49 Mercury Shift Tube Question

Joeyv

Joeyv

Member
I’m working on the column shift tube on my 49 Mercury. The problem it had was that the column’s upper shift arm, which engages reverse and first, would not engage, it would not move. With the rods to the transmission disconnected from the column’s shift levers, the upper shift lever just hung down loosely. The shift tube felt as though there was no spring in it. Only the lower shift arm, that shifts 2nd and 3rd, would engage and shift ok. After removal of the shift tube from the column, cleaning it and spraying a lot of WD-40 and putting it back in the column, the tube would spring back up after being pushed down. I assume there is a spring in the bottom of the tube, below the lower shift arm, that was jammed or stuck finally broke free. Now the tube’s spring moves the tube up so it can engage the upper shift lever. While cleaning the tube I was able to remove the upper shift arm to clean out the gunk. I wanted to remove the lower shift arm to be able to thoroughly clean it and the spring, but I have not been able to remove that lower shift arm from the tube. The diagram of shift column I have leaves me with a question. Is the lower shift arm and spring removable from the tube? If so, how does that happen? The upper shift arm pulls out of the tube freely, I can’t get the lower one out. Thanks.
 
The coil spring is between the lower and upper quadrant arms down in the bottom part of the column. I've had to replace a shift tube before due to wear on the little nubs at the bottom of the tube assembly. It could have been repaired but it was easy to find mid century Mercury cars in the salvage yards back in the day. Not so much these days. I would recommend a good grease to lube that stuff. WD-40 is a water displacer so it evaporates pretty quickly.
 
Rotorwrench,
Thanks for the reply and advice. I’m able to take the top shift arm out and there’s no coil spring between it and the lower arm. I do feel the spring on the shift tube so it must be below the lower arm. I’ve pumped grease in the lower arm’s zert fitting. I’ll see if it works when I reassemble it. Thanks for the advice.
 
I checked my parts book for the 49 through 51 Mercury dated November of 1950 (early 51). There are differences between the 1949 and my early 51 cars in the way the steering column is made. The theory is the same but the parts are different. Both have the spring in there but they are set up in a different way. The 1949 version indicates the spring is on the shift tube but it may slide through it or it may be on top of the two arms. The illustration leaves a lot to be desired in this respect. The spring provides a spring action on the tube and hand shift lever. It basically controls the movement between the two quadrants. This way it has to be pulled up against tension to go into 1st/reverse and pushed down against tension to go into 2nd/3rd. It should balance in neutral between the two quadrants.
 
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Thanks Rotorwrench, thanks for the info. I also found the diagram not to be helpful in the location of the spring.
 
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