Okay, I found the (nearly) perfect replacement part from ACE Hardware in the plumbing section, it is a coupling nut washer made by Danco, stock #40856B.
I bought several of these for grins, they are like 85 cents. Curiously, some were yellow and some were orange, the orange ones are slightly longer...doesn't matter, you trim the length anyway.

One thing I found I HAD to do was...trim the flange down from .125 thick to .0625 thick...or from 1/8" to 1/16" for those that don't work with decimals well. If you don't this thick flange will not allow you to put the cotter key back in the linkage.

The pics basically show in order: The bushing, the stock thickness, a 5/16" dowel I used for a mandrel in my drill, the procedure using a razor blade and drill motor as a 'lathe' (hey...you do what you have to!), the new thickness of the flange, and the installed bushing in the shifter arm.

 

 

very nice! great job and thanks for resolving this issue. do you think this will hold up to heat ok?

Jeff

 

since you have the tools and the knowledge can you make some extras and sell them to the rest of us. all the auto guys will need these at some point.

Jeff

 

Tell you what...let me see how this holds up to make sure the material of this bushing is robust enough. I THINK it will be fine but...only use will tell. If it works, I'd be happy to make some for those that don't think they can do it themselves.

There were a number of good ideas in the other thread too. Frankly, the person who said to simply slip a piece of fuel hose of the right length over the linkage post had an excellent and simple fix too.

 

Baja, you're one crafty mother! Good job!

 

lol...thanks!

Part of it comes from years and years of owning British sports cars....you get to where you have this 'eye' for things, like you see a can pull-tab (I know...dating myself) and you automatically grab it with glee thinking, "Oh ****...this will make a perfect replacement fuse for a 1976 TR-6 light relay!"

 

I guess that Requip works eh?

 

McMaster-Carr probably has these in nylon and brass if these don't work.

 

good info! Thanks, keep us posted on how things hold up.

Jeff

 

+1 on the crafter mother comment...thats some seriously impressive innovation haha...

 

Never give up .....!


later