mm 4wd lock 15mm 4wd shaft 44mm"
So significant movement on shafts

Well spent ages messing with this, done all the things suggested, and still stuck in 4wd, all the rods are moving ok, is there any thing inside that would cause this problem as i am going to take gearbox out and have a look inside the t/box

rods are prone to come dislodged from the pivot

Thanks Jame's, going to have a look in the box

Won't be in the tbox, look in the output box.

Yes thats what i ment, and can't seem to get into it