Timotbird
- Reaction score
- 7
- Thunderbird Year
- 1965
Just a thread about my experience replacing the rubber bushing in the lower steering column that centers the shift tube.
I was having the known problem of the transmission occasionally slipping from park into reverse at idle with the steering column centered and not swung over to the right. I was aware that swinging the steering column over to the right would disengage the shift linkage and prevent it moving into park, but that was masking an underlying problem.
I first suspected the shift lever and removed it to find minor notching.
I replaced the lever and rubber bushing it centers in, but it did not fix the problem.
I then suspected the detent might be worn and was researching the best way to disassemble the steering column and while under the dash board and looking at the swing away mechanisms, found the shift tube assembly inside the column was flopping around.
I went under the hood beneath the master cylinder and found the rubber bushing was no where to be found where the column comes through the cowl.
I ordered a replacement and installed it by removing the driver side hood spring and hindge to get enough access to slip it around the shift tube and inside the steering column.
It was difficult to get it in and fitted but found success by heavily lubing in the area with white grease and starting the split rubber bushing inside the notch that secures it in the column and wrapping it around, finally getting it circled around enough to pull it into position with a flat screw driver and pushing it up into the steering column and into the notch it secures in.
I was able to re install the hood spring by levering a steel rod with the spring into a recession near the it’s mounting notch on the hindge bracket. That’s potentially a very dangerous procedure because there was a very great amount of spring tension when levering the spring over. I put on safety goggles, lubed the steel rod so the spring could slide easily on it and stood away and from the side should the spring slip under tension( which it did a few times before sucessfully getting on).
So, I now have a secure shift linkage with no slippage, ( for now)
and avoided disassembling the steering column to replace the detent, which would not have resolved the issue.
I hope my experience is helpful to anyone with this dangerous park into reverse at idle problem.
I was having the known problem of the transmission occasionally slipping from park into reverse at idle with the steering column centered and not swung over to the right. I was aware that swinging the steering column over to the right would disengage the shift linkage and prevent it moving into park, but that was masking an underlying problem.
I first suspected the shift lever and removed it to find minor notching.
I replaced the lever and rubber bushing it centers in, but it did not fix the problem.
I then suspected the detent might be worn and was researching the best way to disassemble the steering column and while under the dash board and looking at the swing away mechanisms, found the shift tube assembly inside the column was flopping around.
I went under the hood beneath the master cylinder and found the rubber bushing was no where to be found where the column comes through the cowl.
I ordered a replacement and installed it by removing the driver side hood spring and hindge to get enough access to slip it around the shift tube and inside the steering column.
It was difficult to get it in and fitted but found success by heavily lubing in the area with white grease and starting the split rubber bushing inside the notch that secures it in the column and wrapping it around, finally getting it circled around enough to pull it into position with a flat screw driver and pushing it up into the steering column and into the notch it secures in.
I was able to re install the hood spring by levering a steel rod with the spring into a recession near the it’s mounting notch on the hindge bracket. That’s potentially a very dangerous procedure because there was a very great amount of spring tension when levering the spring over. I put on safety goggles, lubed the steel rod so the spring could slide easily on it and stood away and from the side should the spring slip under tension( which it did a few times before sucessfully getting on).
So, I now have a secure shift linkage with no slippage, ( for now)
and avoided disassembling the steering column to replace the detent, which would not have resolved the issue.
I hope my experience is helpful to anyone with this dangerous park into reverse at idle problem.
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