1981 F-150, 302, column shift C6.

How do I remove the retainer pin for the shift lever? It's missing the rubber bushing and it flops around quite a bit, sometimes allowing the shifter to move enough to shift from 3rd to manual 2nd.

I am thinking about jamming a flat washer in there to take up some of the slack til I can get a new bushing for it (or attempt to retrofit an 80s Cadillac shifter lever...I already have the turn signal lever from the same car).

 

On a similar note... How do you remove the whole automatic shift leve and collar? I converted mine to manual and want to get rid of the auto shift level. Last one I tried driving the pin out of the collar the lever was just sloppy, but couldn't figure out how to remove so left it.

 

Interested in this too, but have the opposite problem. The pin keeps working its way out, and I have to drive it back in every so often, or it doesn't fully lock into park.......

 

From my 1981 factory shop manual:

 

On my 89, I just drove the pin out, and pulled the chrome lever off. Of course I still have the little bump there on the column where the pin went. But, one thing I had to do; I had to go in the engine compartment and tie the lever that comes out of the bottom of the column into position so it would not move. This mechanism locks the steering wheel, so if you do not lock it down, it flops into the wrong position and then you can't turn the steering wheel.

If you want to get into the steering column and tear it apart, i haven't done that. I try to avoid getting into the column if I can, what a aggravation those things are.

 

Thanks for the warning Franklin, that could be VERY bad if the wheel decides to lock. Maybe there is a way to disable the steering lock mechanism completely. Unnecessary and potential for death. I prefer to keep it simple. Technically my '86 is way too new for me.

 

I did this to a column when I went to a floor shifter. Found out that the shift tube has to stay in the column as the shaft actually uses the tube for locating it. What I did is cut the arm off the bottom of the tube and drilled a hole and inserted a screw to lock the tube in it's "neutral" position. Also used safety wire on the screw just to make sure it wouldn't come loose or fall out. If the screw is too long, it will lock up the steering shaft, so make sure you use the appropriate length.

I can post a pic of you need.