Sloppy shifter linkage

[-stew-]

So the shifter linkage in my truck is all sloppy. The plastic bushing where the arm on the column connects to the rod going to the transmission is missing. Where can I buy this from? LMC doesn't show anything. I may have other bushings missing. It's been sloppy as long as I've had it. I'd like to clean it up. I haven't looked at the linkage at the trans, but I need the bushing on the column no matter what.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Thinking about it, I remember seeing a pivot point on the frame that seems to be missing some sort of bushing.

 

[dyeager535]

Looking at my 1985-88 parts manual, it looks like the bushing at the column (picture shows it being kind of tubular) is part number 1394293. Calls it a "sleeve kit, W/Bush, Range Sel Rod".

The bushing for the pivot point on the frame is 1377083, and called "Bushing, Range Sel Lvr Eqlzr Lvr".

Personally I wouldn't pay more than $2 for each one, but maybe at $5/ea it would probably be reasonable. No idea if those parts changed throughout the years, based on the length of those part numbers, they probably are different than say, mid-late 70's or earlier. IIRC 6 digit part numbers ended sometime around then, FWIW.

Ebay is often a good place to get obscure small parts like this, especially if you have the PN and some time to keep watching for them to pop up. Most dealers (GMpartsdirect, Nalley, etc) have to charge too much shipping to make it worth buying from them on things like this in my experience.

 

[Fordum]

When I was coming along, we used to see a lot of that in hunting trucks. In the 70's, it was kinda expected after a few years.
Since the aftermarket/spare parts stuff was not like it is today it was hard to get parts to fix them.
Most of the time, the factory stuff was not available like you wanted. You could get some small parts, but usually to get what you needed required buying much more than you wanted to.

It was pretty much a given around here, that a Ford column shift would outlast a Chevy, plus the parts that wore out on a Ford were available and not hard to replace.
With a Chevy, you could get and replace the plastic parts, but that that never really fixed it.
As a result, the usual solution was to install a floor shift kit. For a hunting truck, Mr. Gasket was the favorite.
Cheap, easy to install, and very solid.
I once installed one in the river swamp, with an ax, large spike sharpened with a file to punch the holes, and a large hammer.

After you put the boot over the axe hole, it looked great, and he drove it for over 10 years more.

Nowadays, you can find more parts, plus the junkyard selection is better.
You might be better off just finding a good, tight, used column and replacing the whole thing.

 

[Fordum]

OMG, they still make them!

http://www.autozone.com/shifter-and...ted-linkage-and-mounting-hardware/460766_0_0/

I figured that they were just part of my past.

I see them in the $60 range which is about what they went for in the 70's
Note, they are cheap units, Hurst and others are much better, but if you set them up right, they are very tough.
You are still better off fixing your column probably, but this is an option.

 

[diesel4me]

I recall installing a "Spark-O-Matic" floor shifter in my '69 GTO years ago--I think I had the only GTO made with a colum shifter!..

The shifter was no prize,it relied soley on the "detents" in the tranny itself,and you could easily shove it into reverse or park when you were upshifting it manually if you were not careful!..

I may be wrong,but I think either "HELP" or Dorman make those shift linkage bushings for GM's ,the one at the colum at least--the one down on the crossbar that sits on the frame bracket might not be an aftermarket item yet,but they were used on just about all GM's in the 70's and 80's..I know guys who made the half egg shaped bushings out of nylon balls cut in two and a hole drilled thru it,one guy even used an old rocker arm ball in a pinch..

 

[-stew-]

Looking at my 1985-88 parts manual, it looks like the bushing at the column (picture shows it being kind of tubular) is part number 1394293. Calls it a "sleeve kit, W/Bush, Range Sel Rod".

The bushing for the pivot point on the frame is 1377083, and called "Bushing, Range Sel Lvr Eqlzr Lvr".

Personally I wouldn't pay more than $2 for each one, but maybe at $5/ea it would probably be reasonable. No idea if those parts changed throughout the years, based on the length of those part numbers, they probably are different than say, mid-late 70's or earlier. IIRC 6 digit part numbers ended sometime around then, FWIW.

Ebay is often a good place to get obscure small parts like this, especially if you have the PN and some time to keep watching for them to pop up. Most dealers (GMpartsdirect, Nalley, etc) have to charge too much shipping to make it worth buying from them on things like this in my experience.

Thanks for those OE part numbers! Found the parts all over the place with them. And found them on Rockauto. They have been ordered from RA along with $240 worth of other crap. Since I'm making an order...

 

[dyeager535]

And found them on Rockauto. They have been ordered from RA along with $240 worth of other crap. Since I'm making an order...

lol. Pretty sure that is the online business model anymore..."we'll offer lots of stuff, and when people come to buy a $5 piece, they mightaswell order $200 more since they are already here and we have it"

Makes sense in terms of shipping, plus, if the price is reasonable enough, I'll often buy twice as many as I need presently, for the future. Of course, by the time I need the parts, I'll forget I have new spares and buy more anyway.

 

[brans87]

Look at it like this better to have sloppy shifter the sloppy seconds right?

 

[-stew-]

lol. Pretty sure that is the online business model anymore..."we'll offer lots of stuff, and when people come to buy a $5 piece, they mightaswell order $200 more since they are already here and we have it"

Makes sense in terms of shipping, plus, if the price is reasonable enough, I'll often buy twice as many as I need presently, for the future. Of course, by the time I need the parts, I'll forget I have new spares and buy more anyway.

The truck is over due for some work, And I'm wanting to get her all buttoned up and ready for winter now. The front rotors are glazed and heat cracked (have been as long as I've owned the truck. I've never had the rear drums off, so those are coming off and I'm doing rear disc brakes.

So I ordered rear calipers, front rotors, linkage bushings, and longer studs.
I'll be bust for a few days with front and rear brakes, drain and fill both diffs, t-case, trans and oil change, new studs, new steering shaft and give the interior a good cleaning.

 

[dyeager535]

Got your work laid out for you! Will feel good to get it done though, for sure.