resque me from 3 on the tree

[Mr.Scary]

Hey S10 Fan, My dad use to have that same kind of truck!!!! with a 3 on the tree too man he loved that thing and drove it everywhere, man the good ole days....... p.s. it was a ford but i still loved that thing too and thought the 3 on the tree was the coolest thing since sliced bread!!

[James McClure]

Bigblock, oddly enough all manuals aren't an "H" patern. All light weight and most heavy trucks are an "H" patern, BUT, some A&*hole engineer at Fuller decided he would muck up the works with a "Box" patern 8 speed. It's been so long I can't remember how it goes. I think it was 1 & 2 on top then 3 & 4 on the bottom then 5 & 6 on top and 7 & 8 on the bottom. I drove one in an old Ford 12 wheel dump truck. Real hard to get used to after getting spoiled on 10 speed roadrangers and quad Macks. jim

[74 C-30]

haha reminds me of growing up in the 77 C-6500 with the 13 roadranger

[primetime]

guys, i only have 3 gears to work out. but i thank everyone for their responses helping

[munice]

I 'd totally stick with the tree... You don't seem them that often, at least not around here

[Big Port Jimmy 6]

Originally Posted by James McClure

Stay with the 3 on a tree setup, driveing it is a breeze. A friend of mine has an old Benz with 4 on the tree. I have to kind of laugh when I hear people comment about haveing trouble shifting. Try to shift a qudraplex in a Mack truck. Thats what I learned on when I was a kid and drove semi for years after that until I lost my license for "high speed driving awards". jim

Older fellow around here drives a Mack B flatbed with a twin stick as a farm truck. He only has one arm and it is real busy in the cab.

[Hubscrub]

Originally Posted by bigblock73

I love 3 on the trees...they are so much fun to drive, and you gets lots of strange looks when doing so by passer-by's who don't know what one is.

Learn to drive it, you might like it.

i soooo miss my 3 on the tree i learned to drive a manual trans. with one and i loved it when i got the hang of it

[Adams74Chevy]

Originally Posted by primetime

guys, i only have 3 gears to work out. but i thank everyone for their responses helping

Ever get the 3 on the tree shifting smoothed out? I'm going to look at a '80 C10 with a 3 on the tree in the next couple of days...I miss having a maual transmission vehicle, and the 3 on the tree is just added cool factor.

[ebgwd]

This may not be the right place, but here it goes.
I just got a 86 C10 with 3-on-the-tree. Drove it easy, since it was my first time with 3-on-the-tree. After 90 miles and no problems, I pulled in the driveway and it stuck in first gear. Would not go in reverse or any other gear. Looked under the hood and pushed the linkage and all is well again. Is it my "newbie" shifting or maybe should I replace some parts to keep this issue from coming back?
Where do you get parts?

Do you guys every downshift with 3-on-the-tree?
I was told by the previous owner that it was a "no-no" to downshift.
Any suggestions? I do not want to change the tree to a floor shifter.
I like the tree, because no one else I know has one.

At work, I drive a 10-speed forward/2-speed reverse truck.
Shifting is like breathing to me.[/I]

[CSGAS]

The only gear that would try to "grind" while you're shifting should be reverse, at least with my Saginaw (I suppose a Muncie 3-spd would grind for first if you try it while moving). But that goes with what you were saying about not knowing it's an H-pattern--the other gate (which the shifter will fall into by default when you find the neutral gate) has the gears you want to cruise in.

I haven't even gone through my column as throughly as I should, but heck, PALMS?!? I use two fingers to shift, and probably would only use one if I'd regreased it and put fresh bearings in. Easier than paddle shifters.

BEFORE considering a floor shifter for it, make sure the trans is working properly. The cheapest way to do this is backwards (process of elimination on the shifter first). Go through the shift linkage (see Greenmachine's thread in the FAQ section) and make sure everything is where it should be, no bent linkage, the tongue for the shifter linkage is engaging the blocks that the column controls (they can be chipped or out of adjustment) the $1 bushings are in place and the nuts holding onto the steering column are all tight Then make sure the bolts holding the shifter arms to the shift shafts at the tranny haven't loosened up. When you are sure everything's where it should be, you can try it again yourself or even call one of us for another demo or amateur opinion...where in NC is it at right now? My truck's biggest problem when I picked it up was the die-cast shifter arm on the column actually broke at the tip inside the column--$20 fix (your's should be tool steel in 77 so that's not a likely concern)

The reason for all this is twofold. 1) If you have a problem that's in your tranny (synchros, bent fork, throwout bearing, etc) then changing to a floor shifter costs you over $100 plus installation and doesn't solve anything. 2) if you still decide to change, you can sell your column/shifter setup as a guaranteed working unit for more than you could if the buyer hears you say "I didn't check that..." or something similar.

I'm wishing they made 5-speed shifters on the column, because I'm gonna have to change to some sort of overdrive unit sooner or later. If you end up changing trannies after all, the ones I'm considering are T-5 or NVG 3550 5-speeds from S-10's and other sources (rated up to 300 ft-lbs each) 700R4 or 200-4R (each just as strong as the other) but obviously that means I don't really plan to tow or do anything heavy with my truck (will be a shop truck when I get a shop). what would your plans be?

[primetime]

Originally Posted by Adams74Chevy

Ever get the 3 on the tree shifting smoothed out? I'm going to look at a '80 C10 with a 3 on the tree in the next couple of days...I miss having a maual transmission vehicle, and the 3 on the tree is just added cool factor.

i just have it on hold for now. been trying to get my leaf springs in order so the 77 hasn't been on the road for some time now. i was able to pick up a spare 3speed with hurst shifter though. my uncle told me he pulled it out of a 68camaro. so if the one in the truck needs replacing i have another back up now.

[benoit454]

we had a 76 3 on the tree, we just drove out the roll pin on the shifter, bought an indy universal 3 speed shifter setup for like $100 bucks nowadays, and converted it to floor shift. It was easy and cheap. Our linkage was messed up or something though it kept coming out of gear. I'd love to have another 73-80 swb truck. I like yours man just like my old one, love to have one like it.

[munger]

Originally Posted by 1973GMC_1500

Man, I miss my 3 on the tree. I loved it!
My first 73-87 (and fullsize truck), a 1973 GMC C150 307 V8 3 spd.
I don't know why you're having problems, I always thought they were easy to drive. I would leave it a column-shift.
I want another 3 on the tree again someday...

ya man that was a cool pickup ive been watching your videos to bad you recked it and the newer wheels were cool

[primetime]

Originally Posted by benoit454

we had a 76 3 on the tree, we just drove out the roll pin on the shifter, bought an indy universal 3 speed shifter setup for like $100 bucks nowadays, and converted it to floor shift. It was easy and cheap. Our linkage was messed up or something though it kept coming out of gear. I'd love to have another 73-80 swb truck. I like yours man just like my old one, love to have one like it.

hey if i can't get the leaf springs worked out like i want it might be up for sell soon. i'm tired of it sitting in the garage taking space. the wife is constantly telling me to just buy new springs from the catalog but thats like $500 after tax and shipping. i want some nice inexpensive used springs to put on it. cost effective. up here in the hills the rust has destroyed any kind of parts trucks in the junkyards, so a good set is hard to find.

i found a place to repair my old leaf springs. now i have to tackle the pulling to the right when braking