57 Ford - O - Matic needs adjusting
- Thread starter guy1unico
- Start date
dmsfrr
Well-known member
After all these years there's probably a fair amount of wear in the connecting points of the linkage, esp if it's a column shift, also possibly where the actuator rod goes thru/into the trans housing. There may or may not be replaceable bushings at some of these spots, or the linkage parts themselves could be worn.
There may be an adjustment nut in the linkage but fix or replace the worn parts first.
There may be an adjustment nut in the linkage but fix or replace the worn parts first.
wbedwards
Senior Member
I don't know or see why the truck would be different. On the late 50s car automatics, loosen the big nut on the column outside the firewall that connects the lever to the down rod to the ******, then get under it and manually put the ****** in park, then get in the truck and put the lever in park, then tighten the big nut outside the firewall. Check operation. The late 50s were bad about the linkage wearing and jumping into reverse. DO ALL THIS WITH TRUCK OFF AND WHEELS BLOCKED OR BETTER ON JACKSTANDS, =]
Daves55Sedan
Well-known member
Could be one of two things. First, disconnect the shift rod where it connects to the lever at the transmission. pull the lever all the way down to low gear with your hand, then push up while counting the detents; L-D-N-R-P. Now it is in the park position. Release your hand from the lever. If the lever drops back down to reverse from park all by itself after you release it, the Park pawl inside the transmission is either busted or the detent on the pawl has worn down too low to hold it. If that is the case, DO NOT leave the car running in Park as it is sure to shift itself into reverse and start moving backward.
If the lever stays in park after you release it, get up and move the gearshift lever to park, then go back down and try to position the end of the shift rod back thru the hole in the lever. Adjust the rod length as needed by looseing the nut at the top end of the rod and rotate the rod till the bottom end mates up with the transmission lever.
If the lever stays in park after you release it, get up and move the gearshift lever to park, then go back down and try to position the end of the shift rod back thru the hole in the lever. Adjust the rod length as needed by looseing the nut at the top end of the rod and rotate the rod till the bottom end mates up with the transmission lever.
Daves55Sedan
Well-known member
Couple other things related to look at for a more precise adjustment of the linkage.
There is a rubber grommet thru the shift lever at the base of the steering column where the top of the shift rod clevis connects. That rubber grommet often becomes real soft over time and should be replaced. If the rubber is bad enough, could be that your linkage is all right the way it is, but when you shift to park, it really isn't pulling the shift rod all the way up due to that bad rubber grommet. Don't lose the little nylon bushing inside that rubber grommet. Keep it a insert it in your new rubber grommet.
Another thing that is worth inspecting, is the bottom end of the shift rod where it goes thru the hole in the trans lever. That end can become so worn that it is very sloppy. I repaired mine by running a bead of weld around that shaft and then grinding the weld so that it ended up perfectly round to fit thru the hole snugly.
There is a rubber grommet thru the shift lever at the base of the steering column where the top of the shift rod clevis connects. That rubber grommet often becomes real soft over time and should be replaced. If the rubber is bad enough, could be that your linkage is all right the way it is, but when you shift to park, it really isn't pulling the shift rod all the way up due to that bad rubber grommet. Don't lose the little nylon bushing inside that rubber grommet. Keep it a insert it in your new rubber grommet.
Another thing that is worth inspecting, is the bottom end of the shift rod where it goes thru the hole in the trans lever. That end can become so worn that it is very sloppy. I repaired mine by running a bead of weld around that shaft and then grinding the weld so that it ended up perfectly round to fit thru the hole snugly.
If this is a home repair and not on a lift be certain to chalk the wheels good. One day I was only going to check out something insignificant under my car, just take 1/2 a minute, then while I was under it my shoulder hit something, the car rolled off the wood block and on top of me, pinned me good. I had pulled the shift mech. out of park. close one not thinking.