Just rebuilt everything from the flywheel to the rear end pinion swap on my 53 truck. Now I'm having trouble shifting the three speed on the column. Sometime it works and other times I have to jiggle and cuss and coerce the column shifter to get it to go anywhere. Obviously this is undrivable. It worked more or less fine before the linkage was disassembled. Any practical clues? I like the column shifter because it is original to the truck. A video would be spectacular. Thanks
Take the four screws holding the top of the box at the bottom of the column with the shift levers (it's also called a "transmission") and remove just the top. Inside each lever is attached to a sleeve with a square notch in it. With the transmission and shifter both in the neutral position the square notches and the tang on the shifter rod MUST be aligned with each other. You can lengthen or shorten the shifter rods that run down to the trans to get the correct alignment. You usually only have to shorten or lengthen one rod. Now NEVER shift it with the back of your hand facing you as this will always cause you to push the shifter at an angle from 1st to 2nd. Shift it with your fingers curled back towards your face and you will follow the "H" pattern designed into the shifter.
