Atlas makes a cable shifter that's pretty slick. If you have floor shifter clearance issues, that's an easy fix. Its only money. I was going to grab one for mine, but once I adjusted the levers, I haven't had a problem with it popping out (does still bind a bit, but not bad).
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It takes a village to raise an idiot.
I was thinking about your Atlas popping out only going downhill. My levers don't shift at all in the van, whereas in the Jeep the Atlas levers flex left and right depending on if I'm braking or acclerating.
If your levers are shifting (rolling with the transmission/engine) then you might look for a broken engine or tranny mount, which would allow the Atlas to roll on engine braking and hit the floorpan popping it out.
I was thinking about your Atlas popping out only going downhill. My levers don't shift at all in the van, whereas in the Jeep the Atlas levers flex left and right depending on if I'm braking or acclerating.
If your levers are shifting (rolling with the transmission/engine) then you might look for a broken engine or tranny mount, which would allow the Atlas to roll on engine braking and hit the floorpan popping it out.
That's an interesting thought. I'm not sure that's it (actually, pretty sure it can't be)... it happend in the first 6 months of ownership (and the first we tried using it in such a situation). Since then, I've taken it in to SMB, and they didn't find anything; I'm assuming they'd have found a broken mount? But hey, who knows....
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2006 RB50 6.0 Diesel
Flatplate water heater (mounted INSIDE), portable butane stove (no propane)
SMB 4WD
Amsoil