Help, tranny gears won't go back into place

[coletrain777]

Hey guys and gals
I just fixed the gears in my 79 xs1000 and now I cant get the gears and shaft to go back in (followed directions per 1st and 2nd gear dremel fix). I found the assembly a little difficult to remove but after about 5 min it came out. Now when I try to reinstall the middle drive assembly I just cant seem to get the shaft assembly back into the right side bearing (hope you understand). I have tried for over an hour with no success in getting the gearbox back together. Any tips or suggestions??? Please help

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Coletrain777,

It's been a few years since I was inside one, mine and 2 XJ's, but I, too, remember having trouble with the first one. IIRC, it turned out being the shift fork shaft was turned so that the notch that is cut out of it was not facing the gear's teeth, and so it didn't allow enough room to allow the gear to slide sideways to get the shaft into position into that bearing!! See pix:
.

You have to have the forks in position, but you don't have to have the fork shift shaft, the forks can lay atop the other gears/shaft (provided you're doing the upsidedown technique!). Then you can slide the fork shaft into place.

Hope this helps. If not, be a bit more specific about what other parts you already have installed, ie., shift forks, shaft, etc., but I'm pretty sure this is it!

[Ken Talbot]

If you haven't already come across them, check out the reassembly secret articles here It can be a little tricky, but what came apart will eventually go back together...

[sksxs1100]

dont forget to take a beer break, go back, tilt your head to the left, stick out your tounge to the side, and try again... I fought mine for 2 hours... took a smoke break and the dang thing popped right in