Land Rover Repair: hi and low range, gear boxes, rest position

Question
I just brought a 110 1984 2.25 petrol and can't get it into low range.I heard this is a common problem when it hasn't been used what can I do?

Answer
Hi Mark,

not too sure about this...being a Disco owner.  However, other 110 owners have commented that it could be a gear linkage adjustment problem OR lubrication.  Have you changed the oil lately?  I'm leaning towards gearstick adjustment myself.  

Here's what one fellow owner suggests:

<< If you have the Defender LT 77 gear boxes you must have the gearstick bias set up correctly for them to shift nicely.

You have 2 things to check,

firstly for the 3rd and 4th bias pull up the rubber boot at the bottom of the gear stick and you will see 2 fat springs, these springs are resting on 2 bolts with locknuts, by adjusting these 2 bolts you will move the gearstick rest position, adjust it so that you loose some of the play and get it to line up with the 3 and 4 gate by leaning the stick either left or right, this should help the 3rd shift,

you need to do a similar thing to improve the 2nd shift, the 1st and 2nd plane is set by the shims behind the reverse plunger, add and subtract them to adjust the plane position which should help the 2nd shift.  >>

I hope this helps,

JohnMc