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Thu Apr 29, 2004 5:27 am

Just did a drop on the '61...along with a new trans, d spindles & swing axle kit... had lots of trial and error with the coupler on the shift linkage connecting to the "hockey stick" in order to get R, 1-4th.. anyway after miss aligning the coupler off the hockey stick end with an 8mm bolt, that all works now (it that normal?) It's been 4 days now, but today going up a hill, down shifting into 3rd.... felt like all broke loose at the shift lever... like there was nothing there...no gears... actually I found that I was stuck in 3rd and milked it all the way home (15 miles)... i can pull on the coupler and the hocky stick just moves in and out freely... can those things beak..or is my nose cone toast now... or maybe I got a bad (new) trans?? Any help/suggestions is much appreciated...

Aloha... BDK

Fri May 14, 2004 9:14 am

I just had the same thing happen to me almost exactly. I was on the freeway and shifted down to second(damn traffic) when all of a sudden it felt like i broke the linkage or shifter. Anyways I lugged it about 5 miles to my repair guy. He told me that the curved end of the hockey stick broke and I would need a new one. Unfortunately this requires pulliung the motor and the trans. I would do it myself but i don't have the tools. Hope this helps.

Fri May 14, 2004 9:22 am

did you put your bus nosecone and hockey stick on the new tranny? if not you need to. as for using the 8mm bolt... did you grind it to a point so it could go into the grub screw hole? if not you need to. if sounds like the shift coupler just came loose and if your bolt is not going into a divot then that is deffinatly the problem.

Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:57 am

Well... figured I'd add to the story for any more ideas... was able to get the bus back to "the shop"... wedged the motor and trans back far enough to pull the nose cone off... sure enough the hockey stick was bent over at the tip... replaced the nose cone, hockey stick, rear coupler, fwd shift retaining plate and bushing... (btw the middle shifting fork seemed super stiff to move compared to the top and bottom one)...after it seemed to brake free and loosen up like the other forks..put everything back together, and she drove and shifted like a champ(that was 2 weeks ago).... last monday I noticed some oil all the sudden on the driveway... thought, "dang an oil leak".. checked it out, it was gear oil??!! I work on it all day yesterday (tue) installing a headliner... still notice the gear oil leak...hop'd back in it that evening and "bam"...SOS... feels like there's nothing again (shifting wise)...stuck in 3rd...with slop in the shifter like it's free floating... maybe the new tranny is messed up?? Any tranny experts?

Wed Jun 09, 2004 9:11 am

Ok so you did use your Bus nose cone and hockey stick. How about all your couplers? Did you change them while you had the gearbox out? Worn couplers and shift rod bushing can cause serious problems in the shift alignment. Trust me I know from experience. :? Start at the shift rod bushing that is directly under your shifter. Check to see if the bushing is there, good or the housing to see if it cracked. I've had that happen on my Notch. Check the coupler that connects the shift rod to the rod that runs the length of the bus. Is it still tight? Then back to the one that mates that one and the hockey stick. Is is still good and tight on the ends? If they are good start looking internally. As far as tranny leaks you need to pin point them to help determine the cause. Is it from the nose cone? Did you put a new gasket in when you changed your hockey stick?