Tilt/Tele Rebuild Question
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Waco TX
Tilt/Tele Rebuild Question
Any advice on how to press the shift housing on to the interlock shaft? I was able to remove it easy enough but I'm concerned that I could compress the interlock shaft when I press it back on. The GM overhaul manual shows a tool that looks like it would fit into the top of the interlock shaft to allow the shift housing to be pressed/drawn on. Anyone know where I can get the tool? Help and advice would be most appreciated.
This is the only thing that is holding me up from putting my column back together after completely disassembling it, cleaning/blasting repainting parts etc...
This is the only thing that is holding me up from putting my column back together after completely disassembling it, cleaning/blasting repainting parts etc...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
I am glad that you got the shift tube out of the bowl without damaging the tube. It is quite fragile and the upper and lower tubes are held together by injected plastic. So you have gotten this far so be careful that you don't damage it when trying to reassemble it to the bowl.
1). You can carefully file the key that is part of the shift tube until it just slips into the shift bowl. You don't want any slop just a sliding fit. I think that the press fit is along the sides of the key.
2). There is a plumbers tool called a Kwiki Plug. It is designed to expand inside a water pipe. I have not seen this tool but my brother-in-law is a master plumber and says that it should work.
The following was eMailed to me a couple years ago. I think that it is describing the Kwiki Plug:
"When I was reassembling mine (shift tube to bowl) I could not find the GM tool to pull the tube so I made one. All you need is one of those expandible plumbers bungs from the hardware store and some threaded rod, nuts, and washers. I just put the rubber between the two washers and inserted the rod into the tube. You can tighten it in place with a long extension from the bottom of the tube. Position the tube in place and position a large socket over the rod so that it contacts the bearing housing. Thus just thread another nut onto the rod and tighten down on the socket drawing the tube up into place. Worked fine for me."
If you are successful I would be most appreciative if you would elaborate on how you did it. I would be happy to include a section in my T&T Disassembly & Repair Paper on the procedure.
Jim Shea
1). You can carefully file the key that is part of the shift tube until it just slips into the shift bowl. You don't want any slop just a sliding fit. I think that the press fit is along the sides of the key.
2). There is a plumbers tool called a Kwiki Plug. It is designed to expand inside a water pipe. I have not seen this tool but my brother-in-law is a master plumber and says that it should work.
The following was eMailed to me a couple years ago. I think that it is describing the Kwiki Plug:
"When I was reassembling mine (shift tube to bowl) I could not find the GM tool to pull the tube so I made one. All you need is one of those expandible plumbers bungs from the hardware store and some threaded rod, nuts, and washers. I just put the rubber between the two washers and inserted the rod into the tube. You can tighten it in place with a long extension from the bottom of the tube. Position the tube in place and position a large socket over the rod so that it contacts the bearing housing. Thus just thread another nut onto the rod and tighten down on the socket drawing the tube up into place. Worked fine for me."
If you are successful I would be most appreciative if you would elaborate on how you did it. I would be happy to include a section in my T&T Disassembly & Repair Paper on the procedure.
Jim Shea
Last edited by Jim Shea; Sep 26, 2008 at 10:04 AM.
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 529
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From: Waco TX
Jim,
I appreciate your post. I thought about using the plumbers tool but opted not to as I was worried that it might expand the end of the shift tube.
Instead, I inserted a 7/8 half inch drive socket into the tube with an 8 inch carriage bolt that engaged the drive square in the socket. I put a large washer on the other side with a nut and slowly pressed the shift bowl onto the tube. I coated the surfaces with lithium grease to help the process. It worked very well and got the job done with no damage.
I hope this help others!!
Scott
I appreciate your post. I thought about using the plumbers tool but opted not to as I was worried that it might expand the end of the shift tube.
Instead, I inserted a 7/8 half inch drive socket into the tube with an 8 inch carriage bolt that engaged the drive square in the socket. I put a large washer on the other side with a nut and slowly pressed the shift bowl onto the tube. I coated the surfaces with lithium grease to help the process. It worked very well and got the job done with no damage.
I hope this help others!!
Scott
I am glad that you got the shift tube out of the bowl without damaging the tube. It is quite fragile and the upper and lower tubes are held together by injected plastic. So you have gotten this far so be careful that you don't damage it when trying to reassemble it to the bowl.
1). You can carefully file the key that is part of the shift tube until it just slips into the shift bowl. You don't want any slop just a sliding fit. I think that the press fit is along the sides of the key.
2). There is a plumbers tool called a Kwiki Plug. It is designed to expand inside a water pipe. I have not seen this tool but my brother-in-law is a master plumber and says that it should work.
The following was eMailed to me a couple years ago. I think that it is describing the Kwiki Plug:
"When I was reassembling mine (shift tube to bowl) I could not find the GM tool to pull the tube so I made one. All you need is one of those expandible plumbers bungs from the hardware store and some threaded rod, nuts, and washers. I just put the rubber between the two washers and inserted the rod into the tube. You can tighten it in place with a long extension from the bottom of the tube. Position the tube in place and position a large socket over the rod so that it contacts the bearing housing. Thus just thread another nut onto the rod and tighten down on the socket drawing the tube up into place. Worked fine for me."
If you are successful I would be most appreciative if you would elaborate on how you did it. I would be happy to include a section in my T&T Disassembly & Repair Paper on the procedure.
Jim Shea
1). You can carefully file the key that is part of the shift tube until it just slips into the shift bowl. You don't want any slop just a sliding fit. I think that the press fit is along the sides of the key.
2). There is a plumbers tool called a Kwiki Plug. It is designed to expand inside a water pipe. I have not seen this tool but my brother-in-law is a master plumber and says that it should work.
The following was eMailed to me a couple years ago. I think that it is describing the Kwiki Plug:
"When I was reassembling mine (shift tube to bowl) I could not find the GM tool to pull the tube so I made one. All you need is one of those expandible plumbers bungs from the hardware store and some threaded rod, nuts, and washers. I just put the rubber between the two washers and inserted the rod into the tube. You can tighten it in place with a long extension from the bottom of the tube. Position the tube in place and position a large socket over the rod so that it contacts the bearing housing. Thus just thread another nut onto the rod and tighten down on the socket drawing the tube up into place. Worked fine for me."
If you are successful I would be most appreciative if you would elaborate on how you did it. I would be happy to include a section in my T&T Disassembly & Repair Paper on the procedure.
Jim Shea
