47-59 Three on the Tree

[Sammy4358]

Does anyone know the exact way to set up the shifter and linkage in a 1959 GMC 100 with 3 on the column. I am having trouble getting my truck back together so it shifts correctly. Set it up by the directions in the book and the shifter only moves forward and back, wont go up or down into gear!!!

[leegreen]

Originally Posted by Sammy4358

Does anyone know the exact way to set up the shifter and linkage in a 1959 GMC 100 with 3 on the column. I am having trouble getting my truck back together so it shifts correctly. Set it up by the directions in the book and the shifter only moves forward and back, wont go up or down into gear!!!

this is what I always did:
Loosen adjusting nuts. Put shifter and both trans levers into neutral. Tighten adjusting nuts. Test.

If the bushing in the column is too worn it wont pull one gear all the way out of engagement before starting to engage the other and it will lock up the shifter

[Sammy4358]

My shifting rods only have pins with cotter key holes in them, no adjusting thread and nuts. They connect to a spline clamp on the trans. at the bottom and a clamp with the pin at the top, no adjustment threads top or bottom.

[leegreen]

'clamp with the pin at the top'

wont the shift rod slide through that clamp at the top to adjust?

[Sammy4358]

I tried loosing the bolt in the clamp but the shift rod did not move, I may be able to pry it with pliers. My problem with the lower gear shift is the arm floats while the shifter arm is in neutral as the high gear shifter arm is engaged so I don't know where the low gear arm should be exactly. Right now the lower gear arm is directly across from the high gear arm.

[leegreen]

Where the arms come out of the column there should be matching holes in them you can put a drill bit in when the shifter is in neutral to keep them in alignment.

You need the shift rods to be able to move in the clamps when the nuts are loose. They may not have been adjusted since forever and just rusted to clamps.

Shifter in neutral, pin in the arms, nuts loose, go under truck and make sure both levers on the tranny are in the neutral position, then tighten adjusting nuts.

if it still gets stuck in gear or neutral , how much slop is there in the shift arms from column? There is a couple wear points inside the column and the base of the column offers some adjustment. lubricaiton of al the moving parts in there is important too.

[Sammy4358]

That sounds like what I was missing, I will try that tomorrow. I have new bushings for the rod pins on the shifter arms and the shifter seems to be tight, no slop. Thank you for all your info, I think I have a clear picture how to align them now

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Sammy4358

My shifting rods only have pins with cotter key holes in them, no adjusting thread and nuts. They connect to a spline clamp on the trans. at the bottom and a clamp with the pin at the top, no adjustment threads top or bottom.

This means we need clear well lit photos of both ends of the shifter rods . plus a photo or two of how it is now hooked to the box. Simply put good photos get the right answer a lot faster and save on a lot of WAGs.

Are you sure that there aren't nuts and a clamp sort of thing on the unit that connects to the shift arm at the top?

[dsraven]

yup, pics are a must. who knows whats been done over the years.
maybe pull the shifter box off the column, dissasseble and check for wear, replace if worn out. once that is figured out, check the column shifter parts and repair/replace whats worn out.
check the shifter rods and the levers to ensure the hooes are still round and the levers are also round. a nice tight fit when the rod fits into the lever.
when thats all said and done, place the shifter in neutral and ensure the trans is also in neutral. align the shifter box so the box is also in neutral. the column shifter should move easily from the low to the high range areas in the neutral position. if you think of this like an H that the shifter needs to move through, then neutral will be the center of the H. ensure the box on the column is set up so it is also in neutral. now adjust the shift levers and rods so they also meet the neutral spots.
its pretty common for the column shifter upper components to wear or break a spring. the parts for the upper part, bushing, spring etc, are usually around the 25 buck range, if thats whats worn out.

[Sammy4358]

Thanks for the info, I found out my lower shifter lever was tight against the speedometer cable and would only move about an inch. Loosened the shifter and slid it down the steering column about a 1/2 " and all worked fine. I set it up according the measurements in the manual but I totally restored the truck and the cab to frame dimensions may be a little different than factory specs. So thank you all for all the info and I learned to use the manual as a guide only not gospel.