Hello,
New to the site and looking for help.
Have a 1968 F100 Ranger 2wd automatic transmission power steering . 360 V8 and looks like a C6 but door tag just shows automatic.
The steering column has been replaced with what appears to be a factory Ford column, but not sure which year, been reading here to try and identify.
The trouble is that when the gear selector is locked in Park, the transmission is not quite in park yet. Forcing selector farther will lock Park in the transmission BUT then column has passed beyond detent plate.
Removing the rod at the base of the column lever and moving the range selector feels normal. Locking detent at park, and a detent
at the Drive position. This seems to match the detent plate screwed to the column housing.
At the transmission the shift lever definitely detents into the proper range, locks into each gear and Park properly. It seems that the ratio between the column lever and the transmission are not in sync. I can adjust the shift rod to allow park, but then the detents don’t match through the rest of the range. Am I imagining this problem because I know the column is from a different truck??
The column in the truck has a removable gear indicator ( not cast with shift bowl) does that help identify the year of the column?
Thanks for any help.

 

Might be a Dent column 73-79. Does it have a switch for the flashers on it?

 

Also is your neutral safety switch on the column or on the transmission? A lot of times transmissions are swapped in with no thought to which manual lever is in them if it is the wrong one it always results in a mismatch between the trans detents and the column. The manual lever should be pretty close to parallel with the bottom of the pan in park. A couple of pictures would help but you may have to make a few more posts before the site will let you do that.

 

Thanks Crop Duster,
Replacement column NO emergency switch
Yes Neutral switch on column.
Unrestored original truck that appears to have all original chassis and drivetrain parts by the numbers I have located.
Column for sure is from a different truck. I’ll get under it for some photos and check the trans lever position while in Park.
Should both ends of the shift linkage rod have bushings in 1968? The lever at the column has the hole with a bushing but the transmission lever is metal on rod, not sloppy. This makes me wonder about the trans lever as being original or not as you point out.
Maybe I’m too focused on the column because I am not sure of original application.
But you definitely know what I’m talking about with incorrect ratio.

 

Rich2659,
Thank you also, fun to learn the differences. Did the dent truck get hazard flasher on column?
I was in a 1976 yesterday and didn’t pay attention

 

If you have a C6 and it's the original or from a truck the manual lever should look a lot like this one. I have never seen one that didn't have a bushing. That could be your problem.

 

Thank you, I will compare later today.
Our truck had an “E” clip retaining shift rod to trans lever, hole in lever is way too small for a bushing.
maybe we’re on to something.

 

With the shift rod disconnected at the base of the column can you feel slop on that lever which would mean the tube is worn where the lever is keyed to the tube. Are the body mounts in good condition?

 

Thanks Kenny,
Body mounts look good, the column lever has no slop.
Looked at my C6 manual valve lever, definitely different than the photo provided by Crop Duster.
Now looking to see if the transmission is original to the truck. I think the manual valve lever is longer from
the centerline of the shaft to the hole that the shift rod fits into. And is not parallel to
the trans pan when in Park.
I appreciate all the responses.
Wayne

 

The manual lever in the picture is around 3 3/8 inches from the center of the kickdown bolt to the center of the shift rod hole. If you have the wrong manual lever and need to change it. I have used E0TP-CA levers from 1980's trucks, they were also used in forklifts. They are still available new. But they have to be heated and bent up about 15 degrees to be parallel with the pan in order to work with the column shifters in our trucks.

 

Crop Duster,
Is the lever in your photo the correct one for our truck,part number wise?
I will go back and re measure using your location points. But ours is shaped differently and uses no bushing. Different C6 probably.
Are the cases date coded or VIN stamped?
Thank you.

 

You have confirmed that it is definitely a C6 right? 17 bolt oil pan, integral bellhousing etc. That manual lever is from a 73 but it will work. Look at the servo cover on the right side of the trans and see if it still has a tag on it. If it does it will have a date code on it. This is a C6 from a 1988 F150. Yours may have a different tail housing.

 

Yes, looks like a C6 to me, I’ll check the servo area.
Appreciate your time and help.
Wayne

 

You can add length to the shift arm on either column or trans to alter ratio and make what you have work. bolt on an extension or drill a hole closer to pivot on other side.
I went through similar to get detents to line up on 78/79 4x4 trans to work with 72 auto column.

 

Thank you for the help on this linkage problem, I did find an original C6 shift lever and new bushings.
I will report back after my installation.
Wayne