Shift fork assembly

Abstract

A shift fork assembly () including a shift rail member () having a slot () defined therein and a shift rail axis (), and a fork member () mounted in the slot and carried by the shift rail member. The fork member and shift rail member have movement relative to each other. The fork member has pivoting motion relative to the shift rail member about a pivot axis () that extends substantially perpendicularly relative to the shift rail axis, and the pivot axis is adapted to extend substantially between the shift rail axis and a gear axis (). Also a method for assembling a shift fork assembly () including the steps of: introducing a finger () of a fork member () into a slot () in a shift rail member (); interfitting the fork and shift rail members by disposing a received portion () of one into a receiving portion () of the other and capturing the received portion in the receiving portion; positioning a stop member () relative to a first one of the shift rail and fork members; establishing a supporting contact site between the shift rail and fork members with the stop member; and capturing the second one of the shift rail and fork members between limits of motion relative to the first one of the shift rail and fork members.