Shift Lever Problem

[thiggy]

I removed my shift lever this AM to check if there was anything visible which was causing a clicking noise in first and reverse. I was checking to see if there was anything obvious such as a chipped tooth on a gear, but couldn't see anything which looked like it may be the cause of the noise. However, I did find a strange item. In the attached photo, note the small tab (about 1/2" X 1/16") which had broken off the underside of the lever quadrant. Fortunately, it had not fallen into the tranny, but had stuck to the edge of the shift lever mating surface. Can someone tell me what purpose this tab serves and is there any reason to be concerned about using the tractor without it, as long as the shift lever works properly? Thanks

http://photos.cubfest.com/displayimage.php?pos=-35260

[Bob McCarty]

I think it serves to align the slotted piece when it's inserted, and also indicates when it has been inserted far enough. Your shifter should be okay without it.

Bob