Topic: G52 Reverse Problem

[kzunell]

My new 1983 toy 2wd diesel G52 7.5" 3.91 geared truck suddenly stopped going into reverse. I was wheel rolling a dirt pad (compacting the dirt by driving back and forth on it) and after about 30 or so shifts into reverse it just would not go into reverse, no grinding and the trans would shift into any other gear with no problem. I tried rocking the truck and then shifting into reverse, no luck, tried with clutch out to see if it would grind and still no luck. Finally got it into reverse by yanking really really hard. Trans shifted fine after that for another 30 or so cycles between 1st and reverse. Drove 10 miles to get lunch shifted into reverse fine then stopes to get hay and it shifted into reverse once fine then 30 seconds later it did it again on a perfectly flat concrete pad.

What can cause this intermittent reverse lock out??

There is no body lift and all mounts look good and the clutch feels perfect.

Could it be a detent ball problem?

The shift does not seem to have any extra play in it, actually feels really good.

[kzunell [OP]]

  Well yesterday was an interesting day, I was out driving in the desert and stopped and pulled up to a joshua tree so the truck was in the shade. went for a short hike and came back and tried to leave....well no reverse!!!!! So I put a rock in front of a tire and put it in neutral and hop out and try to push the truck backward, I am on too much of a slope!!!!   
  So I stop and think for a second and figure out my plan of attack. I jack up the front end of the toyota and block one rear tire then I push the truck off the jack sideways. I have thefront of the truck now about 6" farther right than before. I repeat this about 5 times and I have the front of the truck clear of the tree, hop in and drive off! 
  Of course I stop and try reverse and it now works perfectly again.

  I am going to put a rear mounted winch on it so I have a better way of getting it out of trouble till I can figure out why it sometimes just wont go into reverse.