moving column shifter

[sl66]

Anyone have experience or know how to move a shifter lever up on a 3 on the tree application, problem is in 1st and 2nd gear the lever touches/lays on my right leg/knee ( being 6-4 probably doesn't help ) , would like to rotate it up but not sure how or if it is possible without messing up the rest of the linkage ? truck is a 66 C-10

[dracko]

Could you take the lever off, heat it up with a torch and bend it so it sits higher?

[sl66]

I thought about that as a last resort of course I would imagine it would ruin the chrome

[dracko]

Originally Posted by sl66

I thought about that as a last resort of course I would imagine it would ruin the chrome

Yeah that’s true, I haven’t dealt with a column shift so I probably have no business commenting but could you try bending it cold. A little bend where it attaches to the column results in a lot of gain at the handle.

[sl66]

yeah, i guess i could put the end in a vise and bend it that way, will give it a try if there's not a mechanical way of rotating the whole column, thanks for the advise tho , i appreciate the input , grew up driving mt dads 65 and don't recall the shifter being so low

[AcampoDave]

Originally Posted by sl66

yeah, i guess i could put the end in a vise and bend it that way, will give it a try if there's not a mechanical way of rotating the whole column, thanks for the advise tho , i appreciate the input , grew up driving mt dads 65 and don't recall the shifter being so low

Mines not that low. I'm 6'4" and have no porblem, I wonder if something else is going on

[DPowers]

Can you post a picture?

[cwcarpenter98]

When I had the regular 3 speed in my 63, the shifter did not hit my knee in 1st or 3rd.
After I swapped in the 3 speed overdrive trans, the shifter stayed in the same spot in 3rd, but now bumps my knee in 1st. Kinda weird, but I have no idea how to change it

[DPowers]

Is there any adjustment room on the column?

[SkinnyG]

The two bolts thread into a wee plate inside the column. I don't remember how much room you'd have to redrill with the column rotated, but rotating the column is also going to move your signal stalk.

I would bend the lever, but I have not looked at the shift mechanism (and it's even been YEARS since I've driven 3-speed column).

Is it possible to alter the linkages to the transmission (presumably threaded/adjustable) to make the shifter be higher?

[sl66]

I'll get a pic this weekend , it may have been altered by the previous owner, I was afraid that by trying to rotate the whole assembly would cause issues down the Line RE.. linkage, turn signal stem etc.... dracko probably right just puttin a slight bend in the base of the lever would do wonders......

[AcampoDave]

Perhaps adjusting the rods here would alter the throw of the shifter. Mine are more or less in the middle.

[sl66]

will check rod locations that maybe how to rotate it back up,attaching a pic not sure if I did it right tho

[Ken Cook]

I'm thinking, put it in 3rd, loosen at the rod connection and put the shift lever a little higher then re-tighten. Then do the same with 1st.

It might be easier to do the same thing with 2nd and reverse. That way you can see the end of the slot on the moving part on the end of the column. see photo in post #12