Installing Floor Shifter

[rcbildr]

In order to get my 60 GMC on the road I bought a Mr Gasket floor shift conversion. The original column shift linkage that did the 2-3 shift was rusted in place and I ended up breaking it trying to free it up...so for now it's gonna be 3 on the floor. I've read quite a few posts on setting up the shifter and all, but I was wondering if anyone has installed that shifter on the type of trans that's in my truck....sorry I can't remember which one it is right now. All the pics I've seen are for a slightly newer transmission, and I was hoping someone would have pics of what they did. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[bk2life]

LOKAR shifter

[Improbcat]

Not to be rude BK2, but you got the type of truck, type of transmission and brand of shifter all different.

I'm not sure how much help these will be, but I just put a Mr Gasket in my '64 and these are the pics I took. If they are helpful I can get you more of the completed install.


My trans had the round shift arm mounts. Per the directions I was supposed to file a groove in each to attached the shift arms, but turns out there was already a groove for the stock shift arms.


Shifter mounted to trans, there is a lot of room to play with it even once it is mounted. You can loosen bolts and shift it up, down, twist it some, and tip it front or back. The hardest part for me is that it was impossible to accurately gauge where the hole needed to be. Also the instructions say a 2.5" round hole works, but I had to square it up to keep the shifter from hitting the edges.


This is how I bent the shift linkages to work, this is the way they are oriented if you were laying on your back looking at them from below.. On mine I needed the shift linkages to switch sides, thus the weird bent one.
You get the shortest throw by putting the linkages in the hole closest to the pivot on the transmission shift arm, and the outer hole on the shifter. With that though I had to cut the excess from the linkage and still have a bracket on the crossmember that needs a little grinding. I can hear the end of the linkage hit the bracket if I shift to hard into reverse.


The hole for the shifter, you can see where I had to square up two of the corners to make it work.

When I installed it I put both shift arms on the trans into neutral, then adjusted it so both levers on the shifter were lined up, then took it for a quick drive. It was hell getting from 1st to 2nd, so I crawled back under and the shifter levers weren't lined up! IT had to adjust them about 4 threads to line up. I think this was from everything "settling in" the first time it was actually used. I have since had to go under and adjust it 1 thread to get it spot on. So expect a bit of fiddling once you have driven it to get stuff lined up exactly right.

I've read here that the main bolt holding the shifter together will loosen up, I'm planning to tack weld it to the nut to prevent that.

[geezer#99]

Don't tack weld the nut. Drill a hole thru it and the bolt and put a cotter key in it.
Easy to take apart if needed.

[markeb01]

The main difference between older and newer 3 speed manual transmissions (regarding floor shift kits) is the shifter shafts that stick out of the side cover. Older transmissions have round shafts with a groove on top for the shift arm clamping bolt. Stock shift arms point toward the ground for connection to the column linkage. On kits that do not include replacement arms, the shafts must have a new groove filed into the bottom of the shafts so the arms can be installed pointing up toward the floor. If these arms are not reversed, the shift pattern will operate backwards.

Later transmissions have rectangular blocks sticking out of the side cover with a threaded portion on the end. The shift arms are held in place with a nut that screws to the end of the shaft. On this type transmission the arms are removed and either reversed (pointing up) or replaced with new arms from the kit (again pointing up). The rest of the installation is essentially the same regardless of whether you have an original box or a newer version.

[rcbildr]

Improbcat, Awesome!!!! Thanks!!!! Those pics help a lot, also do you have any of the linkages and shift arms installed?

Question on the bolt that loosens up, will using a longer bolt and then double-nutting it with red locktite work???

Thanks again for all the help and information....hoping to make some serious progress tomorrow.

[geezer#99]

Double nutting with locktite doesn't work. It eventually loosens off. That's why I did the cotter key trick.

[DoubleL]

Originally Posted by rcbildr

Improbcat, Awesome!!!! Thanks!!!! Those pics help a lot, also do you have any of the linkages and shift arms installed?

Question on the bolt that loosens up, will using a longer bolt and then double-nutting it with red locktite work???

Thanks again for all the help and information....hoping to make some serious progress tomorrow.

Just got my truck back on the road today! Hope to see your rig out and about soon!

[rcbildr]

Originally Posted by DoubleL

Just got my truck back on the road today! Hope to see your rig out and about soon!

I was a little side tracked today, had to work on my 83 Z28 because it was getting terrible mileage. The stock 305 is pretty much worn out, but when its running good I usually burn 1/4 tank round trip for work...it was going thru more than half a tank. I replaced the plugs and the Z is running great. If it's not raining too bad tomorrow, I'm going to continue on with the truck....need it going so I can do an engine swap in my camaro.

[rcbildr]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Double nutting with locktite doesn't work. It eventually loosens off. That's why I did the cotter key trick.

Wow..even with the red stuff. Thanks for the tip.