Modern Vespa

Hello. My SS180 will slip from second to neutral fairly often, usually when accelerating uphill, typically a little before I would shift into third. Every now and then it slips from third down to second. I am applying no pressure to the clutch when this happens.

I have read that this behavior might be a worn cruciform, but because that repair is rather intensive I'm wondering if it could be anything else. FWIW I've lived with it like this for a couple of years. I don't think it has progressed noticeably.

Thanks!

Time to crack those cases and see what is up. Too much play in the gear stack too perhaps. Cables adjusted properly of course.

If you're really lucky. Fixing this might delay replacing the cruciform for a short while.

I would just install a new selector box before I spit the case. Other-than-that, can be the runout on the shaft or cruciform.

Slipping out under a load, I haven't had that issue. I've had wanderers tho, that would stay put as long as I kept it under a load. WOT is okay by me. For short trips on a small island in the middle of pacific. I may call the guy 13 miles away to deliver my P, there is a bamboo covered early in a local shop for decorative reasons. It's on my lisp to get a foto of it and post it.

Are the gear cables nice and tight? Slackened cables will let it slip out of gear.

I keep my SS cables pretty tight, not crazy, but no slack. When I start to rotate the handle to shift gears, it shifts almost instantly, but, it's not hard to turn.

- Paul, USA