I have asked every "car guy" I have been able to get to look at it. And no one has been able to tell me what it is.I believe its a linkage of sorts from the transmission. Not knowing what it is, I dont know what it does...or where it is supposed to go for that matter (it is currently ziptied to the carb, the most I or anyone else could deduce is that that is where it goes considering its the only thing it reaches).




Now, im no mechanic. But im learning as I go and I can figure out how to do anything. The only help I have is a boyfriend who knows tuner cars, not trucks. So be gentle and thanks in advance to those willing to educate me.

 

Looks like the transmission kick down rod. The other end should be attached to the trans on a lever in front of where the shift lever is.

 

Ahh, that is all I needed, a definite answer. Now that I know what it is, I know its supposed to have a locking ring of some sort that attaches it properly. Does anyone know where I can get one? If I can make one. Or if my best bet is to go to a junk yard. Again any and all advice and options are greatly appreciated.

[edit] Would it be better to just get a new TV cable instead?

 

85 Stepside, welcome to FTE! The linkage rod you're looking at can actually be two things, depending on what transmission you have:

a) for C4 and a C6 this would be a kickdown rod, as suggested by mistakenID - it forces your transmission into an instant downshift when you floor the throttle pedal, instead of relying on the vacuum modulator to command the downshift. In my personal experience a kickdown is not entirely needed, just as long as you don't mash on the pedal, or manually downshift before you do so - I used to have a TH350 with a slapstick and it became a second nature for me to downshift it before flooring the throttle, but with a column-mounted shifter lever this can be pretty tricky, I know with my C6-equipped Ford I had to add a spring to the shifter just so I'm 100% positive in which gear the lever is.

b) in case of an AOD transmission, this rod is also known as a TV rod, and it is what controls the line pressure inside the transmission. You cannot run without it, as then the trans will default to full-pressure mode and you will have to revv the engine way up before you get any upshifts. You cannot replace it with a TV cable easily, as with the rod the bracket on the carb pushes the rod towards the transmission when you push on the throttle, whereas with a cable as you push on the throttle cable the bracket on the carb pulls the cable away from the trans. And there's another feature of the rod that makes it a superior design - there are actually two springs in that assembly, the one on the carb tries to pull the rod into idle position, but the one on the transmission tries to pull the rod into its wide-open throttle position - these springs work against each other all the time, and since the carb spring is stronger the rod always returns to idle when you let off the throttle, but should the rod get disconnected at either end the transmission spring takes over and defaults the line pressure to maximum, thus making for very high-revv upshifts but also saving the transmission from clutch burnup. With a TV cable the linkage is returned to idle position by the transmission spring only (as cables only work on pull, not like a rod that works both on pull and push), so should the cable fall off the transmission defaults to idle line pressure and if you're driving at the time of the malfunction the line pressure is not enough to keep the clutches inside the trans engaged properly and they start slipping, which leads to overheating and usually within only a few miles the trans is toast.

From what I see in your pics the hole in the rod is quite larger than the pin on the carb bracket, which suggest to me that a plastic bushing was used there from the factory - go to your local parts store and look in their "help" section, there should be a pack of assorted plastic bushings for transmission linkages, one of these should fit your setup pretty good.

By the way, what is your name, and where exactly is that swamp?

Tex

P.S. just saw your gallery, that truck looks beautiful, reminds me of my old '79 C10 stepside. Is it a 4x4 or 2wd? Oh yeah, you need some lights on that roll bar

 

Wow, thank you for the information! I dont want anyone to feel as if they shouldnt be to technical because im a noob. If I dont understand something I will look it up, oh glorius internet. It is an AOD and I dont think its gone yet, as soon as I noticed the change in shifting I stopped driving her. I didnt know that rod had something to do with the tranny acting odd until I noticed it wasnt attched, which went something like "what the hell is that and what is it supposed to be connected to?!" Which happens way to often when I start diggin around the engine. I have to be honest, my trucks a mess. But this is the beginning of cleaning her up. Im sure after a few more posts people will be asking how she ever ran at all, and I have had people ask me that, then ask if im willing to sell. lol. It's a 2wd.

My name is Jennifer and I live in SW Florida.


I like your tag, if my truck isnt rattling something is wrong!

 

There is supposed to be a bushing inside the rod that retains it. Likely disintegrated, and that is why the cable tie.

 

Jennifer, friend request sent! And that makes three ladies that I know from FL - one is into big Ford cars, you're obviously into Ford trucks, and the third one is into big Chevies but she also happens to be my ex and is therefore crazy to begin with (in a good way), lol. Yeps, some cool ladies live down south...

My tag is a reference to the engine my truck has - it's an old 7.3 diesel (not a Powerstroke, older than that), and like any diesel has a very distinctive rattling sound to it when it runs - especially when just fired up on a very cold morning, if