Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Looking for some help regarding the shift column and shifting fork installation on a 1940 110. I took my shift column apart today due to problems finding neutral. I’m already familiar with the linkage rods and the shim adjustments needed to remove the slop and loss of motion. I’ve improved these connections and shifting is much better than when I started.
My question is this… I found two damaged springs at the base of the shifter column. One of these springs is located at the bottom of the shifter fork and appears to be a means of pushing the lower fork into the upper fork to prevent excessive space (slop) between the forks. This spring is broken in half. I found no spring under the lower fork in the service bulletin or in Packard literature. There is only a washer and locking ring at both top and bottom of each fork, which in my case only exists above the upper fork. Does anyone know of a spring under the lower fork? Is it original? I’m wondering if someone modified my set-up which may explain some of the play in the column shifter. I also found a second broken spring inside the base of the column that is held in place by a cottar pin. I guess I’ll be tracking down a few springs…
I attached several photos and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Attach file:

---

  photo 1.jpeg (225.77 KB)


  photo 2.jpeg (266.52 KB)


  photo 3.jpeg (37.89 KB)


  photo 5.jpg (70.41 KB)

I suspect you are correct about the large spring not being stock and also believe it could be someone's attempt at either a repair or to change a characteristic. Aside from the shape of the levers the mechanism is the same as that used on the Clippers. There may be minor differences in a part size or how a part looks between the conventional cars and the Clipper but the basic construction and operation is the same.

Clippers do not have the larger diameter bottom spring and the lower end of the tube is threaded. Above the upper lever is a clip and washer to keep lever from raising above the the specific designed position on the tube. Below the lower lever is another washer and shim, held on the tube by another clip. The bracket holding the U bolt threads onto the shaft and is turned until it moves upward to where the U bolt can be properly inserted to fasten the assy on the steering column.

The long narrow spring goes inside the tube and is always pushing against a spot on the selector tongue which is pinned to the rod that extends thru the tube. It keeps the selector tongue pushed inside the upper 2-3 lever and provides the tension felt when pulling back the operator lever to move the tongue into the lower lever for the R or 1 shift. The bottom cotter key on the tube keeps that spring in the tube. There may be a small metal disc between the cotter key and spring to act as a lower end spring seat.

Our vendors may have new springs or if not, it should still be able to be found used. If you cannot find another the tension and length on that one could be restored by making or finding another small metal disc that will fit inside the tube and placing it between the broken pieces. Each broken end can then push on the disc.

The small hole in the tube near the upper lever gets a few drops of oil on occasion. The upper 2-3 lever issue looks the same on both so I suspect it also has gotten very little routine oiling. On Clippers water and dirt can condense and run down the tube working in behind the lever to rust or corrode and seize the lever to the tube. An occasional few drops of oil placed between the top of the upper lever and washer so it can run down and get in the space between the lever and tube can save some later grief.

I have had several 1940 110s one of which was the same color as yours and none had the larger outside spring. Since the lower pivot is held on with a u-bolt, it seems you can just remove the spring and push the pivot upward to take up the space. It it's retained in its current location by a pin from the pivot casting into a hole in the tube, perhaps the column is the incorrect one for a 110 or else the assembly was put into the firewall a little farther than it was supposed to be.

Thanks for the reply. The U-bolt holds the clamp that holds the shifting tube to the steering column. The clamp threads onto the shifting tube to a location above the threads that appears to have had a locking ring at one time (See photo). You can see the indentation on the column below the lower fork. Holding the two forks together there appears to be a much larger space than what would be typical for just a washer or spacer. What has me puzzled is the bracket can only be threaded to the lower locking ring and no further. I would have to use a very thick spacer to make up the gap.

Attach file:

---

  Photo 6.jpg (218.26 KB)

Howard thanks for the detailed reply. It appears as though I need to investigate further. I could remove the broken larger spring and replace it with the locking ring and washer however the location of the lower locking ring appears too far from the lower fork. I can only thread the clamp to the locking ring and no further. The gap after the locking ring is roughly 1/4 inch before it meets the lower fork.

The anchor pivot piece doesn’t need to go all the way to the arms so it’s unclear to me why the spring was installed unless it’s because at some point the snap ring and spacers were lost. Dredging up ancient memories from when I owned mine as a teenager in the ‘60s, the clip and spacers are what kept the arms in place, not the anchor pivot.

Your inner spring doesn’t appear to be broken either based on its finished ends and the larger wire diameter of the short piece which was apparently also added as a separate piece.

Mike at Max Merritt sent me this photo. Apparently mine should look like this. The location of the lower locking ring and washer on my shifter tube are much further from the lower fork which may explain the large diameter spring. Notice the space in my photo compared to this photo. I can't change the location of the ring so I would need a much thicker spacer to hold the forks together. My shift tube looks slightly longer and I wonder if someone swapped it out. That may explain having to add a small piece of inner diameter spring for the longer length (if its not broken). Makes my head spin!

Attach file:

---

  Photo 7.jpeg (384.76 KB)

Quote:

Thanks but not needed and I offer sincere apologies for leading you or anyone else astray in that detailed reply. After seeing your photo of the tube end with the extra space and groove and then Don's reply, it was obvious my feeble brain failed --- again. That is what happens after missing my nap and then trying to rely on memory at my age. ☹️

To that end, have corrected my other post about the bracket holding the levers at the bottom and for the record, even on the Clipper there is another washer and clip at the bottom to hold both levers on the tube. A shim may still be needed to determine and hold the clearance between levers but thickness needed is measured after the clip and washer is installed and does not depend on the bracket position.

Here is a photo of the Clipper levers that I took years ago when working on freeing the seized upper lever in a 47. It shows the entire lever arrangement including the bottom clip and washer. No shim was needed on this car so none is present.

Attach file:

---

  Clipper shift.jpeg (59.74 KB)

Is it possible that a clip above the arms is missing, causing the pair to be slid too far up the shaft?

Quote:

Retaining ring and washer are there. I may try a large spacer and shim above the lower retaining ring. I have to find an acceptable ring first. I can’t think of any problems a thick spacer would create. As long as I take up the space and create minimal clearance between the forks. Not sure if I’m missing something…