C6 3 speed question?

[04stangman]

Sup guys...

Thanks to Convincor I finally got my 69 highboy back on the road yesterday after 2 days of electrical issues. I go to get my daughter from school and I’m so happy that the truck is running just like new again. Im on the way home and I ask my daughter if she would like to stop and get a slurpee... she replies "Sure dad"! So, on to 7-11 I go. I pull into 7-11 reach up on the column to shift the truck into park and all of the sudden SNAP!

I have a c-6, 3 speed tranny in my 69 and now my shift lever is loose, im stuck in reverse and I cant get anything to change gears. So, I drive the truck home all the way in reverse because Im afraid to turn the truck off in fear that she wont start again because the tranny isn’t in P or N. I get home and discover that the linkage rod assembly came disconnected from the tranny linkage.

I go to 3 different auto parts stores and they all tell me it takes some type of locking clip to hold it it place... but they dont have any. So I go to the place the put the tranny in my tuck about 4 years ago and the dude give me a hard plastic piece that goes into the tranny linkage..... then I push the lower end of the linkage rod assembly into that. I tell the guy if that’s how they built it before and it broke in 3 years after about 2000 miles.... isn’t there a better part or some type of locking clip. The mechanic says no.... So I go home, hook it all up and it works great until it breaks again…..

I guess my question is... is that the right way? a hard plastic piece that the linkage assembly snaps into.... or is there supposed to be some type of fitting that the linkage rod fits into then it secures with a locking clip on the back side? Any have any ideas?

[BobbyFord]

Go to the Ford dealer and get the correct grommet. The part # is EOSZ-7341-B

[Donnie]

Bobby is correct, a little tip : grease the grommet on the outside & push it into the lever, then grease the inside on the grommet & the end of the linkage & push it together........Use channel locks if you need assistance...there is a special tool for this, but it is not needed..
The bushing is Delrin I think, it is a nylon type polymer of some type...Installed correctly it will last a LONG time...........

[basketcase0302]

The bushing is Delrin I think, it is a nylon type polymer of some type...Installed correctly it will last a LONG time...........

I'd seen these bushings "split" with a razor knife, (to make the installation easier)? Usually by guys not knowing to put the bushing into the lever first-then insert the linkeage. My expierence with this method was always having the linkeage popping out. I can only imagine how many "milk jugs" our china knock offs use to make this part.

[youngone]

So that is how its installed all this time i have been fighting with these things......Thanks.

[mrollings53]

Did these trucks come with different styles of linkages? I got that grommet from the dealer, but when I went to install it I found that the hole in the transmission end of the linkage is the same diameter as the rod from the linkage hanging from the column. No way that the grommet was going to fit, so I ended up just throwing a c-clip on it.

[BobbyFord]

My linkage is stock and the grommet worked on both the trans and the column linkage.