Broken Shifter

[WarrenD]

Last Sunday on the way home from the Hartford Vet parade, the shifter in my M37 broke off at the floor. My first question is, has anyone ever heard of that happening? To date, no one has including John at Midwest.
The part that broke was the transmission upper shift lever, that attaches to the stud coming up from the transmission. It broke right where the round stock going up to the shift knob met the cast part that clamps on the aforementioned stud. Mine showed signs that metal fatigue had been taking it's toll for some time as the top and bottom third of the cross-section showed rust. The middle third was bright, shiney metal which indicates where the break happened.
I was able to get it into 3rd and limp home at 20 mph. The few stops used up some more clutch than I would have liked but probably no worse than it's days in the military.
In the fuuture, I'll be carrying a small tool kit to include vise grips!

 

[212sparky]

Could you have it welded back together?

 

[WarrenD]

I'm planning to, though the guy who said he'd do it for last Tuesday has yet to get to it.

 

[KaiserM109]

No broken shifter experience with M37s, but I have seen it on other trucks and I just finished modifying one to put into my old Bronco.

Just take it to a good welder and have him stick it back together. The only critical part is keeping that round top shaped correctly.

If you are having trouble figuring out how to get it apart, the housing around the shifter pushes down and turns counter-clockwise. If possible, it should be in neutral when you do that, but I understand if you can't. When you go to put it back together, you will have to reach inside with a BIG screwdriver and get it into neutral by sliding the shift rails clutch in, of course.

Nice looking buggy in your avatar. I drove an M37 in both the Engineers and the Artillery in Vietnam. Tough old truck!!

Arlyn

 

[WarrenD]

This is the part that clamps onto the the round stud coming up from the tranny. Easy enough to take off, undo the nut, slide out the bolt, spread the casting slightly and pull up and off.

 

[KaiserM109]

A good buzzbox operator can make it look like new.

 

[WarrenD]

Not so concerned about the looks, I don't want it to snap off again!!

 

[KaiserM109]

If it lasts another 50 yr. you'll be okay. As good looking as the one in your avatar is, I hope you are at least a little concerned about its looks.

I like your pre-'68 paint job. You know, I assume, that there was only 1 unit that painted the nose yellow and that in mid '68 all white markings went black. I don't know what happened to the nose on the unit that did that.

 

[WarrenD]

8th Group had the yellow nose, my truck has 8th Group markings. As for the markings, the majority of GT photos I've seen have been white well into the early 70's. While black may have been the policy, from what I see in historical photos, white was in use for along time afterwards.
IIRC, the yellow nose started in Jan 69.
I got a "new" shifter in this PM, already wire wheeled and primed. As the taller B1 shifters are getting harder to find, I'll have the old one welded and either keep it as a spare or sell it.