Shift collar needed

**Luva65wagon** · June 30th, 2008, 02:38 PM

You know... I should remember, but I just don't... exactly. It seemed to me the shift tube went up into the collar and it was only keyed to fix it into place and down where the shift levers were there was a big spring that kept the tube pushed up into the collar. But it's been 5 years since I did the swap and I only pulled it apart... not work on it. Usually if I rebuild something I'll remember every minute detail. This was "out with the column" "in with a 4-speed" and as such it is somewhat a blur.

The tube has to be allowed to both return to the neutral position as well as align both the levers up for the tranny to be in neutral as well. Again, any slop you see anywhere may allow a lever (on the column or on the tranny) to stop moving before it's totally in neutral. So fixing anything with slop is a good first step.

I'm dropping the collar in the mail on the way home, so it shold be over the mountains in the next couple days.

**Luva65wagon** · June 30th, 2008, 02:42 PM

Also, I'll look at the tube when I get home (I think I know where it is stashed as well) and measure its length. If yours is still out you can do the same thing. If the new collar is sloppy in the tube and my tube is the same as yours is, then I can mail you over the tube as well... just in case. Again, better see it used than collecting dust.

**Luva65wagon** · June 30th, 2008, 02:44 PM

Man, I'm racking up the posts here lately! Look out Kenny, here I come!

**Nathan289** · June 30th, 2008, 11:02 PM

Roger,
IIRC the 64/65 column was longer than the earlier years or maybe it was shorter.. it was one way or the other... i'm gona getch you... ok now that I'm done singing..

I understand everything you are mentioning.
On the cross over tube/shift tube there is a hole at the top where the shift arm attaches. Theres a little bit of slop there and I thought maybe there was supposed to be a bushing or something there..

I can't find anything through the vendors and the shop manual doen't exactly diagram the column stuff very well..

My other rant is. Why is it that taking a car apart is easier than putting it back together?? It should be the other way around.. you already know what tools are needed to put it back together so you cut down on searching time.. but what took me an hour to take a part took me 3 hours to put back together..
I ended up taking it further apart to get it back together???

Nathan