Mack RW713 Superliner 10 Speed Trans Shift Lever

[davelakeside1]

The old 9 speed trans, after 600K miles decided to swallow a shift fork and unfortunately chipped up a few gear teeth before landing in the bottom of the trans.  I wound up going for a 10 speed ReMack Trans.  The extra added attraction was I ordered a new stick shift  because the old one was so loose I had to be very careful how I shifted it. Problem is the new one hit the dash so I can't get at the top gears. This one that the dealer sent was the closest one he could find that might work. The one I need has been obsoleted for the old Superliners. I Didn't see that one coming! The original shifter number was a 409KB447M8 which was obsoleted for a 25052784 which is now obsolete. Nothing in the warehouses, nothing in the dealers stock, and nothing that I can find on the internet. I was hoping for a new stick as the old one was so loose, and it doesn't feel much better when I put it in the new trans.

If I compare the shift tip of the new stick to the old stick, the old stick tip is much thinner which translates into looseness. This is with all new mounting parts.

Does anyone know where I can get a new shifter. I don't know if there is anything like a reconditioned one? I assume that the shift tip is hardened steel so building up the thickness would require hardface welding and machining or grinding, and then worrying about stress cracks later.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[70mackMB]

Hard telling not knowing but! l'd  get out the ol' smoke wrench and bend the shifter to where it needs to be. Wouldn't be the the first time, did it to a 9500 GMC 13spd with an (absolute powerhouse) 318 double breasted Yamaha in it! Back when driving was fun.    .....Hippy 

[Mark T]

Wasn't there and adaptor on the CLs that located the lever further rearward ?  Maybe one of those set ups ?

[davelakeside1]

I sent the shifter back because it didn't fit and the Mack dealer said that he would order one that did. I didn't have my hands on the shifter as my son was helping to button it all up. So, I don't really know if that shifter is a solid steel piece or is it a hollow tube. If it's a solid steel piece then the smoke wrench would do the trick. I can lay it right up against the old one and match the form. But if it's a tube that's a whole different ball game. Bending that takes a lot of patience, cold rags, at least a 6 pack, and even then there will be thin spots that can crack or fail over time. Did something like that years ago and wound up welding some formed flat stock over the outside of the bends to strengthen it.

Anybody know offhand if the top end of these shifters are solid or hollow?

I'll also see if I can find that adapter on the CLs that located the lever further rearward. I'll see if that can work.

[terry]

Every one I have seen were solid.  Terry

[davelakeside1]

Thanks Terry!  Given that, I should be able to heat it up where I need it, and bend it back enough to clear the dash. I wouldn't imagine that anyone else has had to do this, unless it was for some custom modification. I just wanted to be certain that it would work. The minute I hit it with the torch, I can't return it and if it doesn't work I can kiss $570 goodbye. This is why I wanted some good advice before I tried doing this. 

[fjh]

4 minutes ago, davelakeside1 said:

Thanks Terry!  Given that, I should be able to heat it up where I need it, and bend it back enough to clear the dash. I wouldn't imagine that anyone else has had to do this, unless it was for some custom modification. I just wanted to be certain that it would work. The minute I hit it with the torch, I can't return it and if it doesn't work I can kiss $570 goodbye. This is why I wanted some good advice before I tried doing this. 

You will be fine the only issue you may encounter is it may drop out of gear on rough roads! if it gets to much of a dogs leg in it!

[davelakeside1]

Funny you should mention that. I was looking for the adapter on the CLs that located the lever further rearward that Mark T mentioned, and I saw a shock absorber that was rigged up with some brackets from the shifter to the back of the transmission that was thought to prevent exactly that. I never had that problem with the old 9 speed and the shifter that was in it. That old shifter is now in my 10 speed and other than it's as loose as a goose works fine and fits exactly the same as it was in the 9 speed. My "plan" is to pull the old shifter out and use it as a pattern to bend the new shifter to. So if done correctly it should match the shifter point where it works the gears in the transmission and the top handle with a few bends along the way. It would be great to match the bends exactly and will try, but if that turns out to be difficult or if the shifters are a different length,  I might have to add a few inches to the length so that the height off the floor is the same. Won't know until we get there.

 

[davelakeside1]

 

In talking to my son he thinks I'm out of my mind trying to modify a shifter to be the same as the original one on the truck. Trying to keep all that straight from top to bottom would be wishfull thinking, especially if someone else goes to drive the truck they would probable break a shift fork before the end of the day.

So, does anyone have a good used Superliner Gear Shift Lever? Complete from Trans up to top Handle with Hi-Low lever would be great. If I have my info correct there was only one gear shift lever on the Superliners, at least for my 1990 713.  The original shifter was 409KB447M8 and that one was obsoleted to 25052784 and that one is now obsolete also. Any help or leads on where to try would really be appreciated!

[terry]

Can’t you just bend it where it is comfortable to shift and clears everything?  Terry

[davelakeside1]

That's what I thought. Where he is coming from is the alignment of the flat on the transmission end of the shifter and the top center of the shift handle being off so that you are not pushing or pulling the shifter in a straight line. It would always be moving crooked creating wear in the shifting mechanism in the transmission and possibly getting jammed between gears.

[Mark T]

Do you have any idea how many shifters have been heated and bent after transmission swaps .  It's a fairly common remedy in an older truck .  Terry has the right idea. Just have to remember the bit about the rough roads and chances are in some certain spots it may even come in contact with the hole in your floor. (so one or two tweek jobs may be required) Before any part in the shifter wears , the truck'll have some other problem that puts it down for the count.

[Dirtymilkman]

A vice and a torch and this is done easily. Practice on a junk used one first if u want. But once it's hot you can bend, twist, turn it any way u want.