Shift lever removal from steering column

[377]

Hello,
Can anyone tell how to remove the shift lever from a 1974 automatic steering column? There is some rust down on that end could the lever just be rusted to the shift tube and just need a little persuasion? I look forward to hearing back from back from someone who could help with this little mystery. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Teal68]

Turbotim is correct

 

[Viperwolf1]

Hello,
Can anyone tell how to remove the shift lever from a 1974 automatic steering column? There is some rust down on that end could the lever just be rusted to the shift tube and just need a little persuasion? I look forward to hearing back from back from someone who could help with this little mystery. Thank you in advance for your help.

After removing the wheel and shift collar the shift tube should come out enough to release the lever. You can pull the shift tube all the way out and it's probably a good idea so you can inspect the spot welded tabs. There is also a spring at the bottom that pushes the tube up.

 

[BGBronco]

I used a punch but ended up damaging the collar. I was replacing the Collar anyway but it was a major, major pain. Here is a video of the entire process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HcqxJ9yCv0

 

[377]

Guys thanks for the help. I am talking about the shift lever at the bottom of the column that the shift linkage attaches to. Viperwolf this shifter tube doesn’t seem to have any “spring” to it for some reason. Does the shifter tube pull out in the direction of the steering wheel? Would it help if I lightly tapped the tube? I just don’t want to be hammering and prying and damage any of the components. Thanks again for the help.

 

[rydog1130]

Guys thanks for the help. I am talking about the shift lever at the bottom of the column that the shift linkage attaches to. Viperwolf this shifter tube doesn’t seem to have any “spring” to it for some reason. Does the shifter tube pull out in the direction of the steering wheel? Would it help if I lightly tapped the tube? I just don’t want to be hammering and prying and damage any of the components. Thanks again for the help.

I don't think that comes out, I remember seeing spot welds on the larger tube which would prevent that from being removed. Why do you want/need to to remove it?

 

[Hotrodjohn]

I recently rebuilt my column, that shift arm slides on the shift tube and there is a square notch in the lever and a piece on the the round shift tube that it engages to. The shift tube slides through the lever. When you assemble you hold the lever in place and slide the tube though it and the notch. The shift tube comes out from the top where the steering wheel is. A spring that goes in the very bottom of the column puts an upward tension on the tube which makes it fun to reassemble that collar. I would spray some pb blaster in the slot on the column and then, with the steering wheel, etc removed, hit the tube from the top and pull it out. The tube only needs to come out a little to get past the lever to release it.

 

[sanndmann3]

Soak it in some pb blaster or similar. spray and soak and repeat... It took mine a week but you could probably accerlerate the process with heat and wrapping it with a hammer...

 

[377]

Thank you guys for the help. I kinda suspected the tube came out the top of the column. I knew about the tab holding the lever in place. I soaked it PB Blaster overnight. I now have it soaking in Evaporust that stuff does an amazing job on rust so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks again for all the help and have a Happy New Year

 

[Jaxgtc]

I pretty much always go to youtube and see if anyone has done the things I am considering and posted them. When I did my steering column, thank goodness I had watched Wild Horses and Matts Garage videos to get a good idea of how it all worked. Regardless of production quality, these videos almost always have a morsel of information that I would not have otherwise had. Even when something gets broken in the video, it only serves to keep me off those landmines. Those T-bolts are a tricky piece going back together, so watch them again when you reassemble.

Thanks to everyone who posts their efforts on youtube!