Recently replaced nylon bushing, swapped out coupler with Honda u-joint, and added Clark's quick shift kit. When the car's up on jack stands it shifts great, but out on the road it requires a lot of shift effort and feels/sounds like something is rubbing/binding/squeaking. Any ideas? Thanks!

Convertible, by any chance?

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WA. state, 1 mile south of the Canadian border, I am not at the end of the world, but you can see it from here.

Yes! Uh oh, does this mean my metal is sagging?

It could be.
Measure to distance of the door opening, when the car is on the ground, and then again when it is up on the jack-stands.
Or, can you even open the doors when it is up on Jack-Stands?
I know LM's have a problem with doing that, but Have heard that EM's are stiffer, and should be able to open doors, while up in the air.
BUT, I do NOT know if that is 100% accurate.

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WA. state, 1 mile south of the Canadian border, I am not at the end of the world, but you can see it from here.

Sorry, what am I measuring?

Doors open and close whether on ground or jack stands.

Is there anything that can be done for the shifter? Shims?

Thanks!

Kyle
1964 Monza Convertible 110 Palomar Red
San Angelo, TX

OK, assuming the measurement is at the top of the door opening by the handle, there is a difference...

Jack stands: Driver side 4mm, Passenger side 5mm
Ground: Driver side 2mm, Passenger side 4mm

So is the shift tube just flexing and rubbing on the front bushing? Seems like maybe I could add washers or slightly bend the shift tube support bracket so it doesn't rub as much?

Kyle
1964 Monza Convertible 110 Palomar Red
San Angelo, TX

I am sorry, I wasn't real clear on that, I guess.
I mean to measure the ENTIRE door opening, with the door OPEN.
At the top of the opening from the rear, to the top of the opening, at the front.
A closed and latched door can keep a large amount of flex from being apparent, since the door would be taking the strain.

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WA. state, 1 mile south of the Canadian border, I am not at the end of the world, but you can see it from here.

Agreed, so assuming there’s a noticeable door gap difference, and that I’ll only be driving the car with the doors closed, what can I do to help the binding in the shifter? Thanks!

Kyle
1964 Monza Convertible 110 Palomar Red
San Angelo, TX

The quick shift kit could be causing binding in the ball/socket fitment if the ball now extends further down than without the kit. This would be exaggerated if there is flex.

Ken
'62 Spyder
Florida

That’s probably true. So I could add space between the ball and socket or just get rid of the quick shift kit… Thank you!

American Mel,

The door opening measurements were 37-1/4” on the ground and 37-5/16” on jack stands (same on both doors). Maybe not as much flex as I feared.

Looks like maybe the quick shift kit and convertible flex have combined to cause the shifter binding. I’ll try washers on the front support bracket and go from there. Thank you both!

American Mel Wrote:
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> I am sorry, I wasn't real clear on that, I guess.
> I mean to measure the ENTIRE door opening, with the door OPEN.
> At the top of the opening from the rear, to the top of the opening, at the front.
> A closed and latched door can keep a large amount of flex from being apparent, since the door would be taking the strain.

Kyle
1964 Monza Convertible 110 Palomar Red
San Angelo, TX

Early shifters shouldn't care about body flex since the shift tube only attaches to the body at the front.
I have a '63 convertible with quick shift kit and it shifts like a dream.

Joel
Northlake, TX
5 Ultravans, 145 Corvairs and counting...

OK, any thoughts as to why it shifts freely on jack stands but rubs badly with wheels on the ground?

The engine must be shifting around and making the Honda u-joint rub somewhere?
Are you using the stands under the body?
Maybe the suspension crossmember bushings are shot and it hangs down when on stands and then is pushed up when the wheels are on the ground?

Joel
Northlake, TX
5 Ultravans, 145 Corvairs and counting...

That’s a good thought, thanks Joel! I’m sure most if not all the bushings on the car need replacing. I’ll put the car back on the ground and check for rubbing at the u-joint coupler.

Kyle
1964 Monza Convertible 110 Palomar Red
San Angelo, TX

The issue turned out to be body sag, specifically floor sag.

There was no rubbing at the front or rear of the shift tube, but with the car on the ground, there was significant rubbing at the chunk of felt halfway down the shift tube. I guess with the car on jack stands the floor flexes up enough that the tube and felt don't rub.

I removed the felt and added 2 washers above each side of the shift tube support bracket to get as much clearance as possible, and now the car shifts like a poor man's Porsche.

After 59 years, this is what the felt looks like:





Thanks again for your help!

Kyle
1964 Monza Convertible 110 Palomar Red
San Angelo, TX

Well, IMO the shift tube should not be riding on the felt strip.

I believe that felt strip(s) is to keep the clutch cable from rattling...

This is a very interesting post. If I were to ever look at a convertible to purchase that piece of felt would be a good indicator of the body sag. Do you have to remove the tunnel cover to see this?

Craig T
Central NY
1961 Tramp (truck with a ramp)

Tramp61 Wrote:
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> Do you have to remove the tunnel cover to see this?

Yes, the felt is attached to the "inside" of the tunnel cover.

RobertC Wrote:
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> Well, IMO the shift tube should not be riding on the felt strip.
>
> I believe that felt strip(s) is to keep the clutch cable from rattling...

I would call that fact, not opinion.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/2023 06:44AM by badenader.