I had a shift bushing fail in the coupler last week. Got all new bushings, and went to install. Looked at the shift lever, and thought "Gee, clean that up while you are at it"

I should NEVER think

Got the springs out, cleaned it all up and re-greased. Now the springs want to stay out. How do I compress those buggers enough to get them back into the shifter?? They seem to like to fly around

Any suggestions would be appreciated, as I miss driving my car!

Thanks

You stepped into it this time.

I've done it once. PITA.

I put the springs on a screwdriver shaft and than compressed the springs enough to get them started than pull the s/d out. Kinda hard to explain.

It is REQUIRED to bounce them against the back wall of your shop 3 times before finally getting them little suckers in there.
I put the pin in the housing and slide the spring over it and then get the other end up under/in the hole and whala.
having 3 little strong hands would be perfect.

I did somin' like that too. Wear your safety glasses.

Steppin' in it is what I do...

Nice to know that it can be done, guess I'll just keep catching springs until I get them both in.

I really need to stop thinking of things to do that are not absolutly necessary.

The manual shows a tool much like a flat-blade screwdriver with the flat end ground down to just fit inside the coils, and with "ledges" on the side to hold the end of the spring. You could likely make something like that out of a piede of flat stock too, if you had to.

--DD

Thanks for the help, both springs are in. It was done with much creative use of my vocabulary, and several launchings of said springs (NASA should do so well).

Thanks Dave, I saw the tool in the manual, but was too lazy, stubborn, stupid, etc. to try to make one. I started the pin on one side, with the spring on it. Stuck a screwdriver through the other side and forced the other end of the spring on it, squeezed it into place, and worked the pin through.

Now I just need to replace two of the circlips. One broke, and I am not sure where the other ended up.

Thanks again, the bushings are next. Hopefully the install will be less eventful.