shifter HELP
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shifter HELP
i have an 87 f150 with a 351w and a c6 auto tranny (on the column), ok for the story and the question.
i was pushing another pickup backwards up a hill when i made it halfway up the hill i stopped and put my truck in park, i got out and put the other truck in park and when i got back in and tried to move my truck it would not shift out of park.
my dad got under the truck and disconected something and now it is in reverse but the shifter is still stuck. is there something i can do or do i need to change out the steering column or maybe the shift linkage. i went out today and drove it around the yard in reverse just to run it for a few since it has been 2 or 3 months since this happened, it backed up with no problems and the tranny seems fine it is just stuck in park.
any answers will be greatly appreciated i need to get er back on the road
thank you
i was pushing another pickup backwards up a hill when i made it halfway up the hill i stopped and put my truck in park, i got out and put the other truck in park and when i got back in and tried to move my truck it would not shift out of park.
my dad got under the truck and disconected something and now it is in reverse but the shifter is still stuck. is there something i can do or do i need to change out the steering column or maybe the shift linkage. i went out today and drove it around the yard in reverse just to run it for a few since it has been 2 or 3 months since this happened, it backed up with no problems and the tranny seems fine it is just stuck in park.
any answers will be greatly appreciated i need to get er back on the road
thank you
Logistics Pro
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From: penn twp.
The reason I asked id because your truck has a shift lock that engages when in park. And the only way to get the truck outta park is to press the brakes. However if the switch is bad or a wire comes out of the switch or if the fuse for the switch blows you won't be able to get the truck out of park. So I'd start there. Keep in mind that this a common prob. on the '97-'03 trucks.
i ain't rite
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
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Logistics Pro
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From: penn twp.
the switch also controls the brake lights and is known as a BOO or brake on/off switch and is located at the top of the pedal arm
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From: penn twp.
yeah it does since it was federal mandate in the early 80'sfor the manufacturers to make it impossible to shift the vehicle from park with out the key and pressing the brake as a safety feature
i ain't rite
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
87 does not have a brake interlock. you do not need to step on the brake to shift. all you need to do is move the shifter. the only thing steping on the brake does in a 87 is keep the truck from driving through the garage wall.
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Tjc is right, these trucks do NOT have a shift lock, unless the key is in the off position. If federal law mandated this in the early 80's then how come my dad's 97 Dodge doesn't have the shift lock feature? Same with my buddies 95 Dodge with the cummins. Research this before you think you are sure about what you're talking about.
Ford put this shift lock feature on their automatics in 1992 with the updated exterior design and interior design. It has been used ever since then on their automatic trucks.
As far as the original posters problem, I've seen this happen before. Next time you park it on a hill and you're facing down it, set the parking brake (If it works.) I've seen multiple situations where people couldn't get them out of park on a hill and just pull down on the shifter as hard as they can, and they brake the park mechanism inside the tranny.
I agree that you should have someone hook onto the back of your truck, and take the pressure off the park mechanism.
Ford put this shift lock feature on their automatics in 1992 with the updated exterior design and interior design. It has been used ever since then on their automatic trucks.
As far as the original posters problem, I've seen this happen before. Next time you park it on a hill and you're facing down it, set the parking brake (If it works.) I've seen multiple situations where people couldn't get them out of park on a hill and just pull down on the shifter as hard as they can, and they brake the park mechanism inside the tranny.
I agree that you should have someone hook onto the back of your truck, and take the pressure off the park mechanism.
Last edited by handyman43358; Jan 14, 2006 at 08:40 AM.
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The chances of you pulling down hard enough on the shifter on the coloumn inside the truck and breaking the tip off the parking pawl in the back end of the tranny is slim. You would have to get a lot of torque through the coloumn linkage, and then through the shift arm on the tranny, and then through the inner rod that applies the pawl.
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i had someone pull me forward and it didnt work i also had some friends push me by hand backwards while trying to shift
there seems to be som argument as to if it has the lock or not so can anyone give me a straight answer and a solution
thanks
there seems to be som argument as to if it has the lock or not so can anyone give me a straight answer and a solution
thanks
Postmaster
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From: West Mansfield, Ohio
There is no more arguement regarding the shift lock..... It does NOT have it. I have worked on hundreds of trucks from the mid 80's through the mid 90's. Any Ford truck that was pre 1992, did NOT have a shift lock.
Pre 1980 Ford trucks did not have a locking shifter or wheel because the key was in the dash instead of the column. In 1980 with the new redesign, they put the key in the column which allowed for it to lock the column and shifter when the key was in the off position. In 1992 Ford introduced the shift lock feature with their new interior redesign. It takes two things to trigger that switch: The key to be in the "run" position, and the brake to be depressed.
Now lets go back here. You have an 87. It still used the old style that was introduced in 1980, where when the key was off, the steering wheel was locked, and the shifter was locked. Obviously if you can get the key on, everything is unlocked. Might want to turn the wheel a little each way to make sure everything is unlocking.
Hope you now understand that there is no more arguement and there is NO shift lock on your truck associated with the brake pedal.
Pre 1980 Ford trucks did not have a locking shifter or wheel because the key was in the dash instead of the column. In 1980 with the new redesign, they put the key in the column which allowed for it to lock the column and shifter when the key was in the off position. In 1992 Ford introduced the shift lock feature with their new interior redesign. It takes two things to trigger that switch: The key to be in the "run" position, and the brake to be depressed.
Now lets go back here. You have an 87. It still used the old style that was introduced in 1980, where when the key was off, the steering wheel was locked, and the shifter was locked. Obviously if you can get the key on, everything is unlocked. Might want to turn the wheel a little each way to make sure everything is unlocking.
Hope you now understand that there is no more arguement and there is NO shift lock on your truck associated with the brake pedal.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
since it is in reverse, and you said you drove it around the yard in reverse, i assume that you can start and steer it, just not move the shifter. correct??
if this is the case, then try disconnecting the shift lever at the bottom of the column. if it moves, then you know the problem is in the linkage . it it still will not move, then the problem is in the column.
if this is the case, then try disconnecting the shift lever at the bottom of the column. if it moves, then you know the problem is in the linkage . it it still will not move, then the problem is in the column.