Manual Shift Tube Question

[NJBronk]

Rebuilding my column (3 on the tree) and the tab on the shift tube looks decent (welds in place) but the hole has rounded out / opened up a bit. I’m 99% sure the play in my shifter was due to the shift collar hole also being rounded out (where the roll pin holds the handle on) and the broken/worn bushings between the shifter arms.

But, while I have this all apart, I’m not sure if there’s anything I can/should do to repair this hole? I hate to go through all this and still have sloppy shifts…. But also not sure what I can do about it. Any thoughts?

 

[DirtDonk]

Not sure what you can do, or what you can get away with either. What does the pin look like? Or the hole in the other part, if there is another hole?

 

[NJBronk]

The end of the shift handle looks ok. I’m not sure how tight this should be in the hole on the shift tube.

I’m replacing the shift collar due to the hole where the roll pin goes being worn open…

 

[NJBronk]

So with tighter clearances on the shift collar (both the hole for the roll pin and where the handle bottoms out inside the column when pulling the shift lever towards you), it seems I now can’t fully disengage 2/3 and engage 1/R.

I’m assuming it’s because the slack in this hole in the shift tube tab, so I may try to replace or repair this one, unless there’s something else that might be causing the issue?

 

[DirtDonk]

Is this with the transmission connected and actually shifting? Or just going through the motions on the column itself?

 

[NJBronk]

Is this with the transmission connected and actually shifting? Or just going through the motions on the column itself?

Just going through the motions with the column still out of the truck. I wanted to make sure everything works before putting it back in.

The shift handle seems to be bottoming out on the collar before pushing the tube down far enough to disengage 2/3.

 

[phred]

Check the other end of the tube. They have a tendency to “stretch” and crack at the end where it contacts the shift arms on the column

 

[NJBronk]

Check the other end of the tube. They have a tendency to “stretch” and crack at the end where it contacts the shift arms on the column

It shifted into gear before the rebuild, it was just loose and sloppy so I replaced the shift collar (hole where roll pin goes was worn so handle itself was sloppy), replaced bearings and shift bushings. I did paint the shift arms but then filed the paint off the inside edges. I’ll double-check that there isn’t paint there.

But again, it looks like the handle is bottoming out here (I even tried to file it a bit to see if I could get there, but didn’t want to go so far as to create a sloppy feel again…):

 

[NJBronk]

I'm thinking about trying to get the hole welded up and re-drilled - does anyone have dimensions for the shift tab (e.g., distance from end of tube or tab to the center of the hole, and diameter of the hole)?

 

[Jonathan_Cole]

Just going through the motions with the column still out of the truck. I wanted to make sure everything works before putting it back in.

The shift handle seems to be bottoming out on the collar before pushing the tube down far enough to disengage 2/3.

What does the bottom of the shift tube look like? I pulled mine over the weekend and the lower collar for the spring had split and came off the tube when I pulled it apart.

 

[NJBronk]

Bottom end is in good shape. The tube overall is good except for the wallowed out hole…

I was also able to test the shift arms on the bottom of the tube with it outside the column and both fit fine with no resistance.

 

[Jonathan_Cole]

I think before welding and drilling, I'd use something on the shifter (tape or something else) to build the pin up slightly and see if that helps.

 

[NJBronk]

I think before welding and drilling, I'd use something on the shifter (tape or something else) to build the pin up slightly and see if that helps.

That's smart, didn't even think of that... obviously not a permanent solution, but it would at least indicate that that's the problem. I'll give it a shot!

 

[Oldtimer]

. . . . .both the hole for the roll pin . . . .

Roll pin???

My Bronco had spring (7208) loaded trunnion pins (7B125), that had a larger diameter for the shift lever hole.
There was also a rubber bushing (7246) that eliminated some of the play.

 

[Jonathan_Cole]

Roll pin???

My Bronco had spring (7208) loaded trunnion pins (7B125), that had a larger diameter for the shift lever hole.
There was also a rubber bushing (7246) that eliminated some of the play.

View attachment 923888

My 66 had the same spring. It shot across the garage Saturday when I took it apart. I need to find another one.

 

[NJBronk]

My 66 had the same spring. It shot across the garage Saturday when I took it apart. I need to find another one.

Don't know when it changed, but later years including my 74 just have a roll pin holding the handle to the collar.

 

[DirtDonk]

A lot of changes between 73, 74 and 75 Steering columns. I’m not sure what they all were, and don’t know for sure that any basic designs changed. But lots of the individual parts did.

 

[NJBronk]

I did get the tube welded just for good measure (before and after side-by-side's below), but I think it was filing down the new shift collar that did the trick (forgot to take an after pic of that...). Now it shifts very nicely on the bench, just need to put a replacement connector on the wiring that I broke trying to fish it through the column and I'll be ready to put it back in the truck! Can't wait to feel the difference shifting!

 

[Jonathan_Cole]

What part did you have to file down on the collar?

 

[NJBronk]

What part did you have to file down on the collar?

See pic in post #8 above with the red circle around the area where I filed it down. The shift handle was bottoming out in this area before the bottom shift arm was engaged, so I used a long-shank die grinder burr to grind it down maybe 1/8" - 3/16". To determine the depth to grind I pushed the tube down using the wooden handle of a hammer and tried to mark where the bottom of the hole lined up on the collar.