Tranny trouble.... HELP

'68 F100, 360, 3 sp column. I have 2nd and 3rd but when I try to bring it forward for 1st and reverse, its almost like there is a wall there and wont allow me to come forward. Again, it doesn't move forward at all, just up and down in 2nd and 3rd. Any suggestions?

Floor Shift

Sounds like your linkage is binding. Don't yank on it with the shifter. You may knock it loose but you are only making the problem worse if that is what it is. Get the truck level where it won't roll away get it in nutral and open the hood. The linkage coming off your column can be grabbed and moved. You may have to yank it around like you are trying to shift it. from under the hood. If the linkage is really bad you may have to climb under and work the levers on the side of the tranny case. With it being a truck it may even be easier to just climb under. My 61 started that right before I got rid of it. It only sit a couple inches off the ground. I had to jack it up to get mine loose a few time. If you get it loose and everything seems fine it's just the bushings in the linkage wore out. With the cold it may even have ice from freezing run off that got around the linkage on the column from running down the firewall.

okay, this is what I have....

the linkage furthest from the firewall is 3rd and 4th, the one closest to firewall is R and 1st, that is not moving by hand but the other one I can move pretty freely.... clueless? I am!

So should I disconnect the lower linkage to tranny and see if it's in column or tranny? Or would I be wasting time? Again, when shifting, the shifter wont come forward at all to begin to engage R or 1st... it just stays in the slot for accessing 3rd and 4th.

Mr. Fabulous wrote:Floor Shift

Had the same thing with my old white wagon. Couple of times I had to get out in rush hour traffic and align the levers on the column. With mine it was the bushings and the inside of the column were just wore out. The thing locked with Jeff driving one evening and we came to a screaching hault and we about got hit. That was the last time. I had the same problem with an old three speed on the column when I got out of high school. It was mangled from beating it to death. In both cases Hurst supplied the solution.

3rd and 4th?

UPDATE.......... It's not the tranny... it's in the column. Linkages are moving just fine, wasn't pushing/pulling hard enough on the other one. So.... now what? And what exactly do I need to get this repaired?

You don't have to take anything loose. It's been a while since I messed with it but I think you need the free linkage in the nutral position and then work the other. move them all from one spot to another and then try to loosen the one that is stuck. It is a pain but when you find it the first time you can find it if it happens again easy. everything has to be in it's spot even for the R and 1 to work 2 & 3rd must be in the right spot. move everything back and forth in different spots while working the frozen one back and forth. It will come loose. Depending on how bad your bushing are you may have to give them a good tug.

customcabby wrote:UPDATE.......... It's not the tranny... it's in the column. Linkages are moving just fine, wasn't pushing/pulling hard enough on the other one. So.... now what? And what exactly do I need to get this repaired?

not sure without seeing what you did. Did you take the linkage off the tranny and move the arm on the tranny? If that is the case it's still in the linkage. You will need to get them in the right order. moving them that runs off the column to get them right. I'm not sure if I get what you are talking about.

okay.... the linkages are moving just fine and I know it's not the trans because I moved the linkages and then started truck in each one to make sure it's good. It's for sure in the column somehow. Just not sure where and what would be causing it. Looked up LMC and I can't make heads or tails of the diagrams or what it looks like I may need.

If you have the cash to spare it may be easier to get a floor shift if the column is messed up. Autozone and Advance use to sell a univeral 3 speed that was fairly cheap.

UNDER THE HOOD THERE ARE THE TWO TABS ON THE COLUMN THAT THE LINKAGE CONNECTS TO THAT GO DOWN TO THE TRANSMISSION. THOSE TWO TABS HAVE THREE POSITIONS EACH, UP, MIDDLE AND DOWN. BOTH OF THOSE TABS HAVE TO BE IN THE NEUTRAL (MIDDLE) LOCATION TO BE ABLE TO UN-JAM THE LINKAGE. UNTIL YOU ALIGN THOSE TOGETHER, YOUR SPINING YOUR WHEELS. ONCE YOU DO THAT AND EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED, IF THE LINKAGE DON'T WORK...........YOUR SCREWED.

Thanks Steve and Doug. I understand how the linkage goes now. I found out through looking closer and making a call that the column has shifting tubes/linkage that are damaged and can only be fixed with finding used parts to replace them. So..... FLOOR SHIFTER coming up!

I'd do the floor shift but Jeff might know if or where one of those are setting if you want to change the column and keep the orignal look and Not cut a hole in the floor.

I kinda wanted to keep the stock column shifter but after thinking about it a bit, I wouldn't mind doing the floor shifter and then getting a taller extension with some custom shifter. Anybody have a 3 speed shifter, either Hurst or B&M?