gear selector lever- nothin'!
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: oakland ca
gear selector lever- nothin'!
the truck: 69 F-100, auto, 360, power steering.
the problem: In short- The gear selector lever on the steering column does not change the gears (from inside the cab).
From the engine side of the firewall- the shift lever arm (coming out of the steering column shaft), shift rod and transmission lever arm are all intact. From above the engine- I can reach down under the brake booster and MC and can shift the transmission from Park, R, N, D, 2 & 1 no problem. So... moving the gear selector from inside the cab does not move te shift lever arm from the engine side.
If I've made sense describing this hopefully you understand that the selector lever from inside the cab is useless. Total play within the range of motion from Park to 1st. Under the dash when I stick my hand down by the neutral start switch (NSS) I can feel the little post that interacts with the NSS. The post moves when the gear selector lever moves. So I know that the motion needed to move the shift lever on the other side of the firewall is getting at least as far as the NNS.
An additional comment: One odd thing I did notice is that the post and NSS post don't actually touch (the are at 90º to each other). The post coming out of the steering column (attached to the gear selector arm) is approximately 1inch "higher" (towards the driver) than the NSS post.
You should also know, the NSS is broken and I had previously by-passed it with a push button for starting and a flip switch to control the reverse light.
Please help. Thanks
Jerry
the problem: In short- The gear selector lever on the steering column does not change the gears (from inside the cab).
From the engine side of the firewall- the shift lever arm (coming out of the steering column shaft), shift rod and transmission lever arm are all intact. From above the engine- I can reach down under the brake booster and MC and can shift the transmission from Park, R, N, D, 2 & 1 no problem. So... moving the gear selector from inside the cab does not move te shift lever arm from the engine side.
If I've made sense describing this hopefully you understand that the selector lever from inside the cab is useless. Total play within the range of motion from Park to 1st. Under the dash when I stick my hand down by the neutral start switch (NSS) I can feel the little post that interacts with the NSS. The post moves when the gear selector lever moves. So I know that the motion needed to move the shift lever on the other side of the firewall is getting at least as far as the NNS.
An additional comment: One odd thing I did notice is that the post and NSS post don't actually touch (the are at 90º to each other). The post coming out of the steering column (attached to the gear selector arm) is approximately 1inch "higher" (towards the driver) than the NSS post.
You should also know, the NSS is broken and I had previously by-passed it with a push button for starting and a flip switch to control the reverse light.
Please help. Thanks
Jerry
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
So from what you have described, you can make the column linage work from outside the cab, but the handle on column will not work anything, including NSS?
Seems it's broke inside the column. Have you removed the wheel and checked the rod from the shifter collar. I can't from memory say what hooks to what, but seems that it's is not hooked up anymore.
Seems something broke somehow. Can't be too bad to fix, once you get it apart. I'd start with taking the wheel off and see what's what up top.
Larry
Seems it's broke inside the column. Have you removed the wheel and checked the rod from the shifter collar. I can't from memory say what hooks to what, but seems that it's is not hooked up anymore.
Seems something broke somehow. Can't be too bad to fix, once you get it apart. I'd start with taking the wheel off and see what's what up top.
Larry
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 253
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From: topeka
Yes, you made sense in your desricption.
From above the engine- I can reach down under the brake booster and MC and can shift the transmission from Park, R, N, D, 2 & 1 no problem. this means the tranny is actually engaging in R or D, right?
On the surface of it sounds like you broke the bottom end of the shift tube. They are doable if you can find the replacement parts. the hardest part for me was figuring out how the turn signal wires come out of the plug. (little screwdriver releases the tabs)
But replacing the column would be quicker.
One odd thing I did notice is that the post and NSS post don't actually touch (the are at 90º to each other). The post coming out of the steering column (attached to the gear selector arm) is approximately 1inch "higher" (towards the driver) than the NSS post Now this part - is there also a gap between the steering wheel and what's just below it. Should be the same one inch. (I'm guessing). That means your rag joint is gone too. The main steering rod is drifting up and out. Do your turn signals work? The tab inside won't be touching.
I looked at your gallery, hoped to get a side view so i could see the line of the door and fender. Is it wider at the bottom than at the top? Your not in the salt belt but you are by the sea. Don't know how badly that will promote rust. What i'm getting at is, if your cab mounts are gone the cab will settle down onto the steering column. the rag joint goes, the steering wheel drifts up, the bearings and bushings in the column go out,and start to wear out the shaft itself. Next it eats up the seals in your steering box. If it was a manual steering it would be hell to steer.
If you pull the column make sure you have the wheels blocked extremely well becuase you won't have steering or..............make sure the tranny itself is in park, that the parking pall is engaged (or the emergency brake is working)
After all that i see this thread is over 2 months old. Yikes! Oh well.
From above the engine- I can reach down under the brake booster and MC and can shift the transmission from Park, R, N, D, 2 & 1 no problem. this means the tranny is actually engaging in R or D, right?
On the surface of it sounds like you broke the bottom end of the shift tube. They are doable if you can find the replacement parts. the hardest part for me was figuring out how the turn signal wires come out of the plug. (little screwdriver releases the tabs)
But replacing the column would be quicker.
One odd thing I did notice is that the post and NSS post don't actually touch (the are at 90º to each other). The post coming out of the steering column (attached to the gear selector arm) is approximately 1inch "higher" (towards the driver) than the NSS post Now this part - is there also a gap between the steering wheel and what's just below it. Should be the same one inch. (I'm guessing). That means your rag joint is gone too. The main steering rod is drifting up and out. Do your turn signals work? The tab inside won't be touching.
I looked at your gallery, hoped to get a side view so i could see the line of the door and fender. Is it wider at the bottom than at the top? Your not in the salt belt but you are by the sea. Don't know how badly that will promote rust. What i'm getting at is, if your cab mounts are gone the cab will settle down onto the steering column. the rag joint goes, the steering wheel drifts up, the bearings and bushings in the column go out,and start to wear out the shaft itself. Next it eats up the seals in your steering box. If it was a manual steering it would be hell to steer.
If you pull the column make sure you have the wheels blocked extremely well becuase you won't have steering or..............make sure the tranny itself is in park, that the parking pall is engaged (or the emergency brake is working)
After all that i see this thread is over 2 months old. Yikes! Oh well.
Last edited by shaggymane; May 10, 2004 at 02:10 AM. Reason: poster didn't check date of origanal post
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Joined: Sep 2003
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The shift tube has 2 square pads spot welded to the side of it. They are what the collar holds against when shifting (and the lever at the bottom). They break off all the time. I tear apart the column, drill 2 holes 1/4 dia. in the pad and re spot weld it on. Problem is solved for the price of a little spot weld and the time to take it apart. Good luck
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