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


4 posters

    Shift arms still hanging up

    Strato1
    Strato1


    Number of posts : 14
    Location : Bel Air, MD
    Registration date : 2017-02-07

    Shift arms still hanging up Empty Shift arms still hanging up

    Post by Strato1 Tue Feb 07, 2017 10:12 am

    Hi Guys new to the site, new van owner and I have a very common question but can't find the answer to this part of it.

    I have a 65 econoline with a 170. (I bought the orange Baxter tv repair van that you might have seen in the for sale in Baltimore a month or so ago).I completely rebuilt the steering column, new rubber bushings on the shift arms from Mac's, new bushings on the transmission side. Completely dismantled and cleaned up the shifter tube and added new spring clips.

    Everything is much tighter and you can actually feel the shift pattern now, before it was a very loose and vague mess.

    But I am still having shifter lock up issues, and always at very inopportune moments (to the point where I'm considering swapping in an automatic).

    Here is the question part: underneath the van where the rods go through the support where the shift rods pass through, there is no rubber bushing left, but i have read that there is supposed to be. Its just metal on metal for me, but there is some remnant of a plastic ferrule or something on there on one of the rods I'm wondering if that is my sticking point.

    I probably should have paid more attention to what gear i'm in when they stick, but I'm thinking it might always be third trying to move out and down to second or even first if at rest. If I remeber correctly it seems like I have to jump out and wiggle the shift arm closest to the engine to free it up but dont quote me on that, I'm usually in a panic to just get it unstuck in traffic.

    Any advice on what those through the frame bushings are, what they are supposed to look like, or where to find them? Part number?

    When I get back home tonight I'm going to try and align the shift rods again and see if it helps, but something is still binding and its frightening to be stuck on a hill in rush hour traffic in a van that wont shift!

    If anybody wants to post a pic of what that area is suppoed to look like I would appreciate that.
    Barnabas
    Barnabas
    Vintage-Vans Listings Manager
    Vintage-Vans Listings Manager


    Number of posts : 2011
    Location : Raleigh, NC
    Age : 64
    Registration date : 2011-01-16

    Shift arms still hanging up Empty Re: Shift arms still hanging up

    Post by Barnabas Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:38 pm

    They are hard-plastic grommets. On my first van, they were gone and the shift rods had developed a nasty notch where they vibrated against that part of the frame. That made shifting quite an ordeal. I do not have details on them right now.

    If you have long skinny arms, you might be able to reach down in front of the radiator to wiggle the shift rods. I used to do that when I was much younger.
    donivan65
    donivan65
    Governor
    Governor


    Number of posts : 12218
    Location : San Diego, California
    Registration date : 2008-05-12

    Shift arms still hanging up Empty Re: Shift arms still hanging up

    Post by donivan65 Tue Feb 07, 2017 2:49 pm

    i dont know exactly what your shift rod support looks like but this is the stuff what I use on my Chevy,,,,are the lock out springs tight inside the trans,,,,,,,do they hold the levers in the 2nd/N/3rd and the R/N/1st positions,,,,,,,,,you are probably getting locked up between gears,,,,,,one lever has to return to Neutral before the other one can get in and out of its gear,,,,,,I think I would adjust the rods a little tighter  once you see who aint doing its job,,,,,if you say everything is tight,,,,,sometimes the levers at the column could be worn or loose and they dont pull a rod back to Neutral before moving the other rod to another gear,,,,,,or the rod is moving the lever out of Neutral because of the engine or trans moves  pulls it,,,,,,like a mount problem,,,,,





    Shift arms still hanging up Shift_10
    Strato1
    Strato1


    Number of posts : 14
    Location : Bel Air, MD
    Registration date : 2017-02-07

    Shift arms still hanging up Empty Re: Shift arms still hanging up

    Post by Strato1 Tue Feb 07, 2017 4:33 pm

    what is that black coiled material you used?

    The van is going through MD inspection at the moment so it is not here. I'll take a couple of pics wen I get it back from the shop in a day or so.
    jrdunn96
    jrdunn96


    Number of posts : 690
    Location : Cashion, OK
    Age : 62
    Registration date : 2016-01-01

    Shift arms still hanging up Empty Re: Shift arms still hanging up

    Post by jrdunn96 Tue Feb 07, 2017 4:48 pm

    Strato,
    Donivan's looks like "wire loom".  Here's what I did.  I got two half inch PVC male adapters(I used the gray electric conduit as it is thicker) and two conduit locknuts(were on the same aisle at Lowe's).  Then I stuck them through the holes where the plastic grommets went.  Cheap, easy & works great!  Here's a pic.
    JimShift arms still hanging up Resize13
    donivan65
    donivan65
    Governor
    Governor


    Number of posts : 12218
    Location : San Diego, California
    Registration date : 2008-05-12

    Shift arms still hanging up Empty Re: Shift arms still hanging up

    Post by donivan65 Tue Feb 07, 2017 5:14 pm

    Shift arms still hanging up Shift_11
    Strato1
    Strato1


    Number of posts : 14
    Location : Bel Air, MD
    Registration date : 2017-02-07

    Shift arms still hanging up Empty Re: Shift arms still hanging up

    Post by Strato1 Tue Feb 07, 2017 5:20 pm

    Thanks Jr, I'm definitely giving that a try.

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