Loose 4 speed Shifter
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Loose 4 speed Shifter
i have an 1986 F350 rollback truck with a replacement 7.3 and original gearbox. The shifter was always very loose. It had 4-5 or more inches of play. Well today finally as I pulled into the yard. The shiftlever broke loose. Luckily I was able to get it into 1st and then reverse to park the truck. The level now rotates around. I've done some research and it's probably some pins but does anyone have a picture or some visual aid to show me what i need to fix this and can I get to it from beyond the shift boot. Thanks in advance
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,264
Likes: 7
had this happen in my 71.
its either the pin, or the shifter itself.
in my case the shifter "bulb" was ate up,
remove the boot, and with a large pair of channel locks, the top of the shifter will
unscrew from the top of the shifter housing.
wont really know exactly whats going on without pulling it
this style of shifter has been used for a long time.
good luck
its either the pin, or the shifter itself.
in my case the shifter "bulb" was ate up,
remove the boot, and with a large pair of channel locks, the top of the shifter will
unscrew from the top of the shifter housing.
wont really know exactly whats going on without pulling it
this style of shifter has been used for a long time.
good luck
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,519
Likes: 224
From: Nevada
I had this same problem back in the late 70`s with my 67 1 1/2 ton international Harvester. (still have that truck)
Like you, had a lot of slop, then one day the shifter just spun around.
If my IHC and the Ford trans is the same, there is a bell shaped piece that slides over the shifter, and screws onto the neck of the transmission.
The neck is threaded, there is a small hole drilled through the side with a pin that fits into a slot in the shift lever.
If the pin wears enough, it will break.
In my case the pin broke, but a piece of the threaded part broke off too.
I had to buy a new top cover for the transmission from IHC. Then swap over the Shift Rails and Shift Forks.
Those poppet ***** and Springs were fun to get back in.
I was driving a 67 F-600 on time, and the whole shifter came right out of the transmission. Went to 3rd, and out she came.
On that 4-spd, Ford used a Bell piece that was stamped out piece of sheet metal. There is a hooked ear on each side that hook under a pin on each side of the neck. One side broke and the stress snapped off the other hook.
Mechanic came with a new Bell piece and were back to work.
Charlie
Like you, had a lot of slop, then one day the shifter just spun around.
If my IHC and the Ford trans is the same, there is a bell shaped piece that slides over the shifter, and screws onto the neck of the transmission.
The neck is threaded, there is a small hole drilled through the side with a pin that fits into a slot in the shift lever.
If the pin wears enough, it will break.
In my case the pin broke, but a piece of the threaded part broke off too.
I had to buy a new top cover for the transmission from IHC. Then swap over the Shift Rails and Shift Forks.
Those poppet ***** and Springs were fun to get back in.
I was driving a 67 F-600 on time, and the whole shifter came right out of the transmission. Went to 3rd, and out she came.
On that 4-spd, Ford used a Bell piece that was stamped out piece of sheet metal. There is a hooked ear on each side that hook under a pin on each side of the neck. One side broke and the stress snapped off the other hook.
Mechanic came with a new Bell piece and were back to work.
Charlie
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Thanks guys for your replies. Basically everyone has it right. I used slip joint pliers to take off the bell shaped retainer holding down the shift lever. Underneath was a spring and the outer threaded part that the retainer threads to. On the left side is a home drilled through that indexes with the round collar on the bottom of the shifter lever. Indexing these two things is a metal pin. In my case the pin was so worn down that the shifter rotates freely. I took out the remaining piece of the pin. Since I am pretty sure I have a Borg-Warner T-19 gearbox, the part number for the pin is 7B125 or COTT7B125B. My question is does anyone know the original size of this piece? I may cut up a drill bit or something to replicate it. The reason why I ask is because I lost the remaining piece somewhere on the ground.
[img]webkit-fake-url://2f4aa634-2b80-48ac-a97f-538cef5989d5/imagejpeg[/img]
[img]webkit-fake-url://2f4aa634-2b80-48ac-a97f-538cef5989d5/imagejpeg[/img]
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,519
Likes: 224
From: Nevada
AHHH, time for a magnet. That sucks when you drop that very important piece, been there a few times.
Working under the hood and drop a 8mm socket or small nut, doesn`t hit the ground. Fell in that black hole never to be seen again.
