I apologize if I’m bringing up a topic that has been discussed over & over, & I’m sure the answer is probably new bushings, but I want to ask just to be sure.

My truck is a 66’ 2wd 240 6cyl 3spd on the column.
On rare occasions, especially most inconvenient ones, the 1st gear shift lever isn’t fully engaging into neutral, which won’t allow me to shift into 2nd gear. The shift arms on the column look farely new, but I’m guessing my #1 priority is to replace the bushings. Please let me know if I’m also overlooking something.
Thanks

 

I would say you are going in the right direction changing the bushings. then re-check.

 

My biggest problem is that the rods seem very tight in the bushings on the shifter arms. I pulled the pins & removed the rods from the bushings, & had to use a pair of Channelocks to get them back in. Seems all of my slop is down at the transmission

 

Grab the piece of the column the shift handle goes into and try and move/ wiggle it in any position, things can get loose in there. Next sitting on seat, grab the steering wheel and try pulling back toward you and away. If movement, down at bottom of column, under the hood is a clamp loosen and push up the shaft, there is a taper piece to keep all centered in the column tube. Finally with transmission in neutral, there is a selector finger that goes between 1st-reverse lever and the 2nd-3rd lever at the column. they need to be in time with each other,so when you come out of 1st, it can drop cleanly into the 2nd-3rd lever. Do try to eliminate all sources of excess play first.

 

Everything is tight in the cab, & the ring between the shifter arms moves like it should when shifting. I still think I have too much slop at the transmission

 

Usually the transmission side cover has spring loaded detente balls to keep the shaft in one of its 3 positions, like 1st, neutral, reverse and 2nd, neutral 3rd. Recesses where the balls snap in could be worn excessively. With all in neutral, disconnect the rods at the transmission shift levers on the transmission, this way column has nothing to do with sloppiness. Check each lever, shift with your hand, the 3 positions of each lever and in each position, move the lever to check for any excess play with hardly any effort. There should be none. Going between gears if it wont go in, with your other hand just rock the driveshaft back and forth. You mentioned previous about having to force the rods back into the bushings on hooking back up??? I'm not sure how the rods adjust, but thinking loosen adjusters, so rods are free to swivel and hook back up to transmission shift levers with no effort. Then lock the adjusters. These are suggestions as I cannot see what you have to work with. You might look at the 2 shift arms coming out of the column for a hole in each where like an alignment pin might be put between to keep them parallel while making adjustments. As said, all suggestions.