Removing Gear Shift Lever

[PC1963T-Bird]

I've replaced the detent plate in my Bird a year or so ago. It's still wanting to drop into gear so I'm in the process of replacing the lever. For the life of me I can't get the pin out that secures it. I've tried hammering it through from the top and bottom. I've broken off drill bits inside it trying to drive it. Is there a trick? Does it need to be pushed from the bottom? I've tried a nail set too and no luck.

Any tips?

[jopizz]

It will come out. However it takes quite a bit of force to hammer it out. You can punch it out from the top. There's no trick to it. It's all brute force and a good punch. Don't use a drill bit. They are meant to drill, not punch hardened steel. If you haven't done it put the shift lever all the way down in low.

John

[PC1963T-Bird]

I only used a drill bit because I didn't have a nail set at the time. I've dropped it all the way down too. I guess I need to get my big boy pants on and really start driving it with force.

Thanks!

[Yadkin]

You're driving a roll pin, which is spring steel. Use the correct size punch- not a nail set. A nail set will enlarge the roll diameter and make it harder to drive.

It also helps to make the column more solid by cutting a 2x4 and wedging it between the column and the floor.

[scumdog]

You're driving a roll pin, which is spring steel. Use the correct size punch- not a nail set. A nail set will enlarge the roll diameter and make it harder to drive.

It also helps to make the column more solid by cutting a 2x4 and wedging it between the column and the floor.

Definitely that last bit!
Put the 2x4 (from memory I used a 2x2) between the floor and the bottom of the hole that the roll-pin will (hopefully!) come out of, you will have to drill a hole in the end of the length of wood to accommodate the pin.

And for what it's worth I reckon a fair chance you'll find it was the shift lever that had all the wear, not the detention plate as the plate is a lot harder material the shifter.

[Yadkin]

And for what it's worth I reckon a fair chance you'll find it was the shift lever that had all the wear, not the detention plate as the plate is a lot harder material the shifter.

True dat. The lever is pot metal and it wears on the steel plate. In fact I reused my old detent plate, as it wasn't worn at all and was cut nicer than the China repro piece.

[PC1963T-Bird]

Success!

[scumdog]

My lever was like your old one but I got my cousin who is a machinist-welder to build up the worn area with a hard-facing rod in his welder then I ground it down to the same profile as it had when new.

Worked out just fine!

(My Scottish heritage combined with the cost of buying and shipping a new one to New Zealand made me go for a less costly (cheap!) fix)

[Dan Leavens]

Tom as we get older we get wiser

(My Scottish heritage combined with the cost of buying and shipping a new one to New Zealand made me go for a less costly (cheap!) fix)