Toploader pops out of third and fourth

[Jac Mac]

Originally Posted by MOTORHEAD

Jac Mac: thanks for the specs. I put the detent spring back in and left the washer off, and drove it. This gave a little tension just before the bolt head seated. I almost couldn't get it into 3rd or 4th. Pushed harder and got the gears, but it felt like I was shoving rocks into the shifter, very rough !!! Put it on the hoist today, took out the bolt and spring and after much faniggiling, extracted the double ended "bullet". nothing else in there. Operation went from normal shifting effort to almost impossible to shift, then only difference was I removed the washer under the bolt head, which is pretty thick and not at all soft.
The "cut" spring measures .377" in length, and .290" dia. Wire dia. = .048", and very stiff.
"bullet" length = .456".

Just wont work with that spring @ 0.377", has to be longer to have enough usable compression. How long is the thread length on the bolt, should be 0.350" without the washer, so ~0.310" with the washer. The 'bullet or detent' has to move ~0.180" during the shifting process so using that 'cut' spring wont help you, and leaving it out wont help either as the detents are required to line up the interlocks and allow the other gears to be selected.
David Kee Toploaders part # for the spring is **DK 296 28 **, cost $3.00 in 2009, allow for inflation He probably has the correct bolt as well if the one you have is too long, but you should be able to cut it down to those measurements I have given if that's the case.