snowman_w900 Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 (edited) Hi guys, I just bought an 1989 MH613. I could not get the cab raised, due to a leaking hydraulic line for the cylinders. Well, I fixed the leak, added fluid and got the cab to raise like its supposed to, except I have a problem. When I get the cab about 1/4 way up or so, the gear shifter is stuck. It's trying to pull the shifter outta the cab, but its hitting up against the cab/doghouse shifter opening and the boot is pulling on it also and about to rip. My question is, why won't the shifter separate from the base and has anyone else experienced this? What is the solution to this problem. Thanks guys Edited May 17, 2020 by snowman_w900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 You have to revise the shifter. It separates when you lift the cab. There's a kind of alu cap at the top of chassis mounted bracket. And the half attached to the cab floor goes up with the cab. That upper part has a pin or so which comes into the alu cap when the cab is back down. I would expect your shifter just got stuck of being not separated for a while. So I'd lift the cab a bit and get under it to the shifter with a small braker or big screwdriver to help getting apart. Very important point is to put some wooden blocks under the cab floor or secure it from sitting down by another way. Do it well and double check. Vlad 2 Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman_w900 Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 (edited) Thanks Vladislav! I've owned several cabovers through the years, but this is my first Mack. I have always liked the MH cabover Mack. Now if I understand, are you saying i need to put the truck in the reverse gear to unlock the shifter so it will go up with the cab when the cab is raised? I had the shifter in the neutral position, but I know theres something I'm not doing correctly because the shift is stuck really tight. Thanks again for your help! Edited September 29, 2019 by snowman_w900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 No I think you better try prying the shifter when in neutral. Honestly I never tilted cab having the lever in any gear expect neutral. There's a pin or so with a small sphere on the end as I said above sticking out (down) from the cab part of the shifter. It gets into the alu cap on the chassis part and it gets straight into the centre hole. Suppse neutral is the best position since the hole is lined up with direction of lifting the cab. In fact it should be lined. If not enough it could be the matter of your issue. Just get under the cab and investigate. Nothing really complicated (if not broken down). Unfortunately I don't have any pics handy. Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman_w900 Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 Ohhhh, ok. LOL sorry bout the misunderstanding. I didn't think it sounded right bout being in reverse, but I misread your response. I know what you're saying now. I will look and see if I can figure out why its stuck. I just cant believe it's that stuck, but I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else I needed to do to get it free and get the cab jacked up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlotpilot Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 (edited) shift lever MUST be in nuetral pos. to tilt cab. must also be well lubricated to slip in and out of the socket it bottoms in . be ultra careful not to break or bend any part they are extremely hard to find replacement pieces for Edited September 30, 2019 by carlotpilot 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ws721 Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 And when you are blocking the cab be sure to place blocks under same braceing that cab air bags rest on. You don't want the cab coming down on you or the blocks going up thru the fiberglass 2 Quote Remember if it's got a hood it's no good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 No news from the TS for a long time. I too hope the blocks were put right and the wood was hard enough. Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ws721 Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 On 10/3/2019 at 3:32 PM, Vladislav said: No news from the TS for a long time. I too hope the blocks were put right and the wood was hard enough. Yes. Good point Quote Remember if it's got a hood it's no good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman_w900 Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 Sorry guys, I had been on the road and had not been home to to work on the Mack MH. I can see its gonna take some work to get this shifter separated and the cab up. It's just odd that this thing is that stuck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman_w900 Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 (edited) Got a little update on my MH613. Turns out that the shifter was stuck in the aluminum housing. It took a little persuasion with a pry bar, but u got it separated. Thanks @Vladislav and the rest of you guys for pitching in and giving advice. One thing I noticed, the clamp that holds the bid rubber boot the shifter and big spring assembly is incased in on the underside of the cab was gone and when I did get the cab up and the shifter assembly separated, the shifter and spring wanted to fall out. Not a big deal, shes starting the early stages of a rebuild. Edited October 7, 2019 by snowman_w900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman_w900 Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 (edited) I apologize guys, I'm still trying to figure out how to post pics on