Garage Projects

The Mighty Merc – Shifting The Mess Part 1

So now that the NWF doubler has been put together, it was time to start figuring out how to shift this mess. After listening to my janky shifter setup rattle going down the road in the Ranger, I decided that I wanted something that made a lot less noise. Some time spent with the plasma table at work during lunch and came home with a pile of parts:
Sara L.: Driveline &emdash;

And grabbed some scrap ½” rod with 1.25” OD DOM tube for the shifters:
Sara L.: Driveline &emdash;

NP205 Sticks (Top) and crawl box shifter (bottom) forgive the ugly welds, I was still dialing in my new welder:
Sara L.: Driveline &emdash;

After playing around with a couple of ideas things started to fall into place. The NP205 sticks pivot on a ¾” shoulder bolt, and the crawl box pivots on a ¾” shaft.:
Sara L.: Driveline &emdash;

The NP205 shifters got wrapped up first. Plastic bushings were used in the DOM, and quick disconnects were used at the connections. I have my fears about those rattling, but we’ll give them a go:
Sara L.: Driveline &emdash;

Some more DOM, plastic bushings, and quick disconnect linkage allowed me to wrap up the crawl box shifter:
Sara L.: Driveline &emdash;

And that gets me as far as I can get until I stab the mess into The Merc. I’m sure I’ll have to tweak something once it is all in place. All the levers forward are high range:
Sara L.: Driveline &emdash;

All back are low range:
Sara L.: Driveline &emdash;

At first I didn’t like the long throw of the crawl box lever, but I like it now. Makes it extra obvious when it is engaged, which isn’t a bad thing. Plus with it in its normal high range position, it’s out of the way.

Part numbers for everything used, the part numbers are from McMaster

NP205 linkage:
o (4 pcs) 5/16-24 Quick Disconnect Ball Joint RH – 6058K73
o (2 pcs) Light Duty Dry Running Nylon Sleeve – 6389K343
o (3 pcs) PTFE Flat Washer – 95630A253
o (1pc) 5/16”-24 Threaded Rod – 98957A128

Crawl box linkage:
o (2 pcs) Light duty Flange Nylon Bearing – 6389K434
o (2 pcs) ¼-28 Quick Disconnect Ball Joint RH – 6058K72
o (2pcs) ¼”-28 Threaded Rod – 98750A441

Not shown – Shifter Knobs
o (3 pcs) 1-1/2” Ball Knob – 6046K48

I’ll do another post on the finishing details once I get everything installed.

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