VintAGE-Vans

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BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER.... A's, G's & E's


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    Sticky 1st gear

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    Post by Guest Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:53 am

    Ok, I finally came back to my van after 4 years of being away.
    I have had tons of work on it & it's running great. The only thing I can't figure out is first gear is hard to get. I have to come to a complete stop to get it into first gear but even while stopped it's hard to get it into first. It is possible & maybe it's me.

    I was wondering if there is anything I can do. Would I need to rebuild the steering column? Or is it something else?

    Thank You!
    Twinpilot001
    Twinpilot001


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    Location : spokane ,Wa.
    Registration date : 2009-09-28

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    Post by Twinpilot001 Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:20 am

    possibilitys = work shifter parts / bushings-look @ everything for sloppy movements . shift forks could be worn bent -yet is last thing id look for . just get someone to shift it slowly while u kook @ every attaching part.
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    Post by Guest Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:32 am

    Thanks, I'll keep working at it. It seems to me that it's the upper assembly but it could be lower assembly. When I shift holding the lower control lever ( boot ) it shifts easier but I really have to pull up and push back to get it into first but second & third are really easy to get into gear.

    Hmm I'll check the first/reverse control rod because getting it into reverse isn't easy sometimes
    donivan65
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    Post by donivan65 Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:45 pm

    64 and 65's don't have a synchronized transmission,,,,,,at a stop, shift up into 2nd and then see if it will go into 1st gear,,,,,,,,
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    Post by Guest Sun Apr 24, 2011 11:18 pm

    Thanks for the help guys. I tightened the screws for less movement. It's fine if I stay in first. If I go to second & third it's great but when I come to a stop it's harder get back into first. It takes a few times but I can get it into first. I take it out of second, stop, go up to reverse and back to first. Sometimes I'm stuck holding up traffic hahaha Smile

    Would a new steering column help make things smoother? If anyone has put in a new column let me know how it's working out for you.

    Thanks again guys !!
    donivan65
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    Post by donivan65 Sun Apr 24, 2011 11:53 pm

    The steering column does not have anything to do with the shifter,,,,,,the shifter is bolted onto it. You need to adjust the linkage,,,,,,,you start off in neutral,,,,,,you go into 1st,,,,,then the 1st and Reverse trans lever needs to go back to neutral BEFORE you can get the 2nd and 3rd lever to move. So when you look at the shift levers behind the grille, they need to be lined up like if you could put a punch or something through the holes if the rods were not in there. Adjust them at the trans if they are out of alignment. Make sure the bolts on the levers on the trans are tight,,,,,,make sure both ends of both rods have good grommets on them,,,,,,,Is the clutch adjusted properly,,,,,,Another test,,,,,,when it wont go into 1st, hold it there, shut the engine off,,,,see if it goes into 1st,,,,if it does,,,,transmission, pilot bushing or clutch is worn out,,,,,


    Sticky 1st gear Repai115
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    Post by Guest Sat Apr 30, 2011 8:53 pm

    Thanks Doni, the bracket connected to the trans was cracked and stress cracks on the other side. My neighbor is helping me weld it. I thank god for his help & yours Doni Smile
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    Post by Guest Wed May 04, 2011 7:49 am

    Ok I don't know how to weld but my neighbor does and he helped out a lot. So, if anyone is having trouble with Reverse & First this might help you. Mine was bent & broken and stress cracks on the other side. As you can see in the pictures below. We bent it back and welded it.

    1) Weld any cracks or breaks
    2) clean it up to make sure its flat so the bolts can go on nice and flat. So you don't have any play in the bracket.
    3) make sure the bracket fits on the bolt on the transmission ( the flat square hole for the bracket)
    4) Bolt it down. make sure its on securely.
    5) Check your rods and adjust them in neutral. Bolt those down and give it a spin around the block and do any adjustments if needed.
    I hope this helps someone.
    Thanks for everyone's help!

    Sticky 1st gear Img_1213

    Sticky 1st gear Img_1214

    Sticky 1st gear Img_1310

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    ChevyVanMan1


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    Post by ChevyVanMan1 Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:48 am

    On that shifter assembly that mounts on the steering box, I replaced that top bolt with a 45 degree grease zerk and use white lithium grease in there as it won't disolve all the plastic parts over time. Then, because the grease zerk didn't have quite the length of thead as the original bolt, I wrapped it all in safety wire for redundancy. Can't say it all looks great yet it does operate pretty smoothly and makes it easy to lube thru the front grill. Also, keeping everything grease up and tight seems to get me into first without double cluthing most the time.
    m1dadio
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    Post by m1dadio Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:25 pm

    every body loves pictures Very Happy

    m1d
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    ChevyVanMan1


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    Post by ChevyVanMan1 Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:05 pm

    Sorry. I should have snapped a pic while it was out of the van. Can't quite get much of an image inside the grill with my little crappy cell phone camera. Will try on a cloudy day and see if can get some light in there too. Not a pretty solution yet good so far. I figure if I lube it once a year it will get more lube than it ever had in 45 years. Of course, I'm anal so I'll lube it a lot more often. Anyway, I am a White Lithium Grease addict and use it just about wherever there is plastic or rubber. If the manuafacturers had done that from the get go I bet we see more original plastic and rubber our our vans.
    donivan65
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    Post by donivan65 Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:40 pm

    I would say it looks like this,,,,,,,,remove the retainer bolt, of which the hole goes all the way down to the shaft and put a zerk fitting in there to force grease down there,,,,,,


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    ChevyVanMan1


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    Post by ChevyVanMan1 Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:44 am

    Exactly. Thanks much for posting the pics. I put my Zerc at about 45 degrees West of North (per the pic). That allows me to get the grease line in from the grill openings. Then, because I'm anal, I wrapped safety wire around the C-shaped metal plate now held in by the zerc kind of making an X pattern over the plate and encircling the assembly. It will be obvious if you do it thus allowing the arms to move freely.

    Thanks again for saving me with the pics.

    Happy motoring, Mark
    donivan65
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    Post by donivan65 Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:39 am

    You need a long zerk to screw in there to hold that retainer on, or tap out that bottom hole and put a bolt in there,,,,,,,,and the upper bushing should be drilled out to let the grease get to the shaft,,,,,,,
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    Post by ChevyVanMan1 Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:51 am

    Putting holes in the plastic bushings would be a great idea. Mine already had a series of holes like the Delrin king pin bushings have. They looked "factory" to me but could have been done by the last rebuilder. Otherwise, my mod wouldn't get lube inside the bushing. Great catch Donivan. Please be careful drilling plastic as it shatters so easy. I was thinking a little hole punch might work too.

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