Will_H#24
Well-Known Member
I was under my 69 Dart 340 4 speed today and found 2 of the 3 shift arm nuts loose. Are they suppose to have lock nuts on them?
Transmission arms
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junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
i'm not sure what's *correct* but i've seen thin flat washer + lock washer and nut, flanged nut with serrations as well as thin flat washer with a "stover" type lock nut.
so some type of "locking" hardware should be present.
if you don't care about originality, a nylock could be a viable alternative. with any hardware i'd want some type of flat beneath the fastener-- so either a flange nut or a flat washer.
so some type of "locking" hardware should be present.
if you don't care about originality, a nylock could be a viable alternative. with any hardware i'd want some type of flat beneath the fastener-- so either a flange nut or a flat washer.
Originally they used a flanged nut with the serrations. A drop of loc-tite is never a bad idea on these.
AJ/FormS
68 Formua-S fastback clone 367/A833/GVod/3.55s
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No lock nuts, no loc-washers.
The factory nuts had a wide base on them which was serrated.
Any and all nuts that you install there will work themselves loose, and away goes your neutral gate. This happens because all these decades later, the interface between the studs and the levers, have rounded corners. The only fix is to replace both studs, levers, and the nuts.
But
I have a better idea that I have been using for decades.
What I do is; with trans positioned studs up, I put a couple of drops of light oil down the studs, then let that penetrate, then wipe the excess off somewhat meticulously. Next I clean the levers. then install them being sure they go to the right locations.
Previously, I have obtained the right nuts, or a reasonable facsimile with thick flatwashers.
Then I Red Loctite the cavities between the studs and the levers, this will turn to stone in a few minutes so nearly right way I Blue-Loctite the thread in the nuts and install them good and snug.
Right after that, I give the box a quarter turn until the studs are in the normal position, then shift them all.
And Finally, I come back every couple of minutes and shift them again.
It has happened to me that the Red-Loctite penetrated down into the bores around the studs, and it hardened there, making it impossible to shift. What a slugfest that was to correct. And so now, during a rebuild, I always smear that tunnel with silicone grease and problem solved. However, if the cover is already on, the above procedure has never failed me yet.
After this is done correctly, those doggone levers will never come loose on their own, nor will the nuts lose torque, and you may never have to realign your neutral gate ever again. My last time was 2004, at the last rebuild..
If you do not have the correct nuts, no big deal; with red-loctite, any correct thread nut will do, just put a tight-fitting washer on the stud first, to prevent bottoming the nut on the flats.
Oh I see I'm late to the party, lol.
No big deal, those First Responders got you covered.
The factory nuts had a wide base on them which was serrated.
Any and all nuts that you install there will work themselves loose, and away goes your neutral gate. This happens because all these decades later, the interface between the studs and the levers, have rounded corners. The only fix is to replace both studs, levers, and the nuts.
But
I have a better idea that I have been using for decades.
What I do is; with trans positioned studs up, I put a couple of drops of light oil down the studs, then let that penetrate, then wipe the excess off somewhat meticulously. Next I clean the levers. then install them being sure they go to the right locations.
Previously, I have obtained the right nuts, or a reasonable facsimile with thick flatwashers.
Then I Red Loctite the cavities between the studs and the levers, this will turn to stone in a few minutes so nearly right way I Blue-Loctite the thread in the nuts and install them good and snug.
Right after that, I give the box a quarter turn until the studs are in the normal position, then shift them all.
And Finally, I come back every couple of minutes and shift them again.
It has happened to me that the Red-Loctite penetrated down into the bores around the studs, and it hardened there, making it impossible to shift. What a slugfest that was to correct. And so now, during a rebuild, I always smear that tunnel with silicone grease and problem solved. However, if the cover is already on, the above procedure has never failed me yet.
After this is done correctly, those doggone levers will never come loose on their own, nor will the nuts lose torque, and you may never have to realign your neutral gate ever again. My last time was 2004, at the last rebuild..
If you do not have the correct nuts, no big deal; with red-loctite, any correct thread nut will do, just put a tight-fitting washer on the stud first, to prevent bottoming the nut on the flats.
Oh I see I'm late to the party, lol.
No big deal, those First Responders got you covered.
Last edited:
A standard nylock is usually too deep to work.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
that's what a ban saw is for!
Kendog 170
Let the boy go !
I had the same issue. I used nylocks and blue lock tight. So far so good.
The issue that creates this problem is worn shift levers . The nut holding the worn thin shifter lever on is bottomed on the trans fork lever before it completely compresses the shift lever. Buy new levers and nuts. This may solve your issue . If not you have worn trans fork levers. Anything else may work for a little while but they are just a temporary fix.
The shift fork levers must be tight before the nut is installed. Also the trans fork lever flats should protrude out of the shift fork lever. The nuts should have a built on serrated washer.
Brewer's Performance - Mopar A833 4-Speed Transmission and Component Specialists
Brewer's Performance - Mopar A833 4-Speed Transmission and Component Specialists
The shift fork levers must be tight before the nut is installed. Also the trans fork lever flats should protrude out of the shift fork lever. The nuts should have a built on serrated washer.
Brewer's Performance - Mopar A833 4-Speed Transmission and Component Specialists
Brewer's Performance - Mopar A833 4-Speed Transmission and Component Specialists
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
I use grade 8 nuts, grade 8 flat washers, blue Loctite, and torque to 210 inch pounds. No problems. I won't use the serrated nuts and they were not factory on older transmissions.
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