Stiff column shifter when cold

[AirSpeed]

My 72 GMC column shifter is really stiff in the morning (wow that sounds funny) It is hard to pull the lever back in order to move the lever into gear or back into park. This happens when its cold outside, specially early in the morning. Once I get the lever back it rotates into gear fine, it's just pulling the lever back to unlock it that's difficult. I have looked at all the linkage and cant see anything binding up. I am guessing the grease is stiffer when it's cold but I cant imagine it getting as stiff as it's getting. Any ideas? Thanks! Aaron

[northerngmc]

I had a similiar problem with a 69 GMC I had. What I ended up doing was pulling the column out of the truck and flushing varsol through the tube then relubing the tube with spray graphite.

I would imagine the grease in the tube has many years of dirt in it, at least mine did when I flushed it.

The column is fairly easy to pull out, I think it was less than 2 hours total to remove, flush, relube and install. Made a world of difference.

[cdowns]

i've sprayed the heck out of it with WD40 without removing column and managed to loosen up to where it was easily usable


it's a good thing to clean and lubricate 40year old moving parts as a step to keep movable parts moveable

[Wrenchbender Ret]

Pull the pin & remove the gear shift lever. Spray in the hole with a penatrant/lube. Put the shift lever back in. If that doesn't do it spray around the lower part where the lever comes out to hook to the trans. You can remove one of the 1/4 in bolts & spray into the hole.

[70BLAZERX2]

Pbblaster. The best stuff a shop can have

[sleepertruck72]

Originally Posted by 70BLAZERX2

Pbblaster. The best stuff a shop can have

Attachment 633708

PB Blaster is awesome !

I had the same problem with the shifter on mine. I used a few drops of some lubricant I cant remember the name of now, it has been easy to pull now. PB blaster will work nice, and it will give that great PB blaster smell

[AirSpeed]

Thanks guys! I will do something tomorrow and see how it works. I have been wanting to replace the rubber gromet that fits the column against the dash so I may just remove the column and replace it at the same time.
Thanks again! Aaron
Posted via Mobile Device

[slikside]

Originally Posted by cdowns

i've sprayed the heck out of it with WD40 without removing column and managed to loosen up to where it was easily usable


it's a good thing to clean and lubricate 40year old moving parts as a step to keep movable parts moveable

At minimum, do this......and very soon. Years ago I had this same problem, put it off, and one cold night I broke the darn shift lever...the original one too. Just recently had the steering wheel off while fixing my turn signal switch (lever screw hole stripped out), and found the broken part of the shift lever inside!! At the time I just bought a new shifter and wd-40'd the shaft as above and kept on truckin.. been working fine ever since. But yeah, 40 year old grease mixed w/ dirt and dust gets mighty stickey!!

[AirSpeed]

Originally Posted by slikside

At minimum, do this......and very soon. Years ago I had this same problem, put it off, and one cold night I broke the darn shift lever...the original one too. Just recently had the steering wheel off while fixing my turn signal switch (lever screw hole stripped out), and found the broken part of the shift lever inside!! At the time I just bought a new shifter and wd-40'd the shaft as above and kept on truckin.. been working fine ever since. But yeah, 40 year old grease mixed w/ dirt and dust gets mighty stickey!!

I may go ahead with the spray lube until I get the time to remove the column, I just painted the truck and installed all new interior, if I spay lube the column am I going to get lube all over the interior from dripping? Does the lube run out under the hood or drain inside the cab? Thanks! Aaron
Posted via Mobile Device

[slikside]

Originally Posted by AirSpeed

I may go ahead with the spray lube until I get the time to remove the column, I just painted the truck and installed all new interior, if I spay lube the column am I going to get lube all over the interior from dripping? Does the lube run out under the hood or drain inside the cab? Thanks! Aaron
Posted via Mobile Device

Can't say for sure, been a long time since I did it and wasn't concerned enough to notice. I can understand not wanting to bugger up your new interior job (congrats!), but the more I think about the column design, I don't think you should have too much leakage in the interior. Just use enough to reduce the friction to an acceptable amount, and be at the ready should it begin to run on your new paint. Good luck.

