Noise and vibration dampening connector for a two-piece transmission

Abstract

A noise and vibration dampening connector for a two-piece transmission shift lever assembly includes a lower shift lever member and an upper shift lever member which are connected together by the dampening connector. The upper end of the lower shift lever member is cylindrical in shape, having a flat formed thereon. The lower end of the upper shift lever member has a cylindrical knurled surface. The dampening connector includes a hollow cylindrical sleeve having an axial bore formed therethrough. The axial bore is stepped so as to form an internal shoulder which divides the sleeve into an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion of the sleeve has a relatively large internal diameter and a relatively thin wall thickness, while the lower portion of the sleeve has a relatively small internal diameter and a relatively thick wall thickness. A welch plug is seated on the internal shoulder, and a cup-shaped rubber isolator is seated on the welch plug. The lower end of the upper shift lever member extends into the rubber isolator and is secured to the sleeve by crimping the wall of the upper portion thereagainst. A threaded aperture is formed through the wall of the lower portion of the sleeve, and a set screw is partially threaded therein. The upper end of the lower shift lever member extends within lower portion of the sleeve such that the flat formed thereon is aligned with the partially threaded set screw. Then, the set screw is further threaded within the wall of the lower portion of the sleeve so as to extend into a recess formed in the flat to secure the upper end of the lower shift lever member to the sleeve.