Hey folks,

Have a problem with my '68 with 3 speed manual on the column.

Background:
Rarely (has happened twice in last 3 months) it has had a problem where there transmission gets "stuck" to whatever gear it is in but you can get it free by pushing and pulling the linkage in the engine compartment (where they come out of the steering column) and then everything is fine again.

Current symptoms:
This time shifting 1st was a little stiff when going from 1st - reverse position to 2nd - 3rd position or vice versa (when you have to push the shifter forward or backwards) and now it's stuck to 2nd - 3rd position meaning I can only use those two gears and not reverse or 1st.
I tried freeing it by yanking the linkages inside engine bay and I can get a reverse on from there but then it's stuck in reverse and no matter what I do with the shifter, I only have reverse.
Then again when moving one of the levers inside the engine bay, I get it in neutral and then have 2nd & 3rd available by using shifter.
Shifter only moves up and down but not forward or backwards.
I tried yanking the linkage with my wife moving the shifter inside to no avail.

Soooo....

I assume one of the linkage got somehow loose/disconnected or can it be somehow stuck?
How can I get to them and/or fix this otherwise?

Thank you in advance.

 

Mr. Wilson will have your replacement part numbers needed for your worn bushings.

A work around that I learned in the late 60s. While pulling the lever towards the steering wheel lift it out of 1st until you feel it almost going into reverse, drop the lever, pull gently towards the wheel and lift it into second.

I suspect you are pushing the lever palm down to 2nd. My wife used to stick my truck about every time that she drove it. I kept a hammer on the floor for her to yank the lever closest to the firewall & get going again.

Try my suggestion, it wont cost you anything.




John

 

Thank John,

I've studies the forum a bit and already got the replacement bushing on their way from LMC.
Yesterday I "played" with it a bit and actually got it to shift all gears although going to 1st & reverse is difficult/stiff. I'm thinking maybe it's just bushing which I'll find out once I get the parts and install them. Hopefully it's only that.

Regarding your work around, thanks for the tip!
I'm a bit confused with it though... When you say: "pull gently towards the wheel and lift it into second" I assume you mean push away from the wheel (since that's where 2nd & 3rd are)?

The pattern is up & towards steering wheel is reverse, down & towards steering wheel is 1st, up & away from steering wheel is 2nd and down & away from steering wheel is 3rd.

And my problem really is only going into 1st & reverse (so pulling it towards the steering wheel) than 2nd & 3rd (away from the steering wheel) but I think your tip should work with both ways.

Thanks again.

 

The shift lever has some play in it gently lifting or pulling it back towards you seems to help. Many peeps will try to push it directly from first to second without making the H pattern needed. You really need to make a H shift.

When going to 1st or rev try a decent pull on the lever towards the wheel. It can help, but may not always.

Or you can do as I did, and install a C6, that way the truck can shift it's gears the way it wants.



John

 

Thanks again John,

I do always use the H pattern and do it rather slowly (I'm no no rush when driving this thing...), usually the shifting in effortless but every now and then the movement from 1st & reverse to 2nd & 3rd (or vice versa) is little stiff, that's why I think bushing sound likely.

I should have them some time next week and then we'll see. I'll post an update once they're in.

Thanks for all the help.

 

When I had a 72 back in the early 90's, I had the same problem as you described. I replaced the bushings, checked the steering shaft, linkages, everything and I couldn't never get it right. I'm sure something might not have been lined up right but I could not find the problem. I know this is not much of a fix, but what i ended up doing is greasing the linkages at every pivot point and working the shifter and I never had that problem again. I know, I'm not a big fan of rigging things, but at that point it was suggested to me so I tried it and it worked.

Also, when you go from 1st to 2nd gear......coming out of 1st it should kinda "pop" into neutral when you are not putting a lot of pressure on the shifter while going to 2nd gear. That "pop" is what creates the "H" pattern that is mentioned above. If yours doesn't pop at all, then it sounds like something is misaligned and you should try undoing the linked and manually going through the gears from underneath the truck and aligning them as mentioned in the other post.

I also agree with what John said above......going to an automatic.....that's what I did with my 68 as cruising with a mild cam in a town with a crap load of stop lights is not too fun.

 

Thanks William, I have lubed most parts but will do everything throughout.

Automatic... Yes, would be much better but I think quite costly

 

C5TZ-7343-A .. Bushing & Insulator Kit-Use with 3 M/T / Obsolete

Applications: 1965/72 F100/250 2WD / 1969/74 Econoline.

TISON MOTOR CO. in Estill SC has 3 = 803-625-2551.

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has 4 = 800-543-4959.

MANDERBACH FORD in Temple PA has 4 = 610-929-3683.

PARTS INTERNATIONAL in Farmers Branch TX has 30 = 888-727-0418.

CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS in Concord NC has 50 = 800-476-9653.

 

You're no dummy Mr. Wilson, thanks.

 

I got lucky. A friend pointed me to a guy who had an automatic in his truck and wanted to put in a 3 speed......he said he would rather have a 3 speed. I actually traded him every nut and bolt and he did the switch on both trucks and it didnt cost me a dime. Dropped my 3 speed truck off one day and 4 days later picked up my automatic truck, LOL.

Yeah, Numberdummy.......he is ok.

 

Well in that case... Find me another one who wants to do a swap like that!

 

Update:

Put the new bushing in (removing old ones was PITA) and the shifting problem is fixed!

Shifts really good now although still the movement from 2nd & 3rd to 1st & reverse is kinda stiff, feels completely different which is no surprise as the old bushings had practically no rubber left...
I think I'll have to take the steering wheel off and take a look to see if there's a problem there.

Thanks for all the help!