[68gmsee]

Here in Texas with 100 plus weather in the summer and after 40 years the grease in the column gets caked up pretty solid. I tried the spray stuff and never did work for me.

I removed the column and dismantled it. Cleaned out all the old solidified grease (big chunks) and cleaned everything with solvent and relubed. Made a heck of a difference.

[AirSpeed]

I have a bigger issue than lube I think, I started looking at my shifter and noticed the collar that the lever fits in is very sloppy, I can pull the collar back in order to get the lever to pull back. Can I pull the steering wheel and turn lever switch to see whats going on or am I going to have to pull the entire column out? I would like to see what is going on and possibly repair or replace the problem part without pulling the column if possible.
If I do have to pull the entire column, how much of a pain is it and what do I have to look forward to in order to get it out?
I have looked at some exploded views of the parts but cant really tell from them.
Thanks for any info! Aaron

[AirSpeed]

Originally Posted by slikside

Can't say for sure, been a long time since I did it and wasn't concerned enough to notice. I can understand not wanting to bugger up your new interior job (congrats!), but the more I think about the column design, I don't think you should have too much leakage in the interior. Just use enough to reduce the friction to an acceptable amount, and be at the ready should it begin to run on your new paint. Good luck.

I found out where the lube goes when you spray it in the column! It drips out under the dash and all over your brand new shoes and into your socks before you notice it! It was kinda funny, my right foot was positioned in the exact place the lube ran out. At least it didnt leak out on my new carpet instead!

[AirSpeed]

I had shifter issues in my 72 4X4 with non tilt, auto steering column, I pulled the steering wheel, turn signal assembly, etc. and found the problem with my shifter being hard to pull back, the shaft that goes through the shift collar was totally dry so I greased it up and now it almost works perfect.
When I pull back on the lever the collar that the shift lever mounts to slides back against the turn signal switch collar, it seems like there should be a bushing between the turn signal switch support and the inner collar of the shift housing. In mine when I pull back on the shift lever the shift housing collar contacts the turn signal switch support and the turn signal switch housing. I have looked at several exploded views of the column and cant see any type of bushing between those two surfaces, to me it seems odd that it would be designed without at least a nylon bushing in there, the two parts are cast "pot metal" (for lack of the proper term) and it seems they would wear on each other pretty fast.
Is there a bushing missing that I cant see in any exploded views or is this the way it was designed?
I hope this isn't to confusing! Thanks for any help! Aaron

[68gmsee]

Yeah, that caked up grease can sure make that shift rod stiff. Mine was so bad it was doing it all the time.

Don't know if you saw this pic but it's one of the better one's I've seen.

[slikside]

Originally Posted by AirSpeed

I found out where the lube goes when you spray it in the column! It drips out under the dash and all over your brand new shoes and into your socks before you notice it! It was kinda funny, my right foot was positioned in the exact place the lube ran out. At least it didnt leak out on my new carpet instead!

I just love that satisfied feeling you get when you help someone discover something they may never have known without your help!

I'm glad your carpet was spared!!

[AirSpeed]

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

Yeah, that caked up grease can sure make that shift rod stiff. Mine was so bad it was doing it all the time.

Don't know if you saw this pic but it's one of the better one's I've seen.

That is a good view, if those parts are the same for a non tilt steering column then it looks like I am missing parts 39 & 40, do you know if those two would be in a non tilt column? I looked at some other exploded views and none of them showed those two pieces. Thanks!

[AirSpeed]

Originally Posted by slikside

I just love that satisfied feeling you get when you help someone discover something they may never have known without your help!

I'm glad your carpet was spared!!

Im glad I was able to help you out with that feel good warmth! Yes, I too know that wonderful feeling!
Thanks again!