Excursion gear selector swap
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Excursion gear selector swap
Hey guys I have a 2001 Ford Excursion with the 5.4 and auto trans. I don't know for sure what specific tranny is in it but I do know what I want to do. I really like the pistol grip style shifters that a 2004 ish F-150 has and I wanted to make that conversion in my Excursion. Is it possible? Are the trannys the same to where I can switch out the gear selectors? And also how would I even do it? Any help?!?! Thanks guys!
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2012
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From: Salem, VA
Yes, and it's easy mechanically. The real issue is making a console and mounting it all. I tried to do it awhile back, and even found a console with shifter from a expedition IIRC but got sidetracked by tons of other things. It all swaps out on the s-10 blazers, I've done a few on it, you just need the cables, shifter, and console 
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Thanks man! I was thinking that I could use a console and shifter from an F-150 from around the same year. Do you think that the cables from the f-150 would work with my tranny? I think it would be awesome in my Excursion!
Excursion Fleet Manager
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Green Oak, MI
An '01 F-150 will have the same column shifter that you have now. As Apocalypse said, using an '04-'07 floor shifter housing won't line up with anything in your Excursion- the dash won't line up, you'd have to make an F-150 center console work too.
It might be easier to swap the entire dash and components from a 2011+ Super Duty, but then your cluster and HVAC wouldn't fit.
Like I said, it's doable, just it'll take a lot of custom fabrication with fiberglass and paint.
It might be easier to swap the entire dash and components from a 2011+ Super Duty, but then your cluster and HVAC wouldn't fit.
Like I said, it's doable, just it'll take a lot of custom fabrication with fiberglass and paint.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2012
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From: Salem, VA
It's the length that's the issue on the cables that throws this whole thing off. On the chevys the thing is they swapped the shifter halfway through the 10 years or so but they both had the mounts in both places. I just went to the junkyard on an "all you can carry for $50" and in addition to everything else I went for I got the console, shifter, column cover and cables from a newer blazer. All I have to do is remove the old and install the new as if I'm replacing it. Easy peasy.
For you the issue is first the console. Find one what looks right, fits well, and is what you want (This is kind of a one shot deal). Then you need to get a complete shifter assembly and make some custom mounts that will be better than OEM and get it mounted and operating right. After all that is said and done the real fun starts... You will need to plan the route for the new shifter cable. Then measure how long the cable will need to be. Plan out the end links to said cables and make sure you can get one that has the correct ends. Lastly mount everything and make sure it shifts (in the console) through all the gears correctly and nothing hangs up. After that make sure to do a full how-to so I can do it too
For you the issue is first the console. Find one what looks right, fits well, and is what you want (This is kind of a one shot deal). Then you need to get a complete shifter assembly and make some custom mounts that will be better than OEM and get it mounted and operating right. After all that is said and done the real fun starts... You will need to plan the route for the new shifter cable. Then measure how long the cable will need to be. Plan out the end links to said cables and make sure you can get one that has the correct ends. Lastly mount everything and make sure it shifts (in the console) through all the gears correctly and nothing hangs up. After that make sure to do a full how-to so I can do it too
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I was thinking maybe fabricating my own console and using the parts such as the shifter from an 04-07. And like you said Apocalypse, fabing my own custom mounts. Doing a complete swap for a newer style dash ('11 and up) sounds great but I don't think it would all fit in properly. I love the look of the newer style dashes and gauges clusters but is it compatible? I have my work cut out for ne either way for sure! I'm new to modifications on this high of a level, messin around with the shift linkage and all. I've looked and found very few how to's but the ones I did find were all same model year trucks so it wasnt very helpful for my case. Also would the prog set up on the plug in for the electronics be different? I'm gonna look around at some salvage yards and try to find the parts I'm lookin for, hopefully its not a bank buster haha. I don't quite understand the whole shift linkage modification part of this ordeal. Would I be modifying a cable? Orrrr? So far yall have helped a lot! Greatly appreciated! If I figure out anything on my own ill be sure to post it with pics too!
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2012
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From: Salem, VA
Ok, as far as I know (and search on this because I'm not 100%) the newer style dashes bolt right in. They are a little costly but man do they look good! The linkage isn't a huge huge deal, but it's important that it work smoothly and fit correctly. It's all mechanical so no worries on electronics Any ideas what exact shifter you might go with? In the summer if I can find a good junkyard around here that does an all you can carry or that is reasonable on pricing I might do one along with you. Just depends on what's available locally.
Any ideas what exact shifter you might go with? In the summer if I can find a good junkyard around here that does an all you can carry or that is reasonable on pricing I might do one along with you. Just depends on what's available locally.
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Hopefully it does just bolt right in! That'd look awesome! I'm sure I could figure out the linkage eventually haha but like ypu said as long as it functions good like its supposed to. And I was wanting just the stock pistol grip shifter from an f-150 around the same year. I think it would be the easier one to go with! But yeah man, if you did one too that'd be great! We'd have some pretty sweet rides
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