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NP205 shifter rattles anyone?

dyeager535

dyeager535

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About sick of mine rattling. It's got the right parts, (except the newer boot isn't tight) and it's a '91. Wear shouldn't be an issue.

I read past threads I could find on the topic, but didn't really seem like any viable fixes for me. Some people it sounds like have shifter issues relating to the shifter bore being the problem, but I'm not sure if that's the direction to head to cure this issue. The earlier shifters are just metal on metal for the pivot bolt, which would obviously make all kinds of noise without lube. On the later ones, like mine, I'm pretty certain the bore is actually already bushed with rubber.

I've tried additional washers, but anything that presses the shifter to the shifter pivot bolt head or adapter means the bolt works loose when you shift the transfercase.

I've tried a large diameter rubber washer that is pretty thin, but same problem. The bolt hits the shoulder and bottoms out, anything that flattens out the wave washer is "too much".

Just thought about cutting a Teflon "washer" for the non- wave washer side...same stuff used on the leaf spring packs. If I used that, I could simply cut a very small piece and affix it to the threaded end of the pivot bolt so that it bottomed out exactly the right depth to compensate for the added thickness on the bolt head end. It's not like it would cost anything, except the hassle of pulling the shifter apart enough to try it.

Another solution might be to find some flanged nylon bushings, and likely machine the shifter handle to accept them. But that's a lot of work if something simpler will work.

Just soliciting ideas/thoughts I suppose. I can't stand constant noise like this which I know can be stopped, and is just asking for me to figure it out. :)
 
I'd start with a washer and loc-tite the shifter bolt in place so it can't back out. You want to slightly compress, but not bottom out the wavy washer.
 
Yeah I got back in there and made sure the bolt is snug, wasn't loose unfortunately.

Wave washer isn't as springy as I suspect it should be, but it is still wavy. Haven't had any luck finding new wave washers or that would be my very first choice.
 
I fixed that problem on several 205-equipped trucks with bronze thrust bearings. Put one on each side of the shifter and bolted it back to the adaptor. Its snug enough that it would make the shifter tight while preventing the rattling.

I got mine at True Value. They aren't anything special. Just look like regular washers made of bronze.

I will see if I can find some extras I had in the tool box and take some pics of them.
 
Yeah I haven't seen those, but how did you get around them loosening up the pivot bolt when you shifted? If it's tight enough so the bolt head/adapter don't rub on the shifter, in my case, that friction was enough to loosen the pivot bolt when the shifter was manipulated.

I saw your other posts on this topic, but it didn't work for me with steel or rubber. That's why I was thinking of the teflon sheet material since it's so thin and "slippery". But if the bronze will work, I'll try it.

Were you dealing with the early, later or both styles of shifter?
 
Dorian, here's some pics of the bronze thrust bearings I have. I went to TV and bought some more as I couldn't find my previous ones.

This time I got two different thicknesses. The thinner ones work better. They are 1/16" thick and the thicker ones are 1/8" thick. They have a 3/4" i.d. hole. These work perfectly in taking out the slop and rattles of the shifters.

NP205 washers 006.jpg

NP205 washers 005.jpg

NP205 washers 004.jpg
 
These bearings work good as keeping grease in rather than oozing out past the sides.

Here are a few more pics:

NP205 washers 001.jpg

NP205 washers 002.jpg

NP205 washers 003.jpg
 
Hmm, maybe with washers on both sides the friction issue isn't as problematic...since I couldn't find thin enough steel, I only tried it on one side with the wave washer. May try that. Heading to a *good* hardware store tonight, they may have some.

Thanks!
 
The bronze is soft enough to allow some give when you tighten the bolt up. Then you can move the shifter back and forth to wear a slight mark, or groove, onto the bearing.
I'm not sure on the newer shifters of how these bearings will fit. They worked perfectly on older shifters like I show in the pics. I think the newer shifters have a wider shoulder since they have pressed rubber bushings in them.
If this is the case of using a newer shifter, you may be able to get by with one bearing. Just a trial and error, I guess.
 
Or buy a brand new bolt like I did. It already has a spot of LT on it.
 
I have fixed all mine with a piece of bicycle inner tube inside around the bolt. Used bicycle inner tube because its thin,
Some originals had a white teflon insert that wear away.

I cut the inner tube to fit all the way around the bolt greased it all up slid the shifter over it, and bolted it on. Every one (3 or 4) I have done had plenty of room for the rubber of the inner tube. Some may not have the clearance, I couldnt say for sure.
 
The Ford 205 shifters use a bolt that is larger in diameter than the Chevy and use a two piece teflon bushin.Might try usin a Ford bolt and bushin and drillin your shifter to size.
 
More options. Interesting. I *think* the later shifter that I've got uses a rubber bushing of some type, I'm going to have to pull it out and really look at it. If it's got an inner metal sleeve like the leaf spring bushings then there are two potential noise generating areas, but if it's just rubber then it's going to be coming from the sides where it rubs the adapter or the bolt head.

Found the bronze washers yesterday (they have them listed as bushings) but decided to hold off since I know I can get them, until I pull the boot off, inspect, then take the shifter apart and come up with a plan.

The Ford piece, is it a flanged bushing, so that the teflon is what rides on the bolt, plus the vertical surface on the adapter and bolt head?
 
I don't think a pic is necessary yet, I appreciate it though. Things like that should be pretty easy to get or make, the same place that has the bronze bushings mentioned above has a huge selection of nylon washers and bushings, although if it needs to be 3/4" ID, it MIGHT be a bit larger than what they stock.

Nylon is easy enough to work with that as long as the ID is right, I'm sure it could be made to work.

Leadfoot posted some good pics here, pretty clear the rubber bushing is steel sleeved. How stupid was that of GM? http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213662&highlight=205+shifter I have no idea why they would have done that. If they would have not used lube there, and had flanges on the bushing, that could have been rubber on metal all around with no noise. I can't believe a bushing wouldn't have held up under those conditions for a LONG time.

I think the solution is going to be a combination of fixing that metal sleeve problem, along with the sides. Wonder if the ford piece will fit in there if the rubber is taken out. Thoughts? Measurement of the Ford bushing OD if you think it might fit?
 
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