Auto Trans Shift Leakage on Column??

[truckininarizona]

Installed an after market (don't remember the brand) steering column in my 59 I have a 700r4 trans. The steering column came with the indicator for a 3 speed trans, or a 4 speed trans. It works fine for the 3 speed, but not enough travel for the fourth gear (It did say that it would work on both). I have tried a number of leakage bends, but unable to make it work. If I shorten the trans lever to get enough travel, it is real hard to shift, in fact usually bends leakage....... My leakage kit wasn't supplied with column and has a trans lever with an open slot so you can adjust the amount of throw.
Anyone else figure this out????

[mr48chev]

The shift arm on the column may be designed to work with a cross shaft between the column lever and the trans lever. Many rear wheel drive GM cars worked that way.

[OrrieG]

This might help. I have an 82 Eldorado Shaft and TH350. I could not get a rod linkage to work because of conflict with the stock brake pedal. Researching I found that Gm designed the column lever and shift lever on the trans to be the same length (from center of the column and trans stud) for the column detents to match the trans points. Get they off by a little bit and you end up with the trans not fully in one gear or shifter hung up between detents. I assume that they continued the same design forward with the T400.

I opted for a racing shifter cable set up. On line places wanted $145 for the setup, I got a B&M cable off ebay and the transmission end kit locally for about $65 if I remember right. I had to fab the bracket for the firewall (1/8" angle iron). The trans kit came with multiple holes in the trans lever.

[klutz51]

Check the shoft arm at the botton of the column and make sure it is not hotting the housing. If it is you can notch the housing and that will give you more movement for the linkage.

[mr48chev]

If you have the Kugel linkage do you have the arm on the trans oriented right so that it works through the travel arc with the column arm?
http://www.kugelkomponents.com/zenca...=index&cPath=2
You might want to open up the shift arm kit instructions and check them to see if you missed anything on your installation. http://www.kugelkomponents.com/instructions.php

[_Ogre]

the amount of bends has nothing to do with it
you figured it out by shortening the arm length even though that didn't work that is how you need to solve the problem.
breaking of the shortened arm is probably caused by binding of the linkage.

my steering column is 86 astro van originally a 3 speed, trans is 700r4 4 speed
i had to change the length of the arm so that the detent on the trans match the detent on the column and the neutral safety switch
to keep every thing bind free i made the pivot on the trans into a shaft that went to a bearing on the frame
when i first set up the linkage i couldn't get low gear because of the limit in the column
then i made a 2 piece arm on the shaft that i could make longer or shorter and also change the angle of the pivot
set everything up and made sure i could hit all gears and welded it up

i really need to post a picture of that linkage; rube goldburg would be proud
my linkage has 9 parts welded together and the bearing is a swivel off a creeper wheel

[truckininarizona]

Thank you for your help. I think I like the shift cable idea. That looks like a pretty clean setup.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by truckininarizona

Thank you for your help. I think I like the shift cable idea. That looks like a pretty clean setup.

I just remembered that the trans photo shows the lever upside down, luckily someone pointed it out before I started the engine. Here is the right installation.