3-On-The-Tree; Post adjusment question

[DjS71]

So i rebushed the linkage, cleaned up and greased the column, adjusted the bottom bearing. Hurray, I can get into and out off all of the gears.

My question is that it seems too solid.... I'll try and articulate this....

So lets say I'm in N, headed to 1, clutch in, pull shifter back, pull shifter down and then, here's what I'm not sure is odd or not: when i reach the bottom of the easy travel, i have to apply some seemingly excessive extra force to get it to go into gear. Happens in 2 and 3 also. It navigates the channels just fine but really requires some umph to get it into gear.

Could I have adjusted that lower collar too tight? something else? Working as intended?

Its perfectly mobile, but it seems out of sorts to me.

Cheers,
-Dan

[cdowns]

have you ever flushed the tranny and put new tranny fluid in the tranny

[DjS71]

You know what? The thought hadn't crossed my mind, I haven't cracked it open since I've owned it. Given the state of the rest of the truck, I doubt it's been opened up in decades. Drain & fill is in my future (not sure how you 'flush' a standard trans)

Guess I ought to crawl under there and figure out which flavor of 3 speed I have and go from there.


Reckon the rear end will be up next...

[cdowns]

b4 draining them i always put in either a can of marvel mystery oil or a quart or so of kerosene// use the truck for very light use about 20 or so miles to allow circulation// them drain and fill with freash tranny grease

[Rufton]

If no drain plug I siphon lube out w/ 3/8" hose.
When dropping tranny maintain orientation to avoid mixing ground gear bits w/ bearings.
Clean bottom magnet.
I dropped tranny and flushed w/ kerosene then checked bearing play and smoothness.
Blew kerosene out then sun baked.
Lubed bearings.
Used RTV instead of gaskets.
Lubed and sloshed lube around.
Installed new metal shifter bushings.

[68gmsee]

My 68 GMC did the same think after I replace rubber bushings on the link arms -top and bottom. I found shift levers were rubbing against each other and had to loosen them up at the top and rotate slightly so that they wouldn't touch while shifting. Find someone that's familiar with column shifting and have them go through the gears while you obseve the links in engine compartments.

Also, as a test, disconnect linkage at the bottom and manually move the levers through the gears to make sure they engage. And, lastly, check the clutch adjustment.

[Rufton]

68gmsee is right. If maladjusted or over worn the linkage can bind.

To check if tranny is stiff just disconnect linkage and verify shifts are easy.

[steelhorse]

Here is an issue I had with a 55 chevy. The motor and trans mounts had worn and sagging and were binding up the linkage. I replaced the mounts along with the shifter bushings and it shifted better than it had in 15 years.

[DjS71]

I'll check for bind when I wake up (graveyard shift), interesting bit regarding the mounts.

Thanks, gang.

[Rufton]

Originally Posted by steelhorse

Here is an issue I had with a 55 chevy. The motor and trans mounts had worn and sagging and were binding up the linkage. I replaced the mounts along with the shifter bushings and it shifted better than it had in 15 years.

Good point. After installing fresh mounts my shifter wouldn't work anymore and I had to adjust.