I have a new to me 2002 f-350. The shifter lever has alot of slop in it, so much you can't manually put it in 1st gear and it is tricky to get it back in park. Can anyone give me some ideas where to start trying to fix this problem? I have not bought a repair manual yet and wanted a suggestion on what a good one is to get. thanks Scott

 

The manual to get is available at Service Manuals, Owner Manuals, Wiring Diagrams, Service Bulletins - Helm Incorporated.

Crawl under the steering column and look up. There are two Torx head bolts that hold the shifter tube to the column. They are loose or missing. Tighten them and your problem is fixed.

 

I checked the two bolts and they are tight. seem like it is in the column where the lever is at. I don't want to have to tear the whole column apart to fix this if not nessasary but not real sure where the problem is. any other ideas?

 

Under the dash there is a little black wheel. Rotate this until your column shifter is where it belongs.

 

I wish the only adjustment I needed is the position of the little orange pointer. It is more involved that just that. the linkage is so loose you cant get it in 1st and it is hard to get it into park, alot of time you will still be in reverse and just dont know it, when the key wont come out you know you are still in reverse and you have to try again. thanks scott.

 

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)

 

black angus thanks for the reply. I have tore the column apart to find all that you described. what I found was the 2 1/2 clamps were tight but the black bushing was wore I made a gasket to tighten things back up and it worked ok. The problem I have now is when you do get it in a gear there is still up and down slop in the movement so much so you can be in drive and move the orange needle all the way to the other side of the n just by moving the lever I will have to tear it all out again to try to see where the slop/wear is. where can one find a new replacement for the whole assembly? Ford I am sure has it but bet it is high!! thanks again.

 

They have them on Ebay,$37.25 with free shipping. It includes shift tube, shaft and the two nylon bushings.

 

I just did the bushings on my shifter. They were toast. I still have some slop so im gonna order the kit off of ebay

 

I had a simular problem after replacing the prdl. Everything is tight, but finding the right combination is a bear. Everything will work fine for a week, then it won't start, until I put pressure on the shifter. Then I adjust the prndl and everthing is fine......one of these days I will get it perfect. How they get this to work on the line is anyones guess.

 

What is the prdl?

 

Really?

The shift indicator on an automatic trans. Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low.

The PRNDL. (or at least that's what my daughter calls it)

 

My brother is going to talk to a transmison shop, a friend of his, to find out what he knows about the problem.

 

If you are going to bust my ***** about this post, I will stop responding to this post!!

 

Not bustin' anyones *****, was just funnin'. Although my daughter does call it that, but it's on purpose. I think she finds"shift indicator" far too boring.

Teenagers. Can't live with 'em......................