Sm465 hard to shift into low gear is this normal?

[straight6chevyguy]

Hello all I have two squarebody trucks with the sm465 transmission
Both have trouble shifting into low gear. Sometimes I have to shift in and out of other gears or in most cases shift to neutral and pop the clutch quickly and at the right timing slide it into low. This is with the engine running and truck sitting stationary.

Is this normal for a sm465? Or do both my transmissions have a problem?

[geezer#99]

Totally normal.
Low gear isn’t synchronized.

[straight6chevyguy]

Ok... with the truck sitting still/parked?
I Understand while the vehicle is moving but never had this situation with my 65 Chevy (sm420?) at least not regularly maybe every once in a while but not every time I come to a stop.
And Ive messed with a 3 on the tree before and never had this either and it's 1st gear wasn't synchronized.

[Keith Seymore]

When you say "low" - do you mean the creeper gear, or normal 1st gear?

Because you really don't need to go into creeper gear at every stop.

It's more for pulling stumps.

Normal 1st gear is more appropriate for daily driving.

K

[straight6chevyguy]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

When you say "low" - do you mean the creeper gear, or normal 1st gear?

Because you really don't need to go into creeper gear at every stop.

It's more for pulling stumps.

Normal 1st gear is more appropriate for daily driving.

K

Yeah I'm talking about the creeper/granny gear.
And yes I'm aware that you normally drive these as a three speed around town.
Which I normally do. Though the other day I was towing a 5th wheel camper trailer with my 78 c20 and it was much happier taking of in low.
My original post was not really a complaint but rather just a question if this sort of thing was normal on these transmissions.

[straight6chevyguy]

I had just initially thought that something was wrong with my transmission on my 76 C10 then I got a 78 c20 and it did the same thing so I started wondering if it was just normal or not.
If this is just the nature of the beasts then that's fine I can live with it. I found it odd because
Again I have messed with the older 4 speed in my 65 and even the 4 speed in my brother's 75 Ford highboy and there not at all this bad to shift into low gear.

[AcampoDave]

Does it crunch when you try to engage it? Im wondering if youre getting enough throw on the clutch. Also maybe it was my imagination on my own truck but it seemed smoother when i changed my oil to "Driven" brand GL4 oil from Summit. I've had a few ""graany" gear trannies and I've alway been to engage them easily into low at a complete stop when the clutch was A-OK.

[Keith Seymore]

Yes - totally normal and design intent.

K

[bnorth]

Mine does the same. Tough to get into low gear especially if truck is not running. I usually put it in low when I park and it is especially tricky if the truck is shutoff.