36 Ford truck on Ranger

[MercuryMac]

Things went along nicely underneath the truck so the extension housing is back on. Then I crawled up into the cab to put the shifting apparatus back together. Life went sideways, ----- a few times. In the second picture about in the middle, you will see a small hole in the steel block, that a split pin would fit in. Once I got everything lined up and the detent ball in place, I couldn't find where I'd put that split pin, [four months ago]. After a wide ranging search I went to the box of shop supply pins and picked out a good one, and drove it in that hole, fixing the shift block to the shifter rail. I then mounted the gearshift lever and test drove the selection process. By third gear I was thinking positive thoughts, then the gearshift jammed in third and would not budge. I thought the detent ball had jammed and stopped the shifter travel. So, I drove that new split pin down, ---- and it stopped about halfway through the shift rail and wouldn't move any more, even with bigger hammers. I tried drilling that pin out, without much success. Then I screwed a really small tap into the split pin and pried up on it until I broke the tap off in the pin. As I was sitting at the supper table grumbling to Mrs. Mac, I had an epiphany. That proper split pin that I couldn't find was still in the steel shift block down low and when I drove in the second one I pushed the first one down a wee bit so it caught on something under there and now I'm trying to drive it through the top of the transmission case.
I don't know how I'm going to get out of this mess, but at least now I know what I'm fighting against.

 

[Old Iron]

[S

 

[Old Stuff]

Geez Mac. .............

That's frustration a at a whole 'nuther level.

 

[Old Iron]

Roll pins are very hard as you know, you'll most likely need a solid carbide bit to get this one out.

 

[dutch]

MercuryMac Gyver... I`m sure you will figure out a way to get it out... I hope....

 

[kenny c]

Roll pins are very hard as you know, you'll most likely need a solid carbide bit to get this one out.

Not to mention the tap. Is there a way to get this part someone with a Bridgeport mill and bore it out with a carbide end mill?

 

[MercuryMac]

This problem [of my own making] consumed me today, along with Dr. Crank's news. I only crawled up in the cab, [still up on the hoist], and stared at the offending area, to get more ideas.
Number one is OI's suggestion of getting a carbide 3/16" bit.
Number two is a little wee cutting disc that I could reach down in there and cut the steel block frontwards from the back, and just under the shifter rail, to cut off the roll pin. Then hopefully pull the shifter block out of there, drive out the rest of the pins, weld up the cut and then machine the block back to normal.
Kenny, I even gave some thought to your suggestion. But, I have to take that roll pin out of there to get the shifter block unhooked from the rail so I can take the transmission apart. So, whatever carbide tool I use has to be run manually from the top of the transmission.

 

[DozerII]

This is quite the pickle you got yourself into. Should result in a little lost sleep and a whole lot of imagineering. [P[P

 

[kenny c]

Mac: Another thought. Would a small carbide or diamond bur in a Dremmel tool work in order to cut the pin from the inside, opposite of the split that is already in it? Run it at a low enough speed ,( and or with coolant) in order as to not burn up the cutting tool. [S[S[S[P[P

 

[Bamamav]

Mac: Another thought. Would a small carbide or diamond bur in a Dremmel tool work in order to cut the pin from the inside, opposite of the split that is already in it? Run it at a low enough speed ,( and or with coolant) in order as to not burn up the cutting tool. [S[S[S[P[P

I think Kenny is onto something. When I had to cut the wide splines out of my Pittman arm, I bought a box of diamond tip cutters from Harbor Freight. They had different sizes and head shapes. They cut pretty quickly, but don’t last too long, either. I used them in my die grinder, but a Dremel tool could work, too.

 

[Torchie]

[P [P [P [P [P
Torchie

 

[dutch]

I would start with getting that trans on the bench. you`ll end up with all kinds of junk you dont want in there and it works a lot easier too. just my 2cts...

 

[MercuryMac]

Dutch, I've given that some thought, both the taking out the transmission and all of the grinding wheel and steel debris. I'm going to start with a rag in the little square box around the shifter block and boring out the roll pin, with lots of cutting fluid. I'm not looking forward to taking out the transmission yet again.
Kenny, I think you are suggesting splitting the the pin again on the opposite side so it is just two half pins and would have no outward pressure. The OD of this pin is 3/16" so the ID is about 1/16" and has a broken off tap in it. I'd have to pull the two halves out through the top. I don't think I could do it.
Thank you for the help ideas, guys. Partly I'm beating myself up for forgetting where I put the old roll pin. I remember now, leaving it in the bottom of the steel shifter block so I wouldn't loose it. It would only be a few days to get the new speedo parts, what could go wrong, I'll remember. Then four agonizing months went by. I forgot.

 

[Old Stuff]

I've made good use out of earth magnets before on stuff like that.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a Brotherhood of Gnome's group near you? Wake up one morning and poof- it's fixed....

Don't beat yourself up too much MM. At least you have the skills to make it happen.

 

[kenny c]

I've made way bigger mistakes. Don't get mad at yourself. It's a waste of energy. I'm still trying to come up with a fix.[S[S

 

[MercuryMac]

After a boring, frustrating couple of hours yesterday trying to drill out that sunken roll-pin that's stuck in my transmission shifter, I gave up on that idea. I made a really small cut off grinding wheel / saw, and reached in the little square hole and sawed the shifter 'Z' block inwards just under the shift rail. After a while and one blown up disc, I was able to saw the roll pin off right below the shift rail. Then I pried the shift rail forward and the 'Z' block back and got it off. [pic one]
pic two is the sawed 'Z' block.
pic three is the 'Z' block welded up and bored out to the correct sizes again.
pic four is the area cleaned and the block back in and 'roll-pinned'

 

[smallfoot]

Way to go...

 

[bob w]

Where there's a will, there's a way. Good job, man.

 

[Old Iron]

[cl[cl[cl

 

[Tripper]

Partly I'm beating myself up for forgetting where I put the old roll pin. I remember now, leaving it in the bottom of the steel shifter block so I wouldn't loose it. It would only be a few days to get the new speedo parts, what could go wrong, I'll remember. Then four agonizing months went by. I forgot.

No problem... it will definitely turn up once you buy a new one & install it! Don't ask me how I know! [ddd

BoB