Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

[Donald H.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

OK, there has to be a sequence and position for the shifter levers that allows the stick to be returned to the correct poistion!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been under the car and played with different positions of the R, 3/4, 1/2 shifter levers to try and get the shifter stick back to a center neutral position with now luck. Someone out there must know the secret.

To repeat a little, here is what I did:

Replaced the Reverse Rod and Reverse arm on the tranny
Replaced the 1/2 and 3/4 arms on the tranny (but not the rods)

So at the shifter end the only rod I had loose was the reverse.

Note: as it now sits the rods are connected to the shifter end, but are loose from the transmission so that I can freely move the shifter arms back and fort trying to get the shifter shaft back in the correct position.

[William C.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

OK the key is to lock the shifter in neutral, using the tool, (several posts on ways to do that) and then attach the shift arms to the trans with all the trans in neutral, then adjust the trans end of each shift rod to easily fit into the appropriate lever on the trans. At that point you have the shifter solidly in neutral and the trans in neutral so it's a simple matter of adjustment to get the rod lengths (the only adjustable part) to the correct position. I don't remember if removing the exhaust mount is required or not, but I think it can be done without that.

[Donald H.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

OK the key is to lock the shifter in neutral, using the tool, (several posts on ways to do that) and then attach the shift arms to the trans with all the trans in neutral, then adjust the trans end of each shift rod to easily fit into the appropriate lever on the trans. At that point you have the shifter solidly in neutral and the trans in neutral so it's a simple matter of adjustment to get the rod lengths (the only adjustable part) to the correct position. I don't remember if removing the exhaust mount is required or not, but I think it can be done without that.

The problem is that I am unable to get the shifter shaft in the car to a neutral position and at the same time get the shifter levers into a netural position. Somehow while I had all the rods loose from the transmission and was replacing the Reverse Rod, the shifter levers got into some sequence that allow the shift arm to drop to the back of the console. If I push the shifter shaft forward in the car, it is engaged with the 3/4 lever and pulls that lever out of neutral position. I was able to play with the shifter levers and finally engage the shifter shaft with the 1/2 lever but the same problem. Moving the shaft to neutral pulled the 1/2 lever out of neutral. (Note: I do not have the rods connected at the transmission end so that I can manually move the shifter levers while my wife help position the shifter in the car.

[James B.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

John Z also has a pic of a transmition with the shifter and linkage and the position
of the arms also. you should look him up I think it will be worth your time . Jim

[William C.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

OK, if you can't see the slot, do you have the exhaust mounting bracket still on the car, as the shifter is right above that bracket. The slot is in the exact bottom of the housing for the shifter, assuming you have the original shifter in the car. It is just a slot in the bottom edge of the housing that aligns with a similar width slot in each of the levers to hold them in a fixed position. Adjustments are then made at the trans end to align the shifter arms on the trans with the linkage. The slot is the key to what you are doing. Once you have found it on the shifter housing, it's pretty straightforeword. One post indicated a member made the "tool" out of a bent coathanger. The only purpose is to align and stabilize the rods in the shifter to allow the rods to be adjusted to mate with the trans.

[John H.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

Here's what the gage slot in the shifter housing looks like (and each lever inside the housing also has the same slot, so you can lock the mechanism in neutral).


65UpAdjusterSlot800.JPG

[Wayne W.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

What y'all are not getting is, he has the thing completely out of position and the shifter will not line up. The ball on the lower end of the shifter has slipped by the levers and its out on the end. Frankly, I cant tell you the trick to getting them back into the proper position You will need to try to get it on one side of the gate, probably the reverse side and move the levers where you can get them back in the center. Then shift over to the forward side.

[John H.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

Donald -

Shown below are two views (side and rear) of how the "blade" at the bottom of the shift lever engages the reverse, 3-4, and 1-2 shifter levers. If the shifter is mounted correctly and the lever is all the way back against the console opening as in your photo, the spot weld at the rear of the housing may have separated, allowing the housing to spread, creating enough of a space between the levers for the "blade" to go between the levers instead of engaging each individual lever in its slot.


LeverStack1024.jpgLeverStack21024.jpg

[Donald H.]

Re: Locating Gauge for installing and adjusting 4-speed linkage

Wayne's comment was correct. A friend came over and knew exactly what was wrong. As john's pictures show, somehow the shaft tip got out of the neutral slot and in front of the 3/4 lever.

Shifter works great now