I have a 81 f100 with a 4spd od, the kind you have to push down and then move the shifter to the far left and forward for reverse. lately my shifter got realy sloppy, the wholes in the shifter shaft that goes into trans were stretched so the shifter would swing from side to side. But to day I went to put it in reverse, and the shifter swung completely around (this is not normal). I was able to lift the shifter off with no problems at all.
It turns out that the shaft that goes to the trans (not the one that is the handle) had split in half. And part of it was still in the handle. It broke about 1/4 to 1/2 inch below the bottom role pin.
luckly I was in the process of backing into my driveway when this happend so I was able to reach through the floor and shift it that way.
Has this ever happened to anyone else before, and what do I do now. The junkyard near me might have this shifter, but I have not been able to get it off. I get the bolts and everything off, but the rod that goes horizantally into the transmission casing does not come lose. Is there some trick to tking this off, or am I just not pulling hard enough, I and afraid to break anything inside the trans.
Please help

 

uhhh...my truck is manual...never been into an auto quite that far...sorry cant help ya

But if you needed to knwo what to do if you pull your stick straight out of your tranny i could help ya there...

 

I believe that the whole tranny has to come apart and somehow it comes out from the inside if I were you I would just swap the tranny for another 4spd OD they are good tranny's no matter what anyone tells you. It will be easier to swap it out then to change that rod and also if that shifter was that sloppy it might be a sign that the rest of the tranny is pretty worn. how many miles?

 

This is the one tranny that I have never had apart, but this did hapen to a friend of mine - the shifter spinning around. I don't know what he did with it.

If you were to unbolt the tranny from the bell housing, it would be very easy to swap it out for a 4 spd OD where the reverse is below where 5th would be. these tranny's are small and light, and fairly easy to move around.

 

Thanks for the help, I have been thinking of changing this trans for a newer 5spd, but that will take alot of money in modifications, I don't have that kind of money right now.

Jebadiah04, this is a manual trans.

serving_time, do you know what the gearing ratio is (on the trans you are talking about) compared to mine, and in what years and models can I find it in. And will it bolt right up or do I have to change the crossmember or driveshaft. And does the trans you are talking about have a straight shifter, or is it bent like mine. And lastly, were is the whole in the floor for thoes transmissions, is it right in middle of the floor pan, or is it like mine and have the hole closer to the bench. I just whant to know if I will have to replace the floor pan.

By the way the on the drivers door for this trans is "B"
Thanks for all your help.

 

oldmansimek
The reason the shifter was sloppy is because the holes for the role pins were stretched. After the shifter broke, I had to reach through the floor and shift it that way so I could park it, and it was nice and solid, all of the slop was in the holes for the role pinns, the ones that hold the shifter handle to the shifter rod. So I dought that there is alot of damage inside it.

 

when my tranny stick slopped out on me it was due to the linkage falling apart, but i took off the top service plat ont eh tranny, through the floor of the truck, and pulled the entire stick assembly out. Then i replaced my linkage. I wound up needing no new parts just put the onces taht fell apart back together. If i remember right, it was easy as hell. But my truck is an 86 with a 4 speed but no OD