Three on the tree rebuild? Stumped

[Chrisnewing1]

I've got a new shift tube, thrust washers, spacer, and levers. I've read and watched a lot on this and they say to rotate the spacer between the levers 90 degrees. But mine is hitting the column housing? Any insight is appreciated.

[sargentrs]

Don't bother with all that rotating. Stack everything together as a "pack" and just slide it in centered in the slot.

[Chrisnewing1]

Don't bother with all that rotating. Stack everything together as a "pack" and just slide it in centered in the slot.

If I do that it doesn't move the two levers independently. If I rotate the spacer like I've seen people say, the shift tube won't line up with the hole in the end of the column. I've come to the conclusion that my steering shaft had a ton of play awhile back and I put new rag joint and bearings. When the shaft was sloppy it messed up the end of the steering column. It didn't affect the bearing but I guess it bent the part where the shift tube goes. I'm gonna try to bend it back with a bar.

[sargentrs]

Have you tried test assembling in stages? First slide your shift tube in without the levers. Verify it goes to the bottom, the end goes through the bottom bracket, and you can freely push it up and down, it stays straight, and you can feel the spring compress and uncompress as you push the tube. Then pull it back out and slide the levers on. Keep the slots in the levers and spacers aligned and make sure they slide freely with the tab on the tube moving smoothly all the way through it all. Put the tube back in and through the levers/spacers. Look at the tab on the shift tube, it is longer than the thickness of the levers. The installation of the shift collar is what determines the height of the tab on the shift tube when in neutral, in the center spacer. The tab is just big enough to engage one lever at a time. Pull up on the shifter, the tab engages in the bottom lever slot. Push down on the shifter it engages in top lever slot. Shifter in neutral it's in the center spacer. Unless you have the tab on the tube in the right position, in the center spacer, you will not be able to move both levers independently. When you shift to reverse/first you push the tab all the way through the center spacer. When you shift to 2nd/3rd you only move the tabup into the top lever while the bottom of the tab is still in the spacer. That's why there's a long open space on the back of the center spacer. So you can rotate the top lever with the tab still partially engaged in the center spacer. You can try to find that "sweet spot" of neutral without installing the shift collar but it will be awkward. The travel up/down is only as much as the thickness of the center spacer.

[Chrisnewing1]

I've done most of the test fit your talking about and it all seems good but when I stack the thrust washers levers and the spacer and put them in and get the shift tube threw it all the long lever moves on its own and the short lever won't. I've looked at a write up here on fordification that someone suggested and they said I need to rotate the thick plastic spacer that's between the levers 90 degree. But when I do that the shift tube is off by a hair on the hole at the bottom of the column. I'm starting to believe that the wore out rag joint and bearings that used to be on it let the steering shaft rub against the old shift tube and bent it outa shape. The truck was missing the shift rods and the shift handle. It had an old mr gasket floor shifter and that broke. I've gathered all the needed pieces to put it back on the column.

[Chrisnewing1]

Tried to post a picture so you could see. I'm on my phone and it says image is too big? Sorry

[sargentrs]

Try viewing your photo on your phone and taking a screen shot. Then crop it a little and save it. Then try to post the copy. My phone takes HUGE photos and that works for me most times.

[Chrisnewing1]

The picture of end of steering column

[sargentrs]

It does look a little distorted. Here's a side by side with mine. Is your photo with the shift tube in there? There appears to be something odd in the lower left corner. Does your tube have the nylon sleeve on the end of it and that's what I'm seeing? IIRC, my tube fit in there fairly snugly, a slip fit but no slop or wiggling. Yours looks like it'll move around some.

[Chrisnewing1]

Yes it has a nylon sleeve on the end of the shift tube. Yes the shift tube is in and no there isn't any play. The shift tube gets stuck there at the end and won't go threw the hole when I turn the thick plastic spacer 90 degree. If I don't turn the spacer the shift tube goes threw the hole. When I try to go threw the gears that way the longer lever moves on its own but when I try to get the short one to move they both move together. That's where I get confused.

[sargentrs]

That's confusing me too. Have you read this article? http://www.fordification.com/tech/3spd-column_01.htm
There's a good photo that shows how the levers and spacers should be oriented. Verify that everything you have looks like that. http://www.fordification.com/tech/images/3spd_05.jpg

[Chrisnewing1]

Yes sir levers and spacer and thrust washer are in that order. That article is the one I've read before that's where I get the 90 degree rotation. The old shift tube was worn and almost flared on the bottom side and I can tell where the steering shaft was rubbing there. As well as where its damaged the outer side of the column housing bearing cup. I've been on a group in Facebook trying to find one for sale in good condition. There are a lot of those old trucks in the country where I live but no one will part with them.

[sargentrs]

Bummer! Try searching on http://www.car-part.com/ It's my favorite junk yard search site.