Stick shift is loose...

[Camelwagon]

Ok my stick shift goes all over the place, sometimes I'm not sure what gear I'm in. It doesnt have any resistance like most sticks do, mine doesnt have that spring or whatever it has, any ideas? I can move it in neutral from left to right and it just sits there, it doesnt bounce back to the center and its very loose. Is there a piece missing or something to adjust? Thanks lots.

[Subi81]

I am going through the repair of the sifter bushings right now.

 

About the stick not bouncing back, your return spring probably just fell of. That is pretty easy to replace. #18 in the photo Just go to a junk yard with some pliers crawl under any manual, loyal body style with some needle nose pliers and yank the spring. It is located right at the rear of the transmission

 

The bushings are a little more involved.

 

I replaced all of mine but found that the only one that was messed up was #26. After years of shifting there was hardly anything left (see pic below).

 

This is a schematic of the shifting mechanism.

 

 

Here are some pics from the teardown.

 

Be sure to check your inner "black" shifter boot for tears. Mine had the whole top tore off. Your boot will look different because you have single range. Remember that there is a pin that holds the shifter knob to the shift lever that you have to pound out.

 

 

This shows what was left of the #26 bushing, ya it was pretty much doing nothing.

 

 

This shows the linkage out of my car so I could remember how to put it all back together.

 

 

As far as prices go I would go under the car and look and see what bushing is blown out. Replacing all the bushings and steel inserts was about $40-50. If you could get away with just replacing #26 and the bolt will cost you $9.

 

Pounding out the roll pin at the transmission is a pain. The roll pin is actually 2 pins, a small pin inside a larger pin. Just pound out the small one first then pound out the big one.

 

Good luck and feel free to ask anymore questions

[Camelwagon]

Wow, more complicated than I thought, i didnt know there were so many parts under there. My Suby is dual range also. Can you post a pic of the spring and maybe where its located? How do I get it off and put on?

Thanks.

[84gl]

I Made all my shifter bushings (for my wagon) out of bearing bronze and press fitted them in also drilled and trapped grease fittings so they will never ware out

[Subi81]

Yes bronze would be nice.

 

But even with the factory bushings you will experiance shifting nirvana. I have replaced a couple of sets of these and it is well worth the trouble.

[Camelwagon]

Well looks like my #21 and #22 bushings are gone and so thats pretty easy. I dont think i'll go into the other ones under the car, not worth it. Thanks.

[Camelwagon]

So that shift sensor for the 4WD right by the 4WD shifter, what does that do? I unscrewed it and pulled it back and when i put it in 4WD, the light still comes on on the dash. Is there another sensor that does the light on the dash?

[1985GLWAGON]

That switch just controls the yellow "Lo" light, I don't know where the switch is for the green 4x4 lights.

[Camelwagon]

Ah cool, makes sense why my lo light isnt working cuz my switch is all messed up. So where is the "lo" light supposed to light up on the dash? Thanks.