I decided to write this repair procedure, because I had a tough time finding a good write-up online.

Problem: I bought an older 2000 F150, knowing there were some issues. One of which is that the 4 wheel drive shifter was frozen. I don't know when it was last used, but the guy selling it says it worked before (The truck was a steal, so I took the risk).

Repair Steps:

Inside the Cab:
1) Identify that the floor shifter is stuck. Try spraying it for a few days, and rock it back and forth trying to free it. If it works, you're done... this step didn't work for me.
2) Remove the floor shifter **** from inside the cab. It is Glued on, use a big pair of pliers, a few rags, and rock it/pull up.
3) Remove the shifter boot/trim. You make have to remove a clip on the shifter shaft, I broke mine off with a pair of pliers.
4) Note: There's a secondary boot (mine was white) under the shifter boot. I had to put a small slice in it to get the shifter out/in. Your mileage may vary.

Under The Truck:
1) Remove the front 4 drive shaft bolts (these were a 12mm, 12 point wrench). I had to use a propane torch to heat these up, then they came right off.
2)Disconnect the shaft from the front axle and slide it out of the way. You may need a big hammer to break it free.
3) Using a light you can look up and find the floor shifter. Using a pry bar or other flat edge, pop the linkage from the floor shifter to the transfer case. (a little WD-40 may help this slide off).
4) Looking up you'll see (3) bolts. The 2 lower ones with the Torx head in the center are the ones you want to take off. These are 21mm hex head / some torx head size. I took one off with a box wrench, the other with a socket.
5) Slide the Shifter out. I had to maneuver the drive shaft and a heat shield a bit, but it mostly slid right out.

Repairing the Shifter:
1) Your shifter is probably bound up on the large bolt... mine was. The spring may feel stiff... but as long as the shifter moves side to side, it's probably good.
2) Start by Removing the large bolt's nut. I used light heat and my 1/2" impact gun. It Came off hard, but the heat helped quite a bit.
3) With the nut off flip it over and start working the big bolt with the impact gun, back and forth. I used a little heat to help break it free, then used the impact gun until it spun free. A plate should have fallen off the shifter assembly by now (see below picture). If it hasn't, give it a good whack with a hammer.
4) thread the nut back onto the bolt, grab a big hammer and pound the bolt out. Unthread the nut and finish pounding the bolt through.
5) Note the bushings that fall out and how rusty the bolt is.
6) Clean the bolt, bore and plate up with some sand paper.
7) Grease Everything heavily and reassemble. Note: I tried to reuse the bushings, but they cracked and fell apart... so I greased it some more and reassembled.

Re-installation is reverse of removal.

My floor shifter is as smooth as butter now.

Shifter apart, ready for grease:


Shifter Greased up, ready for reassembly:

 

My shifter only moves about an inch and a half. Is that normal?

 

When mine was seized it would only move about a 1/2" left/right and up/down. When you actually use it, the shifter **** should move significantly more that a 1/2" and you should feel it rowing throw the gears.

 

Cold Weather Bump. This is still shifting like a hot knife through butter.

 

Cool thanks, my shifter is as stiff as a frozen shadow. A 12" pipe helps. I'll need to do this when the weather allows.