The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Rebuilding column shifter box

Bought a rebuilt shift box which mounts on the column of my '49 GMC. Took it apart to do some work on the shift arms and now can't figure out how the spring hooks up to the arms inside the box. I know that the lower arm (towards the steering box) part of the spring has a hook on it and it fits nicely around the arm. But how does the spring hook or fit around the upper arm? It looks like the spring that I have may have had a hook as well but now only has a small bend in the end of it. Is the upper arm supposed to be under some tension to move it upwards or downwards? Thanks in advance!

It,s been a while since i,ve been in one of those but the spring keeps it in 2-3 untill you pull it forward for 1&R. There is no spring to pull the levers up or down.

Then what you're saying is that the arms are free to move up and down in a motion perpendicular to the shaft without spring tension on them and that the spring only keeps them apart inside the housing in a plane that is parallel to the shaft. Kinda hard to explain.

Yes I know it,s hard to visualize & explain. The spring pulls the shaft towards 2-3. Therefore you have to pull foreward to shift to 1st & R. The levers like you say are free to go up or down, depending on which position the noggin on the shaft is in. The trans. cover has lockouts that keep it from going into 2 gears at once. If the lever gets hung up there is to much gap between the levers or the noggin is worn down.

Thanks! Will fart around with it this weekend.