Hello,

I own a 1970 F250 camper special, fe360 , c6, automatic transmission.

I went to work in my truck today. Leaving work the selector lever was not catching and is loose. You can hear the small chunk of metal that broke off rolling around inside when I move the selector lever...The truck is stuck in park. I didnt have any tools in the truck...

I got a ride home and am now going through my manuals on the shifter.

Is there a way to move the shift rod/shift lever into drive by hand?

My first thought was going to work tomorrow with my tools, taking the steering wheel off and hoping I can get it into drive once behind the steering wheel.

I'm hoping someone on the forums might have a more knowledgable solution or any advice on what the best thing is in this case.

Thank you,
John

 

Welcome to the Forum! I'm not sure how your tranny linkage is hooked up to the steering column, but you should be able to disconnect the linkage either inside of the engine compartment or under the truck on the driver's side of the tranny. It maybe held on by a cotter pin or a spring clip. Before you unhook anything-Take A Picture or note where the Park position is. Then if you're going to drive it home, FIRST apply the Parking Brake! OR have a helper hold the brakes on. Then move the linkage into park. Start the truck. Next (If no helper is around, I would use a wire, or coat hanger, and) move the linkage into Drive. Then head to the house.

 

C4/C6: Located at the bottom of the steering column under the hood is the remote control selector lever.

The shift rod attaches to this then to the shift arm on the side of the trans case using a snap-in nylon bushing on each end.

The bushings crack apart, the shift lever flops around. The bushings are available from Ford.

OP says the "selector lever" was not catching and is loose. OP says a chunk of metal broke loose and it can be heard rattling around. This makes absolutely no sense at all.

There's nothing inside the cab that's related, I don't know of a single part of the linkage that could break, then hear a piece of it rattling.

 

Thank you, GaryKip and NumberDummy for responding.

To make what I think the problem is more clear.
I believe it is the Shift Collar that is the problem:


I had to replace this part before, not nearly as bad then (I was still able to get it into drive despite being loose). Previously the selector lever would very easily slip out of drive or park into another gear. You can see where the metal broke last time.



I believe this same thing happened again only much worse as I can't get it out of park using the selector lever.

NumberDummy, I believe that is the metal I hear rolling around inside the shift collar.

John

 

Typical problem that also affects the 3 M/T collar. The internal bridge, made as part of the collar, connects it to the shift tube. Bridge begins to crack, eventually breaks off.

Now the shift lever is worthless, as the collar is no longer connected to the shift tube.

A/T collar is the same: 1965/77 F100/350 & 1973/77 Bronco, but...

The original 1965/72 collar had the shift dial indicator pointer made as part of it. 1973/77 collar has a slot in it for the separate plastic shift dial pointer.

1965/72 collar replaced by Ford with the 1973/77 collar (D5TZ-7228-A) that includes the pointer (D3TZ-7A110-A).

See upper left in pic:

 

It would seem my truck is a constant life lesson for me and apparently I regularly need to be reminded that I need to slow down and not make assumptions.

Arriving today and popping the hood, sure enough what is right in my face?...nicely silhouetted against the white cement floor of the parking structure?... a very obvious in my face shift rod clearly disconnected from the transmission lever...feeling pretty pathetic right about now and also like I need to laugh at myself.

2 seconds of connecting it back to the trans lever and sure enough it's as simple as that.

In my haste last night I was so frustrated I just made an assumption that the same part that broke before broke again. Stewed all night, woke up annoyed... I gotta lighten up haha.

Unsure of how or why it separated after parking but I was able to drive it home and then get back to work. Will be doing further investigation after the work day is over.

Thank you both for your help. Especially NumberDummy for your full breakdown in your second post. I'm going to look over both of your posts more when I get home.

As for what the metal sound I heard was? I don't know, maybe the shift collar will get there soon haha.

John