Hiya,

I've got a question about my '90 F250 351, 5spd. I ditched the BW1356 after the third rebuild (snowplowing is hell on chains). I put in a NP205 donated from a '78 F250. The only think I can't figure out is how to fab up a shift linkage. I just can't seem to get the leverage to shift that beast. Anyone else done a swap like this? Any ideas on the linkage? I'll go ahead and fire up the torch and welder eventually and hack something together, but if there's a slick design out there, I'd like to see it first.

Thanks,

don't know of a slick design but I'll give you what I know about my NP-205 stock linkage. There is about 3 or 4 inches down below the pivot where the rod attaches. the handle extends up about 15 inchs. the rod just extends straight back to the equalliser bar on the two shift rods. this gives between 4:1 to 5:1 ratio for leverage. the only question I have for you is did the NP-205 shift ok when out on the ground? The rods might be rusting inside the bores and that will definatly make it shift hard.

Good luck

Eric

Yeah, it shifted fine on the floor. Without a linkage I'm crawlin under the truck to shift - No shift on the fly fer me :rasta: I can shift it without leverage with some umpfh.

The first linkage I put in went straight from the bottom of the shift lever to the equalizer bar. The problem with that is the shifter on the old BW1356 was alot lower than on the NP205. I wind up pushin up on the equalizer bar rather than in.

I'm thinkin of makin up a nice beefy 'L' shaped rod to handle it. I had one in there that got me to 4hi, but couldn't move the second rod to hit 4lo. Then driving down the road one day I heard a thunk, and realized I forgot to locktite or cotter pin the bolt. The linkage bounced down the road and into a creek. So much for that prototype.

Thanks for the reply, It helps to know how the stock linkage was set up.