Hey, for those of you that have put a shift lever back together, how did you/best method for compressing the two springs back into the assembly. Developed blisters on my thumbs from fighting them.

I think this thread may help: Shifter Spring Reinstall

use a punch or screw driver to keep it straight.
Lever it in with a large flat head, all while pulling out the screw driver in the middle.

rich

I just rebuilt mine:

1) insert one end of a retaining pin into the shifter base about 1/2".
2) slide one end of the spring onto the 1/2" part of the retaining pin now sticking through into the shifter base.
3) carefully, bend the other end of the spring into a "u" shape, forcing the other end into the shifter base, lining up that end of the spring with the hole on the opposite side of the shifter base.
4) while holding the unsecured end of the spring in position with one hand, push the top bowed up part of the spring down against the underside of the shifter base.
5) now work the rest of the retaining pin through the spring, lining up the hole and spring with a small screwdriver or punch.

Seemed to work pretty easy for me doing it this way.

This saved an entire afternoon of fighting with this spring. The only difference I made was I inserted an Allen wrench in the opposite side so I could catch the spring on it. Then I straightened the spring and slid in the post. This worked well. Thank you for the instructions.

You can use a spring pin too. If you put one clip on it prevents the pin from going too far into the shifter base.

Wear safety glasses and leather gloves.
Phillips screwdriver to hold the spring at one end. Use the stock pin at the other end. Then use vice grips to shove the middle of the spring down. Slide the pin in, pushing the screwdriver out.
After I figured out this method, it took me seconds to install the spring and the vice grips are the only thing that will hold the springs securely.

Safety glasses is a minimum, full face shield is even better.