Shift Lever "Float"

[Skrain]

The shift lever on my 30 seems to "float" around when it's in gear. It shifts fine, but the lever can rotate and move around without affecting what gear it's in.
What's going on? Excess wear in the tower, or is this normal?

[Tom Wesenberg]

The shift ball is probably very worn. It should be a 1/2" ball.
If the shift lever can be rotated without lifting, then the alignment pin must be broken or missing.

[wnovinge]

If the shift lever has been replaced by one of the recent off-shore replacement levers, it is possible that the "weld" that holds the upper portion of the rod to the lower portion in the tower has broken. I am on my second new shifter lever, having replaced the first one when it broke. When the second one broke, I gave up and welded it myself to replace the skimpy defective welds done at the factory. Look carefully at the shift lever and see if it is rotating at a joint just above the top of the transmission tower; if so, this is your problem.

[Skrain]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'll check it out.

[Skrain]

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Just checked the lever. The cheap weld on the shaft broke, so the upper part of the shift lever is just rotating on the lower part.
Again, thanks for heading me in the right direction!