Installing new AT Shift Tube. Need help.

[BGBronco]

Long story, short. PO had an issue with the AT column shifter and installed a B&M. I'm trying to get the shift capability back on the column.

I bought a new tube and a new collar, took it apart and the old ones weren't broken. I'm thinking the welded piece popped out of the shift lever and never went back in.

I can slide the new (and old) tube back into the shift lever without the spring but the spring is making it impossible.

Not sure if there is a trick to it or not but the spring tension (or something) is making this something that I can't figure out. I've watched a few videos on the internet and it doesn't seem that hard to do but something is not working.

I'm wondering if the spring is wrong or if there is a problem further down the line.

Thank you!

 

[jckkys]

My '77 had the tab fall off the shift tube and had to have it brazed on. It never failed again. The factory spot welds just gave up. I took everything out the top while leaving the column in place.

 

[BGBronco]

all of my tabs are in place.

 

[jckkys]

I was trying to interpret your description of the problem. The shift lever is 1 piece of steel. Nothing is welded onto it. There's just a plastic knob and a role pin through it, as a pivot axis. The shift collar turns the shift tube by engaging the tab spot welded to the top of the shift tube and the arm at the bottom is turned by another tab spot welded at the bottom. These are the only welded parts that can come off. If the spring on the bottom of the shift tube isn't pushing the shift tube up far enough the top tab my not go into the recess cast into the shift collar. Assembling these is a PITA with the spring pushing the shift tube up while you compress the spring and try to align the tabs and install the weird bolts that secure the shift collar. The youtube creator tried to do it 1 handed while recording, a bigger PITA.