904 Column Shift Linkage Grommet Installation

[Bl1zzard]

I'm having a heck of time reinstalling the shift linkage in my 1974 Dart. I blame the headers.

This last grommet circled below in grey is the holdout. I bashed and bruised my hands, tried above and below the car for over 4 hours yesterday and could not get it to pop in. I think I'm missing a tool or technique, it can't be this hard.

Any advice you can give would be most appreciated.

 

[CudaFactHackJob]

It IS that hard. Use a socket under and a bolt and nut and washer.

 

[Bl1zzard]

Thanks, trying really hard to understand your answer. Are you suggesting I build kind of a mini vice out of those parts and squeeze it in that way? I was prowling around my garage for a vice that would fit in there among the header pipes and firewall.
I had a pair of channel-lock pliers on it for a half-hour on Saturday, Sunday my hand no worky any more...I know, I'm a desk jockey by day.

 

[CudaFactHackJob]

The socket on the bottom so the grommet has somewhere to go after it passes thru. Washer on bolt, bolt thru grommet, nut on socket side.

 

[Bl1zzard]

So after many hours of creating small vices, cursing and damaging my hands beyond belief, I asked my buddy who's been a Dodge mechanic for 25 years what he would do. He suggested uninstalling the linkage and pushing in the grommet on the workbench. He said "It'll only take 20 minutes and save you hours of frustration". Man, I wish I talked to him first. I had that damn grommet in with one wack of my handy little 5 pound sledge. Thanks for all the advice guys, but in the end my buddy was right, take the time to uninstall the linkage and install the grommets from a much better angle.

 

[PentaAggression]

So after many hours of creating small vices, cursing and damaging my hands beyond belief, I asked my buddy who's been a Dodge mechanic for 25 years what he would do. He suggested uninstalling the linkage and pushing in the grommet on the workbench. He said "It'll only take 20 minutes and save you hours of frustration". Man, I wish I talked to him first. I had that damn grommet in with one wack of my handy little 5 pound sledge. Thanks for all the advice guys, but in the end my buddy was right, take the time to uninstall the linkage and install the grommets from a much better angle.

What about removing them? I think maybe I have a siesta special and they pressed a metal one on the column lever? or does the grommet go inside that and leave that metal part on the column lever arm alone?

 

[PentaAggression]

The socket on the bottom so the grommet has somewhere to go after it passes thru. Washer on bolt, bolt thru grommet, nut on socket side.

a small piece of pipe that wont collapse works well too, in case you never remember which socket works perfectly.