Broken Shifter - 1972 K10 SM465

[Benjamin]

1972 K10, original SM465. Shifter broke off when I shifted into 1st, so now it's stuck in 1st gear. I ordered a new "cane" from Novak and the shifter retention kit.
I have read a few threads on removing/replacing the shifter and a few guys said "make sure it's in neutral" but they didn't say why. Anybody have tips for the task I have ahead of me?
Thanks in advance.

[Benjamin]

zoomed in

[HO455]

When it broke off where did it break off at? I have no direct experience with the SM465 but I have gone through several SM420's. I don't believe they are that different. Or you can call and talk to the folks at Novak. I have always found the to be very helpful. I think there is a how to rebuild a SM465 thread floating around here somewhere.

[Greasey Harley]

My 68 c10 has the exact same malfunction last summer. Mine happened going from 2nd to 3rd ...er, um 1st to second?
Going from the lower left gear to the upper right one.
Mine snapped off in neutral and I had to call a tow truck.
I used a pipe wrench sideways to smash down on rhe tetainer and twist it cc.
Then a strong magnet pulled the bottom out and reversed the provess to get it back together.
If you can get the bottom of the shifter out, you should be able to use a bf screwdriver to shift the trans into neutral before you reinstall the new shifter.

I always thought those things were indestructible.

[A1971Blazer]

push down and turn the sheetmetal retainer and it will pop out....the shifter has a semi circular ball welded to it and another inch or two below that engages the shift forks...it won't matter where it is when you pull it out...but line up all the slots in the shift forks right in the center when you put the new stick back in.
It's really not a difficult task

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by HO455

When it broke off where did it break off at? I have no direct experience with the SM465 but I have gone through several SM420's. I don't believe they are that different. Or you can call and talk to the folks at Novak. I have always found the to be very helpful. I think there is a how to rebuild a SM465 thread floating around here somewhere.

may be a half inch into the "ball"
No "stick" sticking up, so nothing to grab onto.
I haven't fooled with it yet, just killed the engine and went inside when I got home last night.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Greasey Harley

My 68 c10 has the exact same malfunction last summer. Mine happened going from 2nd to 3rd ...er, um 1st to second?
Going from the lower left gear to the upper right one.
Mine snapped off in neutral and I had to call a tow truck.
I used a pipe wrench sideways to smash down on rhe tetainer and twist it cc.
Then a strong magnet pulled the bottom out and reversed the provess to get it back together.
If you can get the bottom of the shifter out, you should be able to use a bf screwdriver to shift the trans into neutral before you reinstall the new shifter.

I always thought those things were indestructible.

Fortunately I didn't have to call a tow truck, just drove home 8 miles in 1st gear on side streets. Thanks for the tips.

[Classic Bowties]

Originally Posted by Benjamin

1972 K10, original SM465. Shifter broke off when I shifted into 1st, so now it's stuck in 1st gear.

If interested in keeping your K10 original, we have some OE 4wd shift levers pulled from a 72 listed F/S in the below linked parts board thread. There's also a set of 4wd specific shift boot retaining rings listed in same thread. Have a look and let us know if interested, Mel

Thread Link: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=795681

[TwoFiftyShifter]

8 miles in 1st? Did it take 90 minutes???

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by TwoFiftyShifter

8 miles in 1st? Did it take 90 minutes???

not quite, i was able to cruise around 8-10 mph, 3.08 rear end and 35 inch tires help

[Benjamin]

A few more pictures of the breakage. I ordered a new "cane" from Novak last week. Fooled around and got the bottom half pulled out. It was a little tricky because it was in 1st gear and I was not able to pull straight up. After taking off the cup retainer thing and the spring, I drove the roll pins out of the way but did not remove them from the transmission tower. I fished a scrap of 12 gauge wire around the ball, then pushed in the clutch, bumped the starter, then worked the clutch in and out as I pulled on the wire. I think I had a screwdriver wedged on the opposite side from where I pulled the wire to help push and wiggle. After a few tries it dropped into neutral and the broken piece popped out.

New shifter was sitting on the porch when I got back from my Dad's house on Christmas Eve.

Heated it up with an antique propane torch, bent it over a trailer ball using my Hi-lift handle for some leverage. The new stick is about 6-8 inches longer than the old one and I didn't bend it as much as the original, so 1st and 3rd are on the dash, with the knob ABOVE the dash pad. 2nd, 4th, & reverse should clear the carseat or whoever sits in the middle a little better now. And the new shifter tightened up the throw a pretty good bit.

I'll post some more pictures soon. Time to row some gears.

[HO455]

Good work on getting the piece out!!
I would have decided it was impossible in gear and would have pulled the floor board and pulled the top off the transmission.

[Benjamin]

more pics

As you can see, 1st gear is almost touching the dash pad, when I shove it in 1st hard it will touch (that's what got me in this mess to start with), but at rest there is about 1/4 to 1/2" clearance. I only bent the stick a little bit, figured I would go in increments, and the first try worked out OK. Also, you can see that the knob is ABOVE the dash pad now due to the longer stick. As previously stated, the new shifter tightened up the pattern, so even with the longer stick, the distance from 1st to 2nd is as-short or shorter-than it was before.

Another benefit of the less-severe bend in the stick and the tighter pattern is that I have a lot more knee room behind the shift knob now in 2nd, 4th, & reverse. Reverse used to be ON the seat, now it's a good 9 to 12" away, I'll get some pics of that and post later.

There was a LOT of slop in the piece below the ball on the old shifter, I guess this is a 2-piece design(?), as Novak lists their new shifter as a "one-piece." I've seen lots of talk about ways to tighten up the shifting on these transmissions and one method involved some weld, would this be welding the bottom piece to the bottom of the ball, effectively making it a one piece? But then you need access to a welding machine and that doesn't seem like a weld that would last indefinitely. Regardless, I HIGHLY recommend this as an upgrade to any SM465 or SM420; A) you will have more direct, tighter shifting, and B) you won't break a stick on the interstate like I did.

I'll post pics of the slop in the old shifter next.

[57taskforce]

I’m glad your happy with it, honestly it looks miserable to me. Having the stick that high in the air would drive me nuts.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

I’m glad your happy with it, honestly it looks miserable to me. Having the stick that high in the air would drive me nuts.

I do like the idea of having it close to the dash, height may prove different, I've barely driven it 50 miles so far...

[Benjamin]

I took some measurements to compare the old stick with the new stick, looks like the new stick is about 3" longer than the old. I guess the "height" is exaggerated since I didn't bend it as much as the old stick.

I measured 1/4 inch play in the piece pictured, if that is about 3 inches from the pivot then you would expect 1/4 inch play at the knob for every 3 inches above the pivot point. All that is gone now with my fancy one-piece stick!