If you’ve just fitted a reconditioned gearbox to your Land Rover and found that either 1 to 2nd or 3rd to 4th shifts aren’t so good or feel stiff it is probably because you need to make some little adjustments.

Worry not though, as this is very common on rebuild boxes, particularly if its not your original gearbox. The fix is very simple though, and wont take you very long at all.

If you have a Defender to need to remove the rubber boot on the turret where you gear stick fits. This will reveal two springs with two adjusting bolts and locknuts. These springs are what return you gear stick back to its rest position when you let it go. The rest position can be adjusted with these adjuster bolts.

With a reconditioned gearbox you will need to adjust these screws to match up with the selectors so that you get a nice smooth gear shift. To start you need to figure out which way it wants adjusting and which bolt to adjust first. To start, we will set the 3rd and 4th plane. You’ll need to take the car for a drive, when changing from 3rd to 4th hold the stick to either the left or right when changing instead of just letting it fall in to its rest position. By holding it slightly to the left or slight to the right you will find which side offers the smoothest change. Now you know which way the rest position need to be set and with the two adjusters you can simply adjust it until you’re happy.

You’ll be happy to know, that by adjusting the rest position like that, all your shifts should be nicer.

If you have a Discovery, then its slightly different. You’ll need to remove the cover at the end of your gear stick which will all you to get to the bias plate and springs. This plate and springs determine the rest position of your gear stick, which should be in the 3rd/4th plane. The bias plate will need adjusting to allow the stick to align with the selectors correctly and allow a nice clean gear change.

First off you will need to figure out if you want to move the bias plate to the left or to the right. To do this you will need to take the car for a drive. Hold the gear stick slight to the left then slightly to the right when making you 3rd to 4th change. Doing this will allow you to  determine which was the rest position need to move to allow a smoother change. Once you know which way the plate needs moving you can slacken the 4 bolts holding it and move it. The holes in the plate a elongated, which will allow you to move it. Tighten the bolts back up when you are happy and its a job well done.

Remember to replace any rubber boots that should be fitted and to grease up your shifters.