shifter linkage?

[Darrman]

I finally got my column installed today and I am in the process of hooking up the all the electrcal and linkage.
My question is, what was used on automatic linkage, as far as connecting the column to the transmission itself. I hav the original rod, but am noticing that I am missing the grommet that goes into the column eyelet, and have no clue what I am missing from the other end that connects to the trans lever. I do not have any clips, nada, If I remember right they were being held on with cotter pin-like clip that is long gone now.
Thanks for any help!

[flyboy2610]

They were connected with a plastic grommet that snapped onto the rod, and into the arms.
I don't know who makes them anymore.

[swissranger]

Dennis Carpenter has the bushing you are looking for. Check out his current 67-79 Truck Catalog on page 24.

http://www.dennis-carpenter.com/trucks.php

Roman

[Darrman]

Ok, this is getting aggravating, I have bought the parts for the shifter linkage, and guess what, it wont fit. I bought the bushing and clips, the bushings dont fit and the clips will only fit on the end connecting to the trans itself. I am starting to think I have the wrong shifter linkage, and it wont surprise me if I do. Here is some pics of what I have, can anyone verify if its the right stuff?
Thanks!

[cdherman]

What you have appears to be the same as what I have, in terms of parts. I have a C4 and 72 column. My shift arm on the column has a hard plastic insert in the hole. You don't have that insert apparently. Beats me where to get that insert..... Might try johnsf100.com He lists a "gear shift arm bushing - nylon" which might be different than the rubber ones that you got from DC.

I think the rubber one's you got from DC were for the 3 speed column (have seen diagrams with what appears like those being used on 3 speed)

I have a linkage rod that looks identical to yours, but I have not yet installed it.

I have not hooked up my setup (still getting by with a Lokar rig) becuase I could not figure out how the bottom end hooked up to the shift arm on the tranny.

Did I understand it correctly that you DID get the right parts for the bollom end from DC? What was the number, if I may ask....

Well, hope I helped a little....

[Darrman]

The clip in the pic fits on the bottom, thats it. the bushings are not right for it. It looks like I will be making another junkyard run.

[Darrman]

Ok, I finally managed to find some of the right bushings at napa today. I have another question, which end is supposed to connect where, as in does the adjustable end connect to the transmission? Also at the column, which side does the lever snap into, the front facing the front end side, or the side facing the firewall?
Thanks!

[fordman]

it looks like you have it right. the threaded part goes down to the trans and the snap in part goes to the column.

[Darrman]

Man this shifter linkage is being a pain. Ok, I found the bushings, the top one works great in the column eyelet. However I found the bottom one didnt fit, the hole in the shifter lever was barely big enough to let the linkage stick through without the bushing. I couldnt figure out what was wrong, till I realized, duh, the trans is a later 70's model, I had to get the right speedo cable already. I have seen the different ones at the junkyard, the trans shifter lever has the bolt looking thing that the shifter slides on for adjustment.
So my question is, will this later model linkage work with the older column, and if so, which motor should I be looking for in the junkyard, I have the 390, but I have seen everything from I6's to small blocks to 460's.
I have had the motor running for awhile now, the truck is ready for a test drive, but I cant because of the shifter missing!
Thanks for any help!

[fordman]

so you are looking for a different rod from the column to the trans? if so they should all work about the same. i dont think engine has anything to do with it. its the bushing you have is too thick? i thought the trans lever didnt use a bushing. i thooought it had some thing washers on each side of the bolt thing. and then a cotter pin. thats what i have seen before even on the dentsides.

[Darrman]

The bushings I bought were a multipack. I had stole a old bushing from the junkyard and went to napa where we matched em up.
Main thing is that the hole is now a 3/8 and the smallest bushing I could find has to be a 7/16. I could have drilled it out before I installed the trans, but that isnt going to happen now. There were bushings in both ends of the ones at the junkyard, I couldnt pop the trans end out because they were tight as hell.
What I am assuming is that the different years of trans had different size hole in the shifter levers, the older the linkage just snaps in and the newer has the bolt adjustment thing.

[fordman]

here is a pic from dennis carpenter. the part number is C5TZ-7343-A IT IS ON PAGE 25 OF MY BOOK. IT IS A TWO YEAR OLD BOOK. THE PARTS ARE 10.00 INTHIS BOOK. IT COMES WITH BOTH BUSHINGS. IT SAYS FOR 67-72. IT DOESNT MENTION THEM FOR 73-79 but i bet They are the same bushing did i sell you that shift arm by chance? if i did it could have came from a dentside. but it might have been from a bumpside. oh dc also says it is for auto and standard transmissions. the bushings he sells i mean. is your old linkage bad? meaning if it just snapped right in can't you reuse it?

[cdherman]

I got my C4 off a mustang and when I had it refreshed, the tranny shop owner (older fellow) said "wait, you're putting that on a truck -- you need a truck shifter. He rummaged around and swapped me over to a different, larger, longer shift arm on the tranny.

There were clearly several different adjustment mechanisms. The car mechanism that came with the used tranny has a long slot in the linkage arm that allowed for adjustment. Are you saying that your current shirt arm on the tranny also has a "slot"? My truck shift arm on the tranny certainly does not.

I think the correct bushings are bard plastic (nylon as they were called). The bushings pistured above, from DC, (I ordered a set myself) I think are for 3 speed columns, on the upper end. (takes two).

You can do what I did in frustration (I looked for the shift link for 4 months) -- I bought a Lokar C4 aftermakret shift link. I have it working BUT -- I never did get my adjustment such that I can get the tranny down into first gear. That may however, be the fault of the column having too much play and not the Lokar setup.

I have the correct linkage now, but I (as you) do not have all the correct bushings. I was planning to head to NAPA somettime, but a date with an orthopedic surgeon has slowed things.....

[Darrman]

Yeah those are 3spd only bushings, I have them in the pic up top of this post. I would post a pic of the right bushings, but I dont have my camera anymore.
The linkage is SUPPOSED to snap in, with the bushings installed on both ends, the bushings have ribs that hold on to the linkage bar, and then the eyelets on the column and trasmission.
I dont think you sold me this stuff, I bought the column along with the rest of the parts for the pwr steering swap from another member. The linkage was with the truck, and was being held in with wire or something. Funny, I think I just heard a banjo playing

[fordman]

i know your trying to do a top rate job on this. but if you absolutly have to oyu can put the rod into the lever and put a washer or a few washers and then a cotter pin. it will work until you can find the correct bushing you are needing.