When I was replacing the poppet ***** and Springs into the new trans lid. I was working in the back yard on a work bench. One kept popping out as I was trying to get it in. Finally after several tries, it flew out and over the short fence into the river behind the house.
Had to take another one to a bearing supply house. Guy mics it, mine is 200thou smaller that what they had. Figured 200K on the truck was the difference. Pit it in, worked fine.
When I was installing it this time, I did it in the Kitchen. Had to chase it a few times, but at least I did not loose it.
A drill Bit of the appropriate size should work, but it will be of much harder steel and last longer than the hole it goes into or the slot in the shifter.
No I do not know the size of the pin.
My 86 has some slop, I better look into it before something goes south.
Charlie
Working under the hood and drop a 8mm socket or small nut, doesn`t hit the ground. Fell in that black hole never to be seen again.
When I was replacing the poppet ***** and Springs into the new trans lid. I was working in the back yard on a work bench. One kept popping out as I was trying to get it in. Finally after several tries, it flew out and over the short fence into the river behind the house.
Had to take another one to a bearing supply house. Guy mics it, mine is 200thou smaller that what they had. Figured 200K on the truck was the difference. Pit it in, worked fine.
When I was installing it this time, I did it in the Kitchen. Had to chase it a few times, but at least I did not loose it.
A drill Bit of the appropriate size should work, but it will be of much harder steel and last longer than the hole it goes into or the slot in the shifter.
No I do not know the size of the pin.
My 86 has some slop, I better look into it before something goes south.
Charlie
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,264
Likes: 7
I use hardened pin gauges, but a drill bit will work.
not positive on the size, just take a hand full of bits, find out which one fits best and chop the rest off,
I hope this goes without saying, but use the shank part not the flute parts.
not positive on the size, just take a hand full of bits, find out which one fits best and chop the rest off,
I hope this goes without saying, but use the shank part not the flute parts.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,507
Likes: 5,563
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
i would not use a drill bit. it will be way too hard and wear out the shifter. use a soft steel pin like was in there and the pin will wear.
i had a 65 dodge W300 that had the T18 trans. someone used a drill bit shank to replace the wore out pin and i had to weld the shift handle up after the drill bit wore the grooves out in the shifter. took the grooves from the 3/16 inch they were supposed to be and cut them almost 3/8 wide because the drill bit was harder than the shifter steel.
i had a 65 dodge W300 that had the T18 trans. someone used a drill bit shank to replace the wore out pin and i had to weld the shift handle up after the drill bit wore the grooves out in the shifter. took the grooves from the 3/16 inch they were supposed to be and cut them almost 3/8 wide because the drill bit was harder than the shifter steel.
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 340
Likes: 21
From: Weaverville NC
Hi leasesvc, I have a T-98 in my '65 F100. I had a very sloppy shift pattern. Especially from 2nd to 3rd. If not careful...Id it put in reverse. So, I unscrewed the "cone" off the top of the trans. Pulled the "stick" up and out. The pin that remained was so worn that it had rubbed two flat spots in the round pin.
I had an old phillips screw driver saved. It was the right diameter to go in the hole. I took my 4" grinder and carefully put four flat spots on the screw driver. Being careful the flats were 90 deg. apart. Once that was ready...I had to cut the new pin off. A hach saw blade could not cut it, So I ended up cutting off the "new" pin with the grinding wheel. The lenght of the "new" pin is 5/8" plus 1/32 long. The shift now is tight, way better.
I knew the "new" pin was way "harder" than the original...The slot in the stick can be welded and grinded up like new when that needs to happen. That is years and years away.
Hopes this helps. Pete
I had an old phillips screw driver saved. It was the right diameter to go in the hole. I took my 4" grinder and carefully put four flat spots on the screw driver. Being careful the flats were 90 deg. apart. Once that was ready...I had to cut the new pin off. A hach saw blade could not cut it, So I ended up cutting off the "new" pin with the grinding wheel. The lenght of the "new" pin is 5/8" plus 1/32 long. The shift now is tight, way better.
I knew the "new" pin was way "harder" than the original...The slot in the stick can be welded and grinded up like new when that needs to happen. That is years and years away.
Hopes this helps. Pete
Last edited by peter sipp; Dec 26, 2020 at 06:09 PM. Reason: added needed words
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