I have a problem with my 69 f-100, the shift handle and the top of the column are awfully loose. under the steering wheel there is two bolts { about a quarter inch, fine thread } that hold absolutly nothing. it's so loose that I have to move the shift handle to get the starter to engage. I put the large spring on then the steering wheel and then the nut. This is the only thing that holds the whole assembly down. Am I missing something? I bought this truck last year and am trying to get this beast on the road.

 

What type of transmission do you have?
Seafire

 

After I posted my last post, I started thinking. It sounds like that you may have a shifter column colar that is broken. Can you take the shifter handle and move it up and down relatively easy?

 

Where exactly are these two bolts, on the back side of the steering wheel itself?

If so, they originally held this: C3DZ-13A823-A .. Horn Brush Plate to the steering wheel.

This plate is slightly smaller in diameter than the inside of the wheel. If the horn works, this plate is there.

There are two more bolts on the bottom of the upper flange that attach the A/T shift gate to the flange. The shift lever has a tit in it, that fits between the gates.

Peeps yank the shift lever out of park, when that happens, the individual gates snap off. Someone could have removed it...or?

If you have to wiggle the shift lever around to get the truck to start, you need a new NSS-neutral safety switch (C7TZ7A247A Motorcraft SW600)

Here's what I believe the problem is.

On the upper flange is a bearing (C3DZ3517A) and plastic retainer (BIAZ3518A).

Both are shot, so the column is loose. These two parts are still available from Ford and are cheap!

It's tough to help you because you cannot see what I'm looking at...the parts catalog illustration of the steering column and all the internal parts. So...

What you really need to do first before doing anything is look at the same parts catalog illustration.

It's here: Illustration Section 35, Page 8 in the 1964/72 FORD TRUCK PARTS CATALOG which is available on a CD from hipoparts.com for $22.00.

btw: If the shift coller itself is broken internally, usually when that happens the lever hangs loose, and flops around.

The shift collar is also still available from Ford ( D5TZ7228A - replaced: C9TZ-7228-A).

 

Thanks for the information, My shift lever is secure to the collar. It's the whole collar that is loose. The bearing seems good and solid. The neutral safety switch is secure and solid to the column. the horn works. It just seems that those two smaller bolts, which are are on this plate should hold something together and they don't. I will try and get this cd and go from there. thanks again

 

Thanks number dummy, I got the CD comming and will try and take it from there.
Just takes time and money.