Transmission Shift Lever

[Stephen Butler]

Replaced our plastic handles and encountered the classic problem of the transmission shift hitting the pedestal guard when attempting to go forward.  The transmission would shift, but not as well or reliably as we wanted.  After researching the fix on the message board, looking at the drawings, and a couple of hours trying to squeeze out another 1/4 to 1/2 inch of throw at the transmission, we placed the shift arm in a vise, placed a pipe over the handle and straightened it to give an additional 1/2 to 1 inch of forward throw.  Works great.  Have not read of this approach on the message board so am wondering just how many times this has been done.

[Ralph Masters]

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.......Did you try putting it on backwards??

Ralph

[sailaway]

Had the same problem I  took the lever to a grinder and notched out 1/2 am inch. Charlie

[Ron Hill]

Guys : I did the same except I used a hydraulic press, but be carefull as you can break that casting.

Kind of ashame that the stainless lever is made for the curved Edson pedestal guard and the Edson steering units that came with the curved guard also came with the curved units!!

Another trick is to put the shifter pin in the lower hole on the shift lever on the transmission - you'll gain another 1/2" throw. 

A few thoughts

[Ralph Masters]

Ron,
Thanks for the tip, I will remember the pin on the tranny when I replace my levers (one of many "to do" items

Ralph

[Stephen Butler]

We moved the transmission coupling pin first, and this allowed us to engage forward, but "barely."  We found that to absolutely go into forward, we had to start in reverse and shift smoothly into forward with little or no hesitation going through neutral.  Not a good thing for the transmission.  This left us with several approachest included a new bracket, new cable, changing the shift arm on the transmission, grinding of or cutting the shift lever, or just bending the lever a bit.  Went with the simplest approah.