Last weekend, I drove my '65 to a local cars & coffee cruise-in. The weather was great and it was a nice cruise on both the highway and city streets. When I returned home, I pulled in the driveway and then went to back up. My Hurst shifter went over to the left, but it didn't shift into reverse and the shifter remained stuck to the left. I looked below to find the linkage had slid off and was now jammed. It was in an awkward spot to reach without a lift or jack stands, but I managed to get a long wedge bar in there and, after some time working on it, finally got it to release. Now I had 4 forward gears so I could drive the car to a friend with a lift. My assumption was that the cotter pin sheared off, so I purchased an assortment of cotter pins and used the largest one that would fit in the hole. It was an easy fix and now I have reverse again. However, I saw that the other linkage bars were secured with C-shaped clevis pins and the linkage connections appear much tighter than reverse. The reverse linkage, once connected, has some play from side-to-side which would put impact force on the pin before being engaged. Reverse always gets a lateral slap to the left before being shifted forward. Is the cotter pin not as strong as the clevis pin? Should I replace it with a clevis pin? Should the reverse linkage be more snug... am I missing a washer or spacer?

Any guidance would be appreciated!
Thank you, Roger

 

Did they look like these..

www.Corvettecentral.com

Part #531115

 

http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...50e&ukey=44627

 

Hurst has a rebuild kit that includes the clips and nylon bushings. I believe I got mine from either Summit Racing or Jegs,

 

It might be missing the bushing that the lever rides in. Personally, I like the metal bushing better than the plastic ones. I think Mr. Gasket sells them. The C- clips put a slight loading on the connection to minimize slop and play. They typically work very well and if installed properly stay in place. However, for the reverse lever alone, if you feel more comfortable using a cotter pin on it, it probably won't hurt anything. No one goes around speed shifting into reverse anyway.

 

If you are going to use a carter pin in place of the spring clip, use a good quality pin. Most imported carter pins you buy in the help section of your local auto store are soft and can shear off. I have some steel pins I can't bend without a pair of pliers. If you are going to use a carter pin, I would use a tension or spring washer first. Jerry

 

Hi guys. Thank you all for your replies. I had a closer look at the photos that I took when the shifter was jammed last weekend. The bushing is in place, but the "C" or "G" clip is gone (it must have popped off). I will definitely replace the cotter pin that I installed with the proper clip for the added shifter rod tension and strength. I'm concerned that the cotter pin will shear off before long and I'll be right back where I started last weekend. A transmission repair specialist made a video that I saw on YouTube about the shifter linkage springs and bushings: He doesn't like the ones that Hurst makes due to poor quality which he demonstrates in his video. He sells both the bushings and clips made of hardened steel and he makes a convincing argument why his parts are worth the few extra dollars. I'm thinking about buying his bushing & clip kit... any thoughts?

 

I've never had any problem with Hurst and Mr Gasket bushings and clips but if he isn't seeking gold-plate pricing for them then I see no harm. I've found that when installing the C-clips, after they first snap on, the outside leg can usually be pushed a little further around the rod (if that makes sense) to secure them a little better. If that isn't done, I can see where one might become dislodged after some use.

 

The upgraded hardened steel bushing and clip kit wasn't much more than the standard Hurst kit, so I decided to spend the few extra bucks to help avoid another problem down the road. I'll update this thread once the kit is received and the parts installed for future reference on the quality of the clips & bushings, ease of installation, and operation of the shifter. Thanks again for your help!

, Roger