I have a 76 F250 with 360/C6. When I got home the other night, it wouldnt come out of drive. I can shift the tranny at the shift lever, and I can shift it at the steering column right behind the power brakes, but the shift lever inside doesnt move. Conversely, if I move the lever nothing happens in front of the forewall... The problem is definately in the steering column. First question; is removing the steering wheel the correct way to get in to see if maybe the lever inside has somehow come off? And the second question is, where is the electrical tie-in to the ignition? I cant start it as it doesnt think its in park. If I could get it started, I could at least shift it from the hood and park it away from the road to work on it...

 

I have a 76 F100 that I had removed the column 3 sp and replaced with a power steering automatic column. I guess I also replaced the 3sp with a C6. Anyway the first column I got worked for a few months and then the shifter guts broke inside the column. It looked like "pot metal casting" had cracked and broke. I just went to the wrecking yard and got another one. Look at the base of your column (inside the cab by your pedals) and you should find two wiring harnesses. The big one has a curved connecter that mates the turn signals,horn,cruise control (if you have) and 4way flashers. There should be a smaller one that has 4 leads. This is the neutral safety switch. Two of these leads conect to power the back up lights when you are in reverse, and the other two are a break in the ignition that are connected when the lever is Park or Neutral. If you disconnect the switch from the column and then patch a connection between the two leads that are the interruption of the ignition, then you should be able to start the truck. Of coarse it will be able to start when in gear this is done so make sure you aren't in gear. The replacement of the column is fairly easy. BTW, I have a 69 I bought recently with a shot turn signal mechanism. I was able to buy new turn signal guts that were surprisingly easy to install and feel like new.

 

Don, since you cant get it out of drive, you can't reset the safety switch. Try 2 things, unplug the wiring clip on the column near the floor, this will disingauge the safety switch and see if it will turn over, or place the transmission in park from underneigh. To get going set the parking brake, or get someone to hold the brakes on and shift it into drive from down under.

I don't want to alarm the cautous owners, but the netural safty switch is just that. If you are aware that your truck can start in gear, it wont hurt anything to do so. Neither of my trucks has this feature.

To fix the problem, start by pulling the steering wheel, my guess is that you need a new collar cuff, where the selector lever connects to the column at the top. About $25.00 bucks. I purchased one from Carolina Classics about 5 mo. ago. I was three hours away from home when mine broke. I installed a 76 column in my 66 and is has no safety switch. I put the truck in drive, from under the truck, started it, stopped and got gas, and drove it home. Just don't go anywhere that you need to backup.

Sorry for the long post.

John

66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.

 

Gee, I got lucky. I was right outside the driveway when mine broke. I can get it into drive or reverse, from underneath or behind the firewall. I'll disconnect the harness and move it, thanks. So I am on the right track. Where did you say you got the parts from? I have a hard time finding parts sometimes.

Speaking of which, is there a good mail order house?

 

Don If it will crank by putting it in park from below, I think will make the collar more suspect.

Carolina Classics in Durham NC, 800-598-4211. Tell them you got their number from the net. I am trying to talk Rick into putting up a site for their catalog.

John

66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.

 

I had the same thing happen to my truck.

What I did to start my truck is I reached down to the neutral saftey switch and moved the switch so the truck thought it was in park or neutral and then it started, and I moved it so I could fix it.

I found a steering column at a wrecking yard for 10 bucks. (Had to take it out myself, In the rain crawling around in a truck full of scrap metal)

When I took the old column apart I found the problem. I had the same problem with the cast aluminum collar thingy that goes on the inner shaft (note the high tech name). So I needed a new one of these. I hoped that I could just change this piece but it turns out that a tab that is on the shifter shaft broke off as well. (The one that hooks in the groove of the collar to turn the inside shifter assembly)

The new column didn't have a wiring harness (already scavenged) so I had to use my old harness) It isn't pretty but it works mahvelous


So I took the whole column out and rewired everything up and so far it works great.

need any more info
stoney1977@mailcity.com

 

OK. If I have to take the whole column out and replace it... Gee, I could have tilt wheel, or telescoping tilt with an aircraft wheel on it... Maybe I could add wiper control, cruise control, and remote flashing cargo light...

Seriously, what are the options? Will any Ford column fit or only certain years? Is it easy to put a tilt wheel in?

I'll check that parts house, thanks!

 

my `casting ` broke inside the steering column about a year ago. 1972 vintage. I got the part from the local ford dealer. Thank God he had one in stock! 25.00 There are two types One for Automatics (with the pointer) and without.
It was a Pain in the a-- to install it But it went in OK..


_JOHN__Õ¿ö
72 F-250

 

The most recent column I got for my 76 had cruise control. Control buttons in the steering wheel and wiring in the harness. I would think that 73-79 would be a safe bet, 80 and up is completely different. I don't know for sure, but earlier than 73 may work as well although the wheel might look more 60ish. Of coarse that's what Grant wheels are for. I think that 79 might have had a tilt option but I'm not curtain about that. Be aware that power steering columns are shorter than non power steering. Putting a non power steering column on power steering may allow you to steer with your chin. Of course theres always creative cutting and welding.

 

 

>my `casting ` broke inside the
>steering column about a year
>ago. 1972 vintage. I got
>the part from the local
>ford dealer. Thank God he
>had one in stock! 25.00
> There are two types
>One for Automatics (with the
>pointer) and without.
>It was a Pain in the
>a-- to install it But
>it went in OK..
>
>
>_JOHN__Õ¿ö
>72 F-250

I had the same problem on my 1977 F250 with auto transmission. And yes it's a pain. I also got my part from local Ford dealer. Had quotes of $26 to $31 for part number D3TA-7228-AWB (my old number). The box was marked D5TZ-7228-A, but the part was marked D3TA-7228-AWC. It appears several cross references will work. My invoice called it a SOCKET 179; parts guy called it a shift collar.

Hope this helps someone. Don

 

Don if he hasn't fixed that problem since Dec of 99 he aint gonna do it. There is enough fresh stuff coming in that we don't have to dig in the old posts for thing s to do.

John
jowilker
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66F100s Rule
In the cool still quite of night you can hear chevies rusting away.