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my thanx to all involved w/descriptive and pictorial posts involving this thread. just did the job w/dorman parts and shifter works great again. po tried to jb weld one of the ears back on the tube where it bolts in the back to the shifter cable ***'y. me thinks it's easier to replace parts than it was to try to do something that foolish. great place to come for info-hope I can give back one day.
COOL! Happy to hear that someone could make use of the pics and captions. Took a long dang time to write that stuff up.
Wow! This has really helped out. Went into a store tonight, came back out, started truck, shifted to Drive, and a dang Torx head shouldered screw falls out and hits my right foot. Now can't shift it into Park. Got the steering column surround off, and removed key assembly. Could not see where the heck this screw goes. Guess I will do some more tearing apart. By the pictures, I am thinking it is probably the one of those that helps hold that Spring in. Thanks for the great tutorial/ pictorial.
Wow! This has really helped out. Went into a store tonight, came back out, started truck, shifted to Drive, and a dang Torx head shouldered screw falls out and hits my right foot. Now can't shift it into Park. Got the steering column surround off, and removed key assembly. Could not see where the heck this screw goes. Guess I will do some more tearing apart.
You don't need to tear ANYTHING apart to install this screw. Read this:
Originally Posted by BigAlsPSD
They are tough to find until you know where they are, laying facing up top of your head towards your pedals, follow the shifter tube(push pull cable) up from the floorboard, to a bracket it is the torx screws that connect the cable to the shifter arm/tube.
Thanks Mark. I did actually get a look back there a little while ago with an LED light and a Mirror. It comes from that bracket at the end that holds the spring behind it. The upper one, underneath the jut out of that bracket. The other screw is in there, and it all still appears snug. Would just this screw simply falling out, suddenly make it not able to shift into Park? Or is it just a symptom of additional issues?
Well I got that dang screw back in. What a serious pain in the butt!!! Getting too old for twisting around up there like I did. Good news is, as soon as I tightened it down, as well as making sure the other was tight, it started shifting just fine again.
Hi Scottddove,
My brother has a 2003 f350 automatic tranny and his shifter had the same problems as yours, he was having the same problem for years. Well his shifter finally broke, he was backing up a trailer, in reverse and stopped and tried to put the shifter in park and the shifter went limp, nothing. He automatically went to the dealer and bought the shifter handle, wrong move. Was not the problem.
I took the large panel on the bottom of the dash board off (4 plastic screws, just turn them 90 degrees) took out the 3 phillips head screws then unscrewed the tilt wheel lever.
From the bottom of the steering column( #2 phillips) to remove the plastic cover. Under the ignition switch there is a detent ball that you have to press in to release the ignition switch to take it out. Lift out the top plastic cover over the shift lever.
The shift lever has rubber boot on it ( there is a electrical plug attached to it, lift up the retainer clip that holds it in and pull it out of its connection ) then lift up or pry up the (2) retaining clips of the rubber boot to remove it.
There are 4 nuts that hold up the steering columm, you have to lay on your back to see and get to them. I think they are 13 mm, slide your seat forward to stop the steering column from falling when you remove them.
Also you have to remove (2) T30 Torx head screws, when under there but be careful when you take them out, there is a spring that pushes against the plate that they hold, it doesn't have a lot of pressure on it( just don't lose it).
The shift tube is held in by (2) 1/2 clamps. ( It also has a large clamp above it. (T30 torx bit head screws) Remove all (3) clamps, then remove shift tube.
On my brothers truck he broke the shift tube and the inner shaft(it fits inside the shift tube) and the 1/2 clamp towards the fire wall. The two nylon bushings were shredded( which I think caused the problem).
The new shift tube was made the same way as the original,They are cast parts and when they are made there is a line where the two moulds are clamped together, creating a raised line. At the machine shop where the casting go to be deburred, they don't deburr these casting so the nylon bushings rub and snag on this seam. (POOR WORKMANSHIP)
I deburred the shift shaft and greased it( where the nylon bushings go and the spring, and( lever at the end of the shift shaft, that is held in by a pin,Note watch which way this lever faces).
After re-assembling everything the shift lever still had play in it, but not as bad as before. I will have to check the rest of the assembly for wear.
Parts from the Ford dealer were three times or more as much as aftermarket.
The shift tube and shaft and nylon bushings could have been ordered for $38.00 aftermarket.
The 1/2 clamp which I think can only be order from Ford cost $17.00 and it is a casting also, should be in my opinion, $5.00 tops.
Tools:
#2 phillips screwdriver
(T30 Torx bit 1/4" drive and 2" extention),
13MM deep well 3/8, drive socket, ratchet 3" extention,
(hammer, brass drift to knock out pins)
grease
light
flat file( to deburr)
Doing this tomorrow, so thank you. Im sure your all thinking, "holy thread revival"
yea im that guy lol
Wow this brought back some memories. Got to get under my new to me 2003 and check things out. Been putting off the shifter wire prevention task as well. Sounds like this weekends task. Hey guys we all need to do these proven fail items now instead of later right.
07-04-2014, 10:53 AM
great place to come for info-hope I can give back one day.
