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Technical Are shift lever arms all the same?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Elcohaulic, Jan 12, 2019.

  1. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,213

    Elcohaulic

    I'm installing a Hurst Autostick on my Turbo 400 and need the little shift lever arm. Its the piece or linkage with the square hole that connects the shifters linkage to.
    Are they all the same as far as hole size or do I need a specific one for the Turbo 400?

    Thank you..
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2019
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  2. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,889

    BJR
    Member

    The distance from the slot to the hole may be different.
     
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  3. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,038

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

    While I do not know the exact answer to your question about ALL levers...
    If you are attempting to put a lever onto a T-400...yes, the lever should fit...a T-400 !
    Plus as noted, yes again, the length needs to be correct for the stops/detentes within the shifter mechanism.

    Mike
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2020
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  4. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,743

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    No, they are not all the same. Turbo 400 is different than Turbo 350 IIRC. Other levers may physically bolt on, but like said above, the length could cause a difference in ratio to the shifter. And a lever for one may have a different bend than another to clear something on the case.

    EDIT: According to post below, they are indeed the same lever. I must have been thinking of another transmission being different.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2019
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  5. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Here's an example of long or short arms and how they work with differing pivot points and a slotted arm as a reference.
    upload_2019-1-13_11-25-42.png
     
  6. You are asking about a lever for a T400, yet the picture is of a stick shift arm. You do know that, right?
     
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  7. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    GEOMETRY. That's the reason we all took GEOMETRY in high school, so we'd know how to find/make a TH-400 shift lever, and a lot of other things we come up against all the time. I used to think I'd never need Algebra or Geometry in my work/career, but as an X-Ray tech, I did, even though when working, I never thought about it for a second. Measure the distance on your SHIFTER, from the center of the center, pivot bolt, to the middle of the hole in the ARM on the shifter. Your shift lever should be the same distance, or half that distance, or double that distance to work "correctly". However, the truth is, it's probably not all that important with such a small distance. I can measure the transmission lever on one of my Hurst Auto-Stick One's if you need it. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

    OK, just went out to the garage/shop, and made some measurements. On the shifter tower, from the center of the pivot bolt, to the center of the hole, on the other end of the arm, is 4-1/2 inches. For a TH-350/TH400 shifter lever, it measures 2-1/2 inches from the center of the shifter stud hole, to the other end of the lever center hole (even though the hole for the trans stud is a rectangular shape), measures out at 2-1/2 ". So, a little discrepancy to my prior statement. That's with 67 year old, vision corrected, eyes.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2019
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  8. landseaandair
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 4,485

    landseaandair
    Member
    from phoenix

    Same transmission lever part number 7579 was used on both TH350 and 400 Auto/Stick 1 shifters. Shifter mounting bracket and linkage rod were different. You could modify a stock horseshoe type lever and use rod ends with threaded rod. Center to center on Hurst lever is 2 1/4" and the round hole is about 5/8" off center from an imaginary line directly through the middle of the rectangular hole on the opposite end.

    DSCN9711.JPG DSCN9712.JPG DSCN9713.JPG DSCN9714.JPG DSCN9715.JPG DSCN9724.JPG DSCN9722.JPG
    DSCN9732.JPG
     
  9. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,213

    Elcohaulic

    WOW!! THANKS!!!!

    I have the rod just need the lever. Now I know what to look for..I'm going to try using the stock Horseshoe lever. Thanks to all the excellent info I got! Thanks so much!!
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2019
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  10. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,042

    squirrel
    Member

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  11. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,213

    Elcohaulic

    That should work Squirrel. I see the turbo 350 and 400 both use the same #7579 lever...
     
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  12. Halfdozen
    Joined: Mar 8, 2008
    Posts: 632

    Halfdozen
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I mean no offence to anyone with what I'm about to say;
    It amazes me that guys will spend money (and time) on stuff like this (and shipping) when it's so easily made.
    I have, amongst other things, a bandsaw, drill press, belt and disc sander, measuring and layout tools, files and other hand tools. I could whittle up a lever like this in a half hour or so. It would fit first time, wouldn't be a universal "fits all sizes" piece that would probably need modification.
    I'm an old fart with fab and machine shop chops, I'd rather make my own parts. The old time traditional hot rodders that we revere so much didn't order stuff from Jegs or Summit, they used tools and ingenuity. I suggest you try it, you'll probably enjoy it.
     
  13. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,042

    squirrel
    Member

    I've made a couple of those levers, myself...
     
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  14. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,213

    Elcohaulic

    Haha, I was just down the garage hunting up scraps of steel to make one since the stock one can't be made to work. I don't have a band saw or drill press either. I do have files, electric grinder and a Sawzall though..
    Thanks to Landseaandair, its a piece of cake!!
     
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  15. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,042

    squirrel
    Member

    A good vise, a hacksaw and a cordless drill and files are all you really need, if you have some time.
     
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  16. If the rectangular hole is too much of an issue, then one could splice a tab onto an OEM bracket, as pictured.
    Probably would need a small welder though...
     
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  17. Halfdozen
    Joined: Mar 8, 2008
    Posts: 632

    Halfdozen
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Exactly. That's where many of us started out.
    Many years ago, Li'l John Buttera wrote a column for Hot Rod magazine called "Makin' Parts", wherein he demonstrated how to fab hot rod parts using only a bandsaw, drill press and belt sander. Ya don't need CNC mills, lathes and lasers for everything. He was one of the best ever homebuilders, right up there with Al Teague.
    Nowadays there's so much information available online for sale and for free, and so many "entry level" tools, it's easy to get started honing your chops, if you try. There's a great deal of satisfaction to be gained by building stuff yourself.
     
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  18. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,213

    Elcohaulic

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jan 16, 2019
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  19. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,344

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    We used to use brass ones to replace the nylon ones, I think they came on a Mr Gasket card. They outlasted the nylon ones by a wide margin.
     
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  20. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,213

    Elcohaulic

    I was thinking with the three on the tree, couldn't you shorten these levers and make the shifts shorter and faster?

    I always liked the three on the tree but the length of each shift seemed to kill it for me..
     
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  21. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,344

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    If you shorten those to decrease shifter travel, it will increase the effort required to shift. The 8 inch straight Hurst stick was my first lesson in this department, but hey, it was a "competition" type improvement, so no one I knew went back to their original length shifter. I sure wish I knew then what I know now, I would have just modded the GM version of the Competition Plus by adding the stop bolts to it, and lived with the 20 percent or so extra throw that the 10 inch stick gave. I think I'll go sit in my S10 and make some vroom vroom noises now.
     
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  22. Halfdozen
    Joined: Mar 8, 2008
    Posts: 632

    Halfdozen
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Yes, you can. I recently did just that on a 401 nailhead powered '49 Ford coupe. Trans is a super T10, the column linkage now shifts the four forward gears, the original overdrive cable now engages reverse. The throw is quite short, it doesn't take a Popeye arm to shift it. The neutral gate is still a bit wide, no easy way of changing that without shortening the shift lever.
     
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  23. I had these laser cut to use with the floor shifter I made. Having them laser cut meant I could make them fit how I wanted IMG_20190119_170824925.jpeg IMG_20181027_184554901.jpeg

    Sent from my moto g(6) play using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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