First, thanks to all the help on all the posts i've been making.

1970 F250 360 4x4 4spd

I'm in the process of removing my 360 and replacing it with a 390 that I've paid to have built. (if anyone is on the Central Coast of California and wants a great machine shop I've had a great experience so far)

I am about to pull the engine but ran into a problem today because I'm not sure how to remove the gear shift. I have not found any answers yet. Any extra advise would be much appreciated. The transfer case shifter was simple but I don't understand the transmission shifter.

I don't need to pull the block just yet, (heads and exhaust are removed already) but I need to get the flywheel off for resurfacing and was advised that it may be easier to remove the block and transmission at the same time.
-thanks

 

go figure just after posting i found a video answer.. it seems you push down and twist the spherical cover at the base of the shifter. none the less, any additional advise is greatly appreciated.

 

I'm thinking you will have the NP435 transmission in your 70 4x4 if it has a circle top where the shifter lever enters the trans. if your looking at the top of the shifter tower you will see 2 roll pins one pin on each side going through the trans case they lock the shifter in the trans. you need to push down and compress the round cap on top of the shifter (it's spring loaded) and twist counter clockwise to unhook it from the pins. It is hard to do and takes a lot of pressure. If you need a visual I can get a picture tomorrow of the round shifter cap showing how it gets held in.

 

NP-435? Using a big slip joint plier, push down on the shifter's base cap and turn. CCW IIRC....

 

Looks like you found a good how to video. You just beat my post while I was typing.

 

I came across the correct tranny removing tool for the lock cup.
The guy, I bought it from had no idea what it was for an, I had an idea the it could work on that lock cup looking at that tool.

I paid $3 bucks for it at the loco flea market=swap meet..

After going to the nv4500 the early dodge has the same looking lock cup but a bit larger and would not fit around the shifter lever base with out grinding about 1/8" into the inner part of the tool that fit around the shaft.

I started to try an grind on it but to my surprise is was temper so hard it started eating up my small grinding wheel and not much of any meat came off. Just a hell of a lot of sparks.

So sold it on ebay $20 bucks to a tranny shop in Florida.

No one wanted to buy it on here when I had it posted at make offer.
But was an interesting tool design.

Orich

 

Orich do you happen to know the maker of the tool or got any pics of it? I haven't seen one before that I'm aware of.

 

C-87bronco,
Sorry to say, I don't have any more pictures of it . As, I lost many non replaceable photos after my hard drive crashed and could not retrieve any photos on it..

And do not remember seeing any makers ID on it.
Orich

It looked like a 3" round hockey puck with a cut away that fit around the shift lever with one handle bar on each side to push it down on with a machined knocked part that fit into the cut away of the retainer cup and twist out.

 

You'll probably still have to remove the floor pan for the shift tower to clear. It seems like the tranny won't drop far enough for it to clear the small hole.

 

I'll have to try and find one. If I see one cheap enough I may just get it. I like to have a wide variety of tools never know when you may need one. It pays off to have the right tool for the job.

 

Here's a rough drawing to give ya an idea what it kind of looks like.
Top view & lower part the fits into the lock cup, it's milled to fit inan compress the lower spring as you turn the cup to lock or remove.

Man was I ever happy when I came across that wonderful tool.

 

That would make a lot of us happy that had to deal with removing the cap. I struggled for awhile getting mine off and back on the first time. Thank you sir for the drawing.

 

Channel lock pliers also work great. I remember a thread (I just don't remember where I saw it) but someone made a tool using a piece of pipe welded to a handle. Use thick wall pipe, notch out a section to go around shifter weld on a handle, and there you go.
The one I saw was beveled slightly matching the contour of the cap.
Remember you only need to push down and turn it a quarter turn. Keep pressure on it because it is spring loaded, once turned release pressure slowly.

 

Well that tool would be nice but I've taken of dozens, probably hundreds without the tool. Usually just fingers.

 

A few yrs before having found this special tool. I bought a shift stick kit.
It came with three pieces, the upper dust boot seal, a new cup replacement an a new spring.

Well, I tried pushing the cup down and locking it into place like many times before and their was no way, I could not do it any longer now.

For the first time, I needed a tool like some channel locks to help push it down and turning it to it's locking cup into place.

It was by luck finding the R&R tool and sure worked great after having the new shift stick spring kit in it.

Man it would have been a real fight to remove the retainer cup with having that tool after installing the new shift stick spring kit.

When you look at most that you've removed the lock tab stretched out of shape and not having full spring pressure holding it down.

The shop where I bough the kit wanted $50 for there used shaft sticks.
So, I had a guy weld up the gash in the ball area of the shift stick retainer pins that caused by yrs. of shifting gears.

Any way filled the gash with ss rod, then worked it with a few hand files and a small hand grinder got it back into the correct width and fit for the pins.

Saved 50 bucks and the new dust boot kit made it like new again.
for a used one at that!!
Orich