bought a 1991 300 at auction cheap, i have got it running like a top but i cant get it to shift into any gear and the rear end wont turn. im not sure if thats a related problem or ive got trans and rear end trouble. i have took the left side cover off and dont see nothing that stands out wrong. is there much to be seen if i take the right side off as well?

 

Regarding the rear end, they are prone to both brake and diff problems, brake pivots seize and linings come off and jam between shoes and drum. Diff bearings collapse and the gears jam up.

You can't see anything on the LH side as the shaft just goes through to the RH case. The selector mechanism and clutch lifter are behind the clutch cover. Never known a 300 to give selector problems. All the later, in line engines, do though and they have a similar mechanism.

 

got it to where it will shift now, i think the po had pulled the shifter shaft out when they took the cover off and had it off a couple of teeth. as for the rear end tore it apart, and apparantly they liked riding in swamps and it was full of water and had everything rusted together and the pinion was pretty much froze solid.

 

Hope you can get diff parts, last time I tried they were no longer available, though bearing kits can be got from aftermarket suppliers. The small pinion bearing is a right pain to get out, as Honda put a snap ring round the outside, and no way is that coming out again. Our usual practice is to poke at it through the tiny hole they leave, if you move it round to get the end of the clip to the hole, then pull it up through the hole, you can get it out. After that you still need to remove the bearing with a slide hammer. I never put a snap ring on the new bearing, which makes it easier for the next person to do the job. The kits contain an inner race for that bearing so you can get the pinion machined down to fit it if the bearing surface of the pinion is worn.