shift lever

[sseebart]

The detente plates are pretty sturdy units. I've discovered that the replacement shift levers, though, are made from even softer metal than the originals. If you have a mig welder (or have access to a welding shop), it's better to weld up the groove in the lever rather than replace with a reproduction. Grind it into the proper shape, and the weld will be far harder than the original metal: the repair will last longer.

~Steve

[Terry64HT]

Yes the detente plates are sturdy compared to the shift lever, but they wear all the same. I did my detente plate before my shift lever since I bought one at Carlisle from Pat Wilson. Once I had it apart, I found how bad the shift lever was, but getting parts to Canada can be slow and painful, so I did the detente alone. When you compare an old and new, you will see how much the "sharpness" is gone from the ridges and slopes.
The detente plate is about 1/3 the cost of the lever, and it's a good idea to plan to do both.
As an aside, my wife had given me one of those battery powered auto hammers that I never could find a use for. It does a great job of removing and re-installing roll pins in the shift levers.
Terry
64HT