Shifter/steering column ?
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New User
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Florida
Shifter/steering column ?
Long story short, my truck was used by my family for my brother's wedding and now my shifter is broke.
I drove it down to the place that the wedding was and it was fine I got the flu and my truck was in my in laws drive way for a week. When I went over to drive it home, I start it, grab the shifter and there is nothing there (the shifter is there but no gears in the column) I can slam it all the way down and back up and nothing. The locking mech still works and you have to pull it to you to move from its most upright position. I did fiddle with it by pushing back toward the dash and managed to get it into drive and back to neutral. I have no idea what to do because I know nothing about this part of my truck. Then after I was hot about my truck being broken they told me they had to push it to the drive way. I know someone broke it because in order to push the damn thing they had to put it into neutral but it is what it is.
My truck: 1975 ford f150, lwb, single cab, 2wd, 460
Should I just order a new column or take to a transmission shop?
Any help is appreciated.
I drove it down to the place that the wedding was and it was fine I got the flu and my truck was in my in laws drive way for a week. When I went over to drive it home, I start it, grab the shifter and there is nothing there (the shifter is there but no gears in the column) I can slam it all the way down and back up and nothing. The locking mech still works and you have to pull it to you to move from its most upright position. I did fiddle with it by pushing back toward the dash and managed to get it into drive and back to neutral. I have no idea what to do because I know nothing about this part of my truck. Then after I was hot about my truck being broken they told me they had to push it to the drive way. I know someone broke it because in order to push the damn thing they had to put it into neutral but it is what it is.
My truck: 1975 ford f150, lwb, single cab, 2wd, 460
Should I just order a new column or take to a transmission shop?
Any help is appreciated.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
Likes: 247
From: Stanley, VA
This is going from memory but, as I recall, it's fairly simple to change the shift socket.
Remove the steering wheel.
Completely remove the turn signal switch and pull the wiring out of the column
Drive out the pin that holds the gearshift lever to the shift socket.
Remove the gearshift lever.
Remove the snap ring from the steering shaft.
Now, the trickiest part. Below where the turn signal switch sits, there are two nuts, one at 6 o'clock and one at 12. Loosen these nuts as much as possible without taking them off. Wiggle and jimmy the collar to see if you can get it to come off. If not, take the nuts off but be careful. These nuts are attached to two short square head bolts. If they drop out, they can drop down into the column tube and be a royal PITA to get out.
Once the collar is off, you can slide the shift socket off of the shift tube.
Assemble in reverse order.
If I've missed anything, someone correct me.
Remove the steering wheel.
Completely remove the turn signal switch and pull the wiring out of the column
Drive out the pin that holds the gearshift lever to the shift socket.
Remove the gearshift lever.
Remove the snap ring from the steering shaft.
Now, the trickiest part. Below where the turn signal switch sits, there are two nuts, one at 6 o'clock and one at 12. Loosen these nuts as much as possible without taking them off. Wiggle and jimmy the collar to see if you can get it to come off. If not, take the nuts off but be careful. These nuts are attached to two short square head bolts. If they drop out, they can drop down into the column tube and be a royal PITA to get out.
Once the collar is off, you can slide the shift socket off of the shift tube.
Assemble in reverse order.
If I've missed anything, someone correct me.
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Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
Long story short, my truck was used by my family for my brother's wedding and now my shifter is broke.
I drove it down to the place that the wedding was and it was fine I got the flu and my truck was in my in laws drive way for a week. When I went over to drive it home, I start it, grab the shifter and there is nothing there (the shifter is there but no gears in the column) I can slam it all the way down and back up and nothing. The locking mech still works and you have to pull it to you to move from its most upright position.
1975 F150 460/C6
I drove it down to the place that the wedding was and it was fine I got the flu and my truck was in my in laws drive way for a week. When I went over to drive it home, I start it, grab the shifter and there is nothing there (the shifter is there but no gears in the column) I can slam it all the way down and back up and nothing. The locking mech still works and you have to pull it to you to move from its most upright position.
1975 F150 460/C6
Over time, the bridge begins to crack, eventually breaks off. Now the shift lever flops around because the collar is no longer connected to the shift tube.
D5TZ-7228-A (replaced C9TZ-7228-A & C5TZ-7228-A) .. A/T Shift Collar Kit ~ Includes plastic shift dial pointer / Available from Ford!
MSRP: $65.98 // FTE Ford Dealer Parts Dept sponsor tousleyfordparts.com price: $43.55 // Applications: 1965/77 F100/350 / 1973/77 Bronco.
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New User
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Florida
Ok thanks guys I love this place!
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New User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 24
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From: Florida
You know what else I love about my truck. No matter what the issue is you always need parts and time with your truck. I'll let my wife know of the emergency at hand and have a fun day! God bless and hope you all enjoyed the holidays
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
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MikeoOoO...
those are not too bad to get out of the column if you have a magnet
what I can't figure out, is how to get those ddamn things back in the slots so they pull the flange forward/shift thing forward
any tips?
those are not too bad to get out of the column if you have a magnet
what I can't figure out, is how to get those ddamn things back in the slots so they pull the flange forward/shift thing forward
any tips?
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
Likes: 247
From: Stanley, VA
I'll try putting it back together this weekend with the old parts and see if I can offer any tips.
I'll let you know.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
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thanks, I had a separate post on this with some pics
here are my pics of the problem
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - jbancroft's Album: Gear Shifter Pics - Picture
my shifter was sloppy, and when I took that flange off behind the turn signal, and tried to put back on, can't figure out how to get those stupid little bolts to sit down into the slots
here are my pics of the problem
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - jbancroft's Album: Gear Shifter Pics - Picture
my shifter was sloppy, and when I took that flange off behind the turn signal, and tried to put back on, can't figure out how to get those stupid little bolts to sit down into the slots
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
Likes: 247
From: Stanley, VA
On the back of the collar the square heads of the bolts sit in little wells that are also square. There are three "walls" that surround the bolt head. The side that goes towards the column tube is open, the side opposite that is tappered. Once you get the bolt heads in the slots, as you tighten the nuts the tapper forces the bolts towards the slots.
To get the bolt heads in the slots I just barely started the nuts onto the bolts. Then I pushed the nuts all the way in untill the nuts bottomed out. I got the top one in first then jiggled the collar untill the bottom one slipped on. Then I tightened both nuts untill they were snug.
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