this site. I was able to get the shifter pushed back up into the boot and where its supposed to be. Everything went back together just fine when I let the cab back down. https://ibb.co/6wd2v3Q https://ibb.co/ss8vk9Y https://ibb.co/jwPQv5J Edited October 7, 2019 by snowman_w900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 (edited) Personally for me no need in the picture since my shifter fell down either You could even take it off just sitting in a driver's chear. I found that spring's design very strange. It was (probably) originally welded to a steel cup which bolts on to the cab plate and the floor. It was difficult to me to recognize the originality completely because of multiple repairs i.e. welds of that poor spring. Being where I'm being I couldn't find a solid shifter assembly so I ended up ordering custom fabrication of such spring and two still rings I drilled holes in to attach the ends of the spring to both upper plate and lover cap. A hell of a job and I still have not solved issue of having no boot. Right at the time I don't have inside the cab boot either so when you start the engine the fan blows very intensive into the cab and your face. I'm going to order the lower boot at upholstery shop made of leather (don't see other options) and the cab boot is already new on a shelf (avalible from PAI). But currently I don't work on the MH since had to concentrate attention to other projects. Edited October 7, 2019 by Vladislav 1 Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman_w900 Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 6 hours ago, Vladislav said: Personally for me no need in the picture since my shifter fell down either You could even take it off just sitting in a driver's chear. I found that spring's design very strange. It was (probably) originally welded to a steel cup which bolts on to the cab plate and the floor. It was difficult to me to recognize the originality completely because of multiple repairs i.e. welds of that poor spring. Being where I'm being I couldn't find a solid shifter assembly so I ended up ordering custom fabrication of such spring and two still rings I drilled holes in to attach the ends of the spring to both upper plate and lover cap. A hell of a job and I still have not solved issue of having no boot. Right at the time I don't have inside the cab boot either so when you start the engine the fan blows very intensive into the cab and your face. I'm going to order the lower boot at upholstery shop made of leather (don't see other options) and the cab boot is already new on a shelf (avalible from PAI). But currently I don't work on the MH since had to concentrate attention to other projects. I appreciate you sharing that picture! It gives me an idea what to expect when I pull that shifter assembly out. Looks like whoever did that spring for you did a fantastic job. That whole assembly looks like new in your picture Vladislav. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman_w900 Posted October 8, 2019 Author Share Posted October 8, 2019 Also, I did notice my big spring was also broken, so I'm going to have to weld it, or get creative like you did. I wish I could just find a new spring. I wonder if PAI has those springs and boot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladislav Posted October 8, 2019 Share Posted October 8, 2019 (edited) 17 hours ago, snowman_w900 said: That whole assembly looks like new in your picture Vladislav. Yes, it was. Made by hands A friend of mine had a contact at some factory. There was a guy who could make custom springs. I gave the samle and got the result in a week. But there was a talk of the spring guy looked at the sample and said he couldn't do that because of lot of labour. My friend said he will look for another place. The guy than said "Ok, I will try". He made a cone in a lathe with a spiral track on its side, took a piece of correct steel wire, turned over the cone, put into a stoove and than cooled off. In theory I could order two of them but didn't see a reason. Another (and too probably the original) issue is welding. Spring is a heat treated part made of high carbone steel which 1st doesn't weld and 2nd would loose its strength if you try welding it. So what happened to my shifter was expectional but what Mack had of the desing is a mystery. My way of solving the problem could be seen at the pics. I ordered two steel rings with a notch to accomodate the end of the spring wire but had to make a cut out (by saw and file) to allow the wire to get out where elevating. I drilled some holes and also did that in the attachment parts of the shifter and assembled everything with small screws and nuts. Currently all that is installed in the truck and it shifter well. It just happened that the truck showed out other serious troubles so I had to put its restoration on a back burner. I too doubt PAI supply the spring and other shifter parts but worth checking. Locally PAI parts list is unavalible so I only check costs when have a part #. The interior boot is avalible, nearly $50. Seemed like a commonly used truck shifter boot. I had the # somewhere but can't find it right at the moment. Edited October 8, 2019 by Vladislav Quote Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman_w900 Posted October 9, 2019 Author Share Posted October 9, 2019 Thanks Vladislav. Buddy, you probably should have had a few of those big springs made up and you could sell those to guys like me that need them😁 I sure wish I could find a spring for mine since my original one is broken. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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