Normal shift effort ?

[Dartgame]

Subjective topic. But it seems to me the shifter in my car is pretty stiff in terms of movement between gear and in general. I've lubed all the moving contact points. The rubber with silicone grease. Car goes into all gears correctly, but maybe I am missing something here ? I expected the shifter to be a little easier to move. Thoughts ?

[1949 Wraith]

When I first got my 1949 Dodge the shifting was stiff. There was quite a build up of crud on  the linkage from grease oil and dirt. I spent some time with solvent and brushes and rags cleaning off all the moving parts of the linkage and giving them a good lube and she is smooth as silk now.

When you are cleaning it move the shifter to work out the trapped gunk.

 

[Dartgame]

Okay thanks. I figured it might be something like that.

[plymouthcranbrook]

I have noticed that my 52 Plymouth shifts very stiffly at the beginning of summer but as I drive it it seems to become better and better as the summer goes on.

[Plymouthy Adams]

old people and lizards display some of the same traits...

[dpollo]

The gear lever pivot at the top of the steering column is a composition bushing which is threaded.  It is not meant to be lubricated under the normal course of events but can become extremely stiff.   Undo the two screws which hold it to the  column jacket and see if it moves freely.  If not, try some WD 40 or similar non staining lubricant.

[Dartgame]

Okay - thank you for the comment about the upper bushing. I did lube it with some lite oil. I will take the stuff apart next spring and clean the associated parts and lube all the stuff again. 

[bosworth]

I had a similar problem with my 48 plymouth 3 speed.  My shifter would often lock up between gears, felt like I had to force it into gear.  We put the car onto a lift and I had someone shift through the gears and watched what was going on with the linkage.  What I discovered was that the "gearshift lever shaft" was moving up and down during shifting, rather than just back and forth.  We pulled the gearshift housing and found that a pin or set screw that should ride a groove in the shaft had warn out, once the screw was replace the shaft stayed in the down position, moving only back and forth and the car now shifts very easily and smoothly. As I recall this retainer is center and near the top of the gearshift housing cover,  it is in line and near the top of where the gearshift lever shaft passes through the housing.  In retrospect I think I could have removed and replaced the setscrew without removing the gearshift housing.  I'm sorry I don't have any pictures, I hope my description might be of help.

Bill