column shifter broke :(

[Greubin]

My column shifter broke, it's been very difficult to pull the lever back to change gear out of "Park" on cold morning. This morning the damn thing wouldn't budge, I was late for work, and guess I yanked on it too hard. Now the lever just flops around in the park position.

So now i'm debating my options.
1) fix the stocker
2) by tilt column, new one is several $$
3) Install a Lokar floor shifter
I'm leaning towards the floor shifter at this point, but not sure on what length shift lever I need with a bench seat.

[mbgmike]

use a rat tail file. we did once

[desertPOS]

I had the same thing happen to me about 2 weeks ago. I ordered a new shift lever from GMC Pauls for about $20. Pull the wheel, lube the parts and put back together with new shift lever. Shifts perfectly now. Grease gets so old it turns to wax in there, which makes it so hard to shift. Until your new lever comes, you can use a screwdriver to shift it. Just keep the vertical pin that hold the lever in installed, stick the screwdriver in the hole and shift. Worked well for me... Only note I would say is that for some reason the lever I got from GMC Pauls did not fit into the little hole, so I have to dremel it down a bit. Also, didn't realize I would not be able to get the shift lever knob off the old lever without partially destroying it, so would've bought a new knob at the same time if I could do over.

[desertPOS]

Here's the link to what I posted when it happened:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=276326

When I shift it feels brand new now, and blinker is also nice and crisp and doesn't click off prematurely. Just scrape off all that old grease. I used hi-temp RED bearing grease for the metal parts, and white lithium for plastic blinker parts. Hope that helps. Added bonus, the horn works now too, since connections are clean. I used brake cleaner to clean all parts off...

[Premium72]

ouch

[Greubin]

The column shifter is still there, it's the internals that are fooked.

[desertPOS]

you pulled the shifter and the ball on the end isn't broken?

[Greubin]

Uh, after looking at the other thread link..I think the ball is broken on the end of the column shifter. I'll have to pull it and make sure. But that seems like the culprit.

Really, I think i'm gonna use this opportunity as an excuse to order one of those fancy Lokar floor shifters LOL