Refurbish selector lever

[parisian62]

Hi everyone,

How do I get both nylon trunnions in place into the selector lever?

Also I've removed one of the old insulators from the selector lever. It had a steel 'washer' inside the rubber. How do I get this steel 'washer' inside the new rubber without drilling the rubber out? The inside diameter is completely different. See second pic.





Stewart

[Harv]

Stu,

The original trunnions had a little "bridge" that kept the two halves together, and made it a lot less fiddly to install.


The new repro ones don't have this, and are painful to put in.

From memory, I found the easiest was to leave the lever attached to the steering column selector tube, and let the other lever hang off the linkage. Fit the trunnion, then swing the second lever up.

The Rares bushing kit doesn't fit too well, and from memory there is not enough meat in the bushing to get the metal insert in even after drilling. I fitted without the insert - there is not a massive amount of load on it, and they are not too hard to changeout if they get sloppy in the future.

Sorry the above is a bit vague - I changed mine out after blowing the end off the selector tube... at 9:00 at night... out the back of Blacktown. Wasn't a happy boy getting towed home that night.

Cheers,
Harv.

[parisian62]

Many thanks Andrew. I don't seem to be able to get the lever far enough 'out' to slide/fit the trunnions. Will have another go tomorrow...

Will fit the bush without the insert.

Stewart

[parisian62]

So I’m sure you guys have worked out how much of a grease monkey I am…and so changing a simple thing like trunnions for you becomes climbing Mt Everest for me…

An update…

Brown Bear (Matt) dropped in with his Dad to check out the wagon. While he was there I explained the trouble I'd had and gave him a job…install the trunnions. But with some closer inspection his Dad pointed out that the levers were slightly bent which may be the cause of the trunnions not sitting properly. Then I visited Dr Terry and arming myself with some more info, advice and some ‘can do’ attitude got to work…

I visited the back shed and grabbed a parted out steering column and found that the levers weren’t bent and it still had an original trunnion in place and in good condition .





Then I wedged a socket in place to push back the spring and unscrewed the bolt to release the first lever. Note it has a small ‘pin’ that helps locate the lever in place. Also the bolt has a special washer that only fits one way.





Then I unscrewed the second lever. I had my ‘new parts’ which I gave a quick clean up.





Because I was working alone I pushed the column spring down and used a screwdriver to get some release from the column spring.



Then I did the reverse of the above and screwed the first lever back on. I used the socket to get some room and fitted up the second lever and screwed the bolt back on. It is possible to do this with the steering column in the car but it would be much easier doing this job on the bench.



Then I took a look at the FB and noticed it doesn’t have any trunnions…and I have been driving that for 20 years…I guess you don’t really need them…

Stewart

[Harv]

Stu,

Good to hear you got them in. The gear shift works perfectly fine without trunnions, but is much "notchier" with them in... much less like stirring a bowl of porridge .

The trunnions are also often required if you are fitting a reverse light switch to the column - without the trunnions, some selector levers will not operate the switch properly. I only worked that out after having my 10 year old son work the gearshift for an hour whilst I played with the (trunionless) selector lever. Good training for him for future early Holden ownership I guess

Cheers,
Harv.

[parisian62]

The gear shift works perfectly fine without trunnions, but is much "notchier" with them in

It will be interesting to feel the difference between the EK and what I have been used to driving in the FB.

Your son will have the gear shift down pat now.

[kel3629]

Hi All

Pulled my gear selector lever apart today (without taking a photo first- idiot!!!!) and now can't work out how it goes back together.
The above photos show a different lever than mine. Mine does not have the locating bin where it bolts onto the shaft, just a threaded hole for the bolt.

Does the lever sit between the spring and the mounting plate or on the other side. If it goes on the spring side it does not sit flat against the plate as there is a raised section around the bolt hole on the lever. If I put it on the other way I cannot get the bolt in because of the spring.

What am I missing?? - please help

Kel

[Harv]

G'day Kel,

Lever goes between the spring and the mounting plate... you have to compress the spring, then swing the lever in. It takes three hands . There is a fancy washer that is used under the bolt head that helps it grab the mounting plate - the washer is all that holds it on really rather than a "bolt through" assembly. This means that if the bolt comes loose (say if the spring washer has no tension) then the lever can fall off. Don't ask me how I know

Cheers,
Harv

[kel3629]

Thanks Harv

However my lever must have been modified or something as it has only one hole that lines up with the mounting bracket.




I'll just bolt it back on between the spring & mount as see how it goes??

Kel