Ford steering column detent question
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,337
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From: Harpswell Maine
Ford steering column detent question
It is Christmas morning and my wife is sleeping in, so good time to ask a question for those on the forum.
My steering column came out of a late 70's T Bird. I have done some modifications to it. It originally was built for a 3 speed automatic with the shifter on the column. I am using it to shift a 700R4 overdrive and have a proper indicator of transmission position including a position for overdrive fit into the indicator "window" on the T Bird column (the 700R4 is a manual overdrive). There are detents built into the column for the original 3 speed ford automatic. The 700R4 (with an additional required gear location-the overdrive position) at the transmission has definite detents for each gear. Is there any reason why I should not remove the detents in the column and just use the detents for the transmission? Do the new aftermarket columns with a shifter such as Ididit have built in detents or do they just rely on detents in the automatic transmission?
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
My steering column came out of a late 70's T Bird. I have done some modifications to it. It originally was built for a 3 speed automatic with the shifter on the column. I am using it to shift a 700R4 overdrive and have a proper indicator of transmission position including a position for overdrive fit into the indicator "window" on the T Bird column (the 700R4 is a manual overdrive). There are detents built into the column for the original 3 speed ford automatic. The 700R4 (with an additional required gear location-the overdrive position) at the transmission has definite detents for each gear. Is there any reason why I should not remove the detents in the column and just use the detents for the transmission? Do the new aftermarket columns with a shifter such as Ididit have built in detents or do they just rely on detents in the automatic transmission?
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,514
Likes: 398
From: W. Central FL.
Merry Christmas. I asked Lokar a similar quetion, RE, their unit had no detent for the OD position of the 700R4 transmission. They said it was not necessary. The transmission does seem to hold the position OK. I've not highway driven the truck yet although it seems to do just fine up on jack stands.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,337
Likes: 165
From: Harpswell Maine
Ray,
Thanks for the Christmas reply. Is the Lokar unit that you have a column with the shifter or is it a floor shifter? It sounds the Lokar you have has detents except for the overdrive location, yes? I can envision retaining the Park position detent in the column but grinding off the other detents in the column.
Edit, I may have answered at least one of my questions, it does not look like Lokar makes steering columns.
Thanks for the Christmas reply. Is the Lokar unit that you have a column with the shifter or is it a floor shifter? It sounds the Lokar you have has detents except for the overdrive location, yes? I can envision retaining the Park position detent in the column but grinding off the other detents in the column.
Edit, I may have answered at least one of my questions, it does not look like Lokar makes steering columns.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,170
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From: Rimrock AZ
I have a 56 fairlane with column shift. There were detents at the column, more like notches. When I installed the new C-4 it had detents but I still kept the ones on the column. With the weight of the shift lever I would be concerned about hitting a bump in the road and having the lever move and change gear position. This is why I am sticking to a manual, thos new fangled automatics are just to complicated. 
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,294
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From: NM
Aren't the GM detents for that trans: P - R - N - OD - D - 2 - 1 ?
I would think it could be worse to have column detents that don't exactly match the trans's detents, than to have none at all in the column. But I'd try to modify the column detents to match, in fact I thought someone sold a kit for the Ididit columns?
I would think it could be worse to have column detents that don't exactly match the trans's detents, than to have none at all in the column. But I'd try to modify the column detents to match, in fact I thought someone sold a kit for the Ididit columns?
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 343
Likes: 1
From: Pincher Creek Alberta
Merry Christmas,
i put a 351w/c4 in a 64 econoline van and used the 3 on tree shifter that was there.the van would sometimes slip out of park if l didnt take my foot of the brake and let it roll a little bit to put pressure on the tranny.parking on flat ground was not a good idea if you left the van running.it would wait until you were 3 or 4 feet away then it would take off
,i chased than sucker across more than one parking lot.
l think if you were to grid down the bumps,you should not do the one for park,the rest should be good to grid off.
i put a 351w/c4 in a 64 econoline van and used the 3 on tree shifter that was there.the van would sometimes slip out of park if l didnt take my foot of the brake and let it roll a little bit to put pressure on the tranny.parking on flat ground was not a good idea if you left the van running.it would wait until you were 3 or 4 feet away then it would take off
,i chased than sucker across more than one parking lot.l think if you were to grid down the bumps,you should not do the one for park,the rest should be good to grid off.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Harpswell Maine
Aren't the GM detents for that trans: P - R - N - OD - D - 2 - 1 ?
I would think it could be worse to have column detents that don't exactly match the trans's detents, than to have none at all in the column. But I'd try to modify the column detents to match, in fact I thought someone sold a kit for the Ididit columns?
I would think it could be worse to have column detents that don't exactly match the trans's detents, than to have none at all in the column. But I'd try to modify the column detents to match, in fact I thought someone sold a kit for the Ididit columns?
That is the situation that I have right now and the reason for my questions. The detents on the column, typical of the time, have lots of steel but not enough to grind down and redo. It seems like the detents in the 700R4 should be sufficient to maintain the chosen gear. That is why I asked the question about what is done in the Ididit columns. In any case I would maintain the detent for Park for the reasons suggested above by Roy.
I am right at the point that I want to final pant the column (I am doing a lot of final paint at this point). and really want to do whatever I am going to do prior to color on the column.
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Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
Tab on shift lever (7210) fits into individual gates of detent (7A216) that bolts to bottom of upper flange (3511).
Note that this is a non-tilt column, but the same scenario applies to the tilt column. Tilt column (wheel) operates by pressing the turn signal handle forward.
Note that this is a non-tilt column, but the same scenario applies to the tilt column. Tilt column (wheel) operates by pressing the turn signal handle forward.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,337
Likes: 165
From: Harpswell Maine
Tab on shift lever (7210) fits into individual gates of detent (7A216) that bolts to bottom of upper flange (3511).
Note that this is a non-tilt column, but the same scenario applies to the tilt column. Tilt column (wheel) operates by pressing the turn signal handle forward.
Note that this is a non-tilt column, but the same scenario applies to the tilt column. Tilt column (wheel) operates by pressing the turn signal handle forward.
Thanks for the drawing, I last had the column apart about 3 years ago. I remember the curved detent piece # 7A216. That is what I would need to modify if it is the right thing to do. I did not remember that it readily separated from the column. I am thinking that it might be appropriate to grind off the gates for all but the park position.
I am hoping that someone chimes in that has installed an Iditit column with the shifter. The Iditit website does not speak to the presence of built in gates. They do indicate that the same column is to be used with a 3 speed automatic or an overdrive (3 speeds + overdrive) which leads me to believe that maybe they do not have a full set of detent positions.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,337
Likes: 165
From: Harpswell Maine
OK, I called Ididit this morning and got an answer of how they built their aftermarket shift columns which helps me I with what I am going to do on my older T Bird column. On their website they indicate that the same column is suitable for either a 3 speed or overdrive trans. As I suspected after reading the website, the detent plate has positive detent positions for park, reverse and neutral and then a long slot for all of the forward speeds where you depend on the shift position "detents" in the transmission. All of this makes a lot of sense.
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