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Hello,
I have a 1983 f-150, 300 six, NP435, NP208 4wd. I discovered a difference between my stock shifter and one I found in a junkyard.
I believe the stock shifter is from a 70's era truck because it has a straighter cane with 3 main bends. I put it in my truck and it went into all gears but I wasn't confident to drive around with it due to the visual differences - i put my original 1983 cane back in.
I know there are 2 finger lengths -- 3" and 3.75". Mine are both 3".
My original is on the right -- you can see it has a lower section isolated by a rounded out pin joint, and the junkyard shifter on the left is one solid piece.
Other than that, the ends appear the same shape except the donor looks like it would clear parts better.
Again I believe the left shifter is from a 70's truck. But it goes into the same transmission. It pushes down and twists just like my NP shifter.
Any parts gurus have an answer?
I will have to re-check my NP435 but I also think it has that lower part held on with a roll pin.
IIRC think it is from a 83 truck.
Now it looks like the half ball parts are different between the 2 shifters.
Will the lock part fit over the other shifter ball?
Dave ----
Yes, the half ***** look different in the picture although I didn't notice in person. The lock retainer fits perfectly on the other shifter and will engage correctly in the transmission.
the older lever has less dampening and i could hear some scrapy noises when i waggled it in neutral. After putting the other shifter in i can feel the scrapes but can't hear them.
I would guess the roll pin bit is a feature on later trucks. Maybe it is supposed to shear if you get in a bad accident like the tcase lever does? Maybe it isolates vibration. It is sloppy, i'll tell ya that, it lets my lever spin a few degrees each way.
FWIW, they talk about the tower height as the determining factor for finger length. Unlikely this is an issue for you, but posting just as another reference.
Yes, the half ***** look different in the picture although I didn't notice in person. The lock retainer fits perfectly on the other shifter and will engage correctly in the transmission.
the older lever has less dampening and i could hear some scrapy noises when i waggled it in neutral. After putting the other shifter in i can feel the scrapes but can't hear them.
I would guess the roll pin bit is a feature on later trucks. Maybe it is supposed to shear if you get in a bad accident like the tcase lever does? Maybe it isolates vibration. It is sloppy, i'll tell ya that, it lets my lever spin a few degrees each way.
I figured it would be a little sloppy with the pin as I seen it move around just laying the stick on the bench.
I have not installed the NP435 yet, running a T18 in my truck that does not shift right.
I have not really looked over the transmission since I got it home a few weeks ago so don't know how sloppy the stick is or will be till installed in the truck.
Oh I don't care how the stick is bent as long as it is not sloppy.
Dave ----
I figured it would be a little sloppy with the pin as I seen it move around just laying the stick on the bench.
I have not installed the NP435 yet, running a T18 in my truck that does not shift right.
I have not really looked over the transmission since I got it home a few weeks ago so don't know how sloppy the stick is or will be till installed in the truck.
Oh I don't care how the stick is bent as long as it is not sloppy.
Dave ----
yeah agreed, the bends are whatever for me -- i snagged the other stick because i always thought the earlier trucks shifted more positively and made more of a clack going into gear. The bullnosed are pretty insulated.
My T18 clacks in to the gears when it goes into gear.
I can up shift from 2nd to 3rd no issues but going to 4th some times the gate is not there .
It goes into reverse or you can feel it go back into 2nd but going to fast.
You also cant down shift from 4th to 3rd with out it grinding and that is even double clutching.
Also when I had the top off to reseal I seen think reverse gear was pretty bad teeth wise.
That is why the swap to the NP435
Dave ----
My T18 clacks in to the gears when it goes into gear.
I can up shift from 2nd to 3rd no issues but going to 4th some times the gate is not there .
It goes into reverse or you can feel it go back into 2nd but going to fast.
You also cant down shift from 4th to 3rd with out it grinding and that is even double clutching.
Also when I had the top off to reseal I seen think reverse gear was pretty bad teeth wise.
That is why the swap to the NP435
Dave ----
Sounds like something got messed up in the top piece with the shift rails. Then somebody kept driving it and kept grinding reverse to the point where they damaged the gear teeth.
I don't blame you for switching, honestly the 435 is a very similar transmission. I like the extra-low gearing (1st, 2nd and 3rd are lower than that of a T18) it should do you well with your 2.xx gears.
I will have to re-check my NP435 but I also think it has that lower part held on with a roll pin.
All NP435's use C4TZ-7220-D shift lever retainer cap that has 2 notches and is retained to the shift tower with 2 pins.
T-18/T-19 shift lever retainer cap (8MTH-7220) threads on. Once it's removed, a roll pin is visible within the threads that retains the shift lever in place.
All NP435's use C4TZ-7220-D shift lever retainer cap that has 2 notches and is retained to the shift tower with 2 pins.
T-18/T-19 shift lever retainer cap (8MTH-7220) threads on. Once it's removed, a roll pin is visible within the threads that retains the shift lever in place.
Thank you, good to know all the NP's have the same retainer.
Do you happen to know anything about the one-piece vs. two-piece NP435 canes like in my picture?
I'm sure they are at least a different part number -- but the same finger length.
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