So I pulled apart my shifter while waiting for my new linkage bushings, and am now trying to put it back together. 2 hours later I still can't get the reverse lockout springs on

Anyone have a trick for doing this without a spring compressor or (gasp, I know) a vice? Do you do it with the guide rods that sit inside the springs in place or not?

It's a stock side shifter.

I have a large screw driver that I ground the tip so it will fit inside the spring and then let me push on it to compress it. I think I had to use a vice to hold the outer body and I pushed with one hand compressing the spring and then down with the other to get the spring to catch on the body and gently pull the screwdiver out. I made sure to wear leather gloves and safety glasses

get one end near a hole, i start on the non plate side. the spring will be bent. stick one of the pins in as far as allowed. i use a narrow putty knife for the next portion of the juggling act....start forcing the free end down. now the spring is really bent. stick the putty knife into one end coils near the plate. at this point the pin is securing the one end and the knife is giving you some control of the other. holding the pk in one hand, start trying to shove the center portion of the spring down. as the spring starts to go down in the center, push the pin in as much as you can. push down, push in, repeat. when the pin touches the pk put the circlip on the pin end. securing the spring with your thumb, pull out the pk. the spring is now full controlled by the pin and should stay put. wiggle the free spring end around to hit the hole in the detent plate and the side of the base plate. PUT THE OTHER CIRCLIP ON! the second spring will go in much easier.

k

It's been along time and I didn't take any photos. I recall using 1/4" threaded rod to compress the spring and get the plate in place. Then carefully turning the rod to remove the nut from between the spring and the plate. Then slide in the threaded rod out as you push in the slide rod. I'm sorry if this doesn't make any sense. I Just remember it being a piece of cake once I figured out to use the threaded rod to compress the spring and keep it from popping out.

I used some high strength string.

Compressed the spring with channel locks, tied it off at 90 deg intervals, get spring aimed right and clip the string.

Easy.