Gear Shift lever

[1946]

I hope you all had a good Christmas. Greetings for the NEW YEAR
I recently decided to repair my gear box top and gear shift lever system. The leaver was waving like a flag in the wind. I dismantled the one in the car, and two others. Two had emergency brake mounts, the third did not. Two levers appear to have had the bottom ball section worn the third did not. The third was the top without a brake mount, I assume this is an early top as it came from a milti plate clutch set up Complete clean and lube and re assemble gave a better shift movement. All pins were replaced with suitable roll pins.
My question is, how much wear should be classed as too much, secondly the top with no brake mount early or late.
Greetings, Rob in Tasmania.

 

[Synchro909]

Rob, Have you considered building up the worn ball with weld?

 

[Joe K]

1928-29 levers have a 20 degree bend in them. 30-31 levers have a 30 degree bend. The two CAN be interchanged although the 20 bend may bring your knuckles close to the gas gauge in shifting.

It is possible to remove (swap) the shift levers from the tower - but be careful, the spring has some compression and if you don't restrain the possibility, you may end up with the spring (or the retainer slot-washer) in your forehead. Vince Falter has a dandy tool made from a piece of 1" tube which works quickly to remove the spring. Other systems are around too.

https://www.fordgarage.com/pages/shiftlevertool.htm


Joe K

 

[JayJay]

I successfully built up the ball on the shift lever with weld. I made a go-no go gauge from a piece of round stock with a 1/2” hole, then carefully ground away excess weld until it slipped onto the ball in all directions. Not difficult, just tedious.