The Ford Barn

Ice man · 07-18-2010, 05:11 PM

OK down through the years I've done just about every thing on a Model A. Well now I got a shifter lever thats to go in an old trany housing, and as you well know, (that spring) is not easy. Got any ideas, I ran out of memory, of what I thought I heard yrs ago, to do it the easy way. HELP. Iceman

fordfixer · 07-18-2010, 06:50 PM

I put the spring in a vise and close it up. Then tie it with mechnics wire, three separate times, evenly spaced. Install keepers and the clip the wires and pull out with needle nose pliers.

cannon · 07-18-2010, 07:04 PM

insert a wooden dowl into the spring before trying to close it up. takes a little thought to close the spring with the dowl installed, can be done, THEN wire it up with mechanics wire three ways -continue with fordfixer ideas.

Logan · 07-18-2010, 07:06 PM

If you have an old file, the ones that are about a foot long and an inch wide, that come to a point on one end, you can use a torch and bend the pointed end like a z. this will give you the leverage you need to press the spring down far enough, and it will not slip off the end as long as when your pressing down you keep it strait up and down. Another good idea is to put duct tape around the file part so you dont tear up your hands.

ford1 · 07-18-2010, 07:20 PM

i made a T handle tool with a big heavy washer welded on the shaft end, i cut part of the washer off so it looked like a "C" im pretty heavy so all i had to do was lean of the tee handle part of the tool and compress the spring to remove the clip

Doug in NJ · 07-18-2010, 08:27 PM

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The compress-in-a-vice-and-hold-with-wire trick worked fine for me, on the first try. I used a full face guard during the process.

Doug

Ice man · 07-18-2010, 08:44 PM

Thanks guys, I tried the wire thing and it was a frig, I think I will get the tool and do it so I don't loose any thing. Iceman

JoeWay · 07-18-2010, 10:09 PM

Check this link on Vince Falter's page for an excellent, easy-to-make tool:

http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/shiftlevertool.htm

Joe

sonny30coupe · 07-18-2010, 10:44 PM

I used a similar tool that I made from the drawing on Vinces site, took me 10 minutes to do out of a free piece of pipe and a washer, cut the piece out of the washer and and a slot in the pipe after removing some of the side of the pipe and it took 10 seconds to get the spring and I still have all of my teeth. That wire thing is a bad idea.

07-18-2010, 05:11 PM	#1
Ice man Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Southern Pines, N.Carolina Posts: 210	School Me, Please OK down through the years I've done just about every thing on a Model A. Well now I got a shifter lever thats to go in an old trany housing, and as you well know, (that spring) is not easy. Got any ideas, I ran out of memory, of what I thought I heard yrs ago, to do it the easy way. HELP. Iceman

07-18-2010, 06:50 PM	#2
fordfixer Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Crete, Illinois Posts: 296	Re: School Me, Please I put the spring in a vise and close it up. Then tie it with mechnics wire, three separate times, evenly spaced. Install keepers and the clip the wires and pull out with needle nose pliers.

07-18-2010, 07:04 PM	#3
cannon Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: macclenny, florida Posts: 71	Re: School Me, Please insert a wooden dowl into the spring before trying to close it up. takes a little thought to close the spring with the dowl installed, can be done, THEN wire it up with mechanics wire three ways -continue with fordfixer ideas.

07-18-2010, 07:06 PM	#4
Logan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 1,055	Re: School Me, Please If you have an old file, the ones that are about a foot long and an inch wide, that come to a point on one end, you can use a torch and bend the pointed end like a z. this will give you the leverage you need to press the spring down far enough, and it will not slip off the end as long as when your pressing down you keep it strait up and down. Another good idea is to put duct tape around the file part so you dont tear up your hands. __________________ Cowtown A's

07-18-2010, 07:20 PM	#5
ford1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: oroville ca. Posts: 1,554	Re: School Me, Please i made a T handle tool with a big heavy washer welded on the shaft end, i cut part of the washer off so it looked like a "C" im pretty heavy so all i had to do was lean of the tee handle part of the tool and compress the spring to remove the clip

07-18-2010, 08:27 PM	#6
Doug in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 965	Re: School Me, Please Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) The compress-in-a-vice-and-hold-with-wire trick worked fine for me, on the first try. I used a full face guard during the process. Doug __________________ My '31 S/W sedan project:http://31ford.dougbraun.com My restoration diary: http://dougbraun.com/blog

07-18-2010, 08:44 PM	#7
Ice man Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Southern Pines, N.Carolina Posts: 210	Re: School Me, Please Thanks guys, I tried the wire thing and it was a frig, I think I will get the tool and do it so I don't loose any thing. Iceman

07-18-2010, 10:09 PM	#8
JoeWay Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Quincy CA Posts: 752	Re: School Me, Please Check this link on Vince Falter's page for an excellent, easy-to-make tool: http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/shiftlevertool.htm Joe __________________ 1929 Tudor since 1962 Feather River A's Last edited by JoeWay; 01-31-2011 at 02:56 PM. Reason: Change of URL

07-18-2010, 10:44 PM	#9
sonny30coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kansas City KS Posts: 255	Re: School Me, Please I used a similar tool that I made from the drawing on Vinces site, took me 10 minutes to do out of a free piece of pipe and a washer, cut the piece out of the washer and and a slot in the pipe after removing some of the side of the pipe and it took 10 seconds to get the spring and I still have all of my teeth. That wire thing is a bad idea.