Column Shifter too soft

[75chevybakers]

I got a new column today from craigslist and put it in. Everything works great and steering is tight. The shifter arm is very soft though. I seen this spring on a truck website and cannot figure out where it goes...

Its called shift handle control spring with tilt...

[75chevybakers]

hmmmm

[VileZambonie]

I'm not following what your issue is? That spring is for the tilt

[fitz]

Are you talking abut a sloppy felling to the shifter? check the linkage. There is a plastic sleeve that goes into the frame mount, Is it missing?

[Irish_Alley]

I think what he’s talking about is the shifter arm is soft like when you have to pull it towards you to take it out of park then for it to find a gear how it kind of slides into place

[VileZambonie]

soft? Wouldn't that be loose or sloppy?

[Irish_Alley]

Maybe

[75chevybakers]

Its kinda hard to explain. My other truck you would pull the lever towards you and took a little to pop it down into each gear. This one you pull it towards you and its ready to fall all the way down into 1st gear. Like no resistance to each shift position. The plastic sleeve is on the linkage under the booster but where it ties to the frame mount and trans, no springs. It has like a 1/2" rod that is in a 3/4" hole on the frame, then ties strait to trans with a cotter pin. This is how it was before... Just feels so soft, I always miss reverse and drive cause its so soft and easy to pass gears when selecting.

[Grim 82]

Where the rod from the linkage on the side of the trans fits to the frame in that dished bracket, there should be a domed plastic washer and a coil spring about 3" long that goes over that rod and seats in the bracket. What trans do you have? The resistance between gears comes from inside the transmission. If you go underneath with the rod disconnected and manually twist the shift linkage at the side of the trans you should feel resistance and then a positive click as you turn it through the gears.

[78 Chevyrado]

Its kinda hard to explain. My other truck you would pull the lever towards you and took a little to pop it down into each gear. This one you pull it towards you and its ready to fall all the way down into 1st gear. Like no resistance to each shift position. The plastic sleeve is on the linkage under the booster but where it ties to the frame mount and trans, no springs. It has like a 1/2" rod that is in a 3/4" hole on the frame, then ties strait to trans with a cotter pin. This is how it was before... Just feels so soft, I always miss reverse and drive cause its so soft and easy to pass gears when selecting.

If it's that easy to shift and actually engages in each gear, the part in the trans is probably broken or worn out...    It's easy to get to though, just pull off the pan and have a look.  The detent you feel for each gear aren't made by the column but by the part in the trans.  The part in the column only prevents you from selecting certain gear selections without pulling the shifter back towards you.  its simply a protection from accidentally bumping the shifter from say Drive to Reverse.

Here's the piece.  Each valley in it is a gear.  the bar with the roller is spring steel and the roller settles in each valley when you are in a gear.  maybe that spring bar is loose or broken, or the spiked piece is worn.

[VileZambonie]

If the detents are fine on the trans then it's slop in the linkage or your shift tube is broken.

[75chevybakers]

The trans is new from jegs, bought it with my tax money this year... But I do not have the dished thing or the spring, its just a rod through a hole, lots of wobble, maybe this is some of the problem. I will get a picture by tonight. Everything shifts smooth, dont think the trans has any problem. Plus I can feel each click.

[Grim 82]

Sounds like you are missing the white plastic bushing and the spring.

[75chevybakers]

yes i am... thank you

[79chevyK10]

I have a similar problem with my shifter in my truck.  It only really "clicks" into Park and then from reverse to neutral you can just slide it down without pulling it toward you.  The you have to pull it back to get it into Drive, then it can slide down into 2nd/1st.  I took the linkage off the trans and turned the trans piece by hand and it "clicks" into all gears just fine.  So to fix my slop do I need to get a new plastic sleeve and spring, or do I need the piece that makes you have to pull the shifter towards you for each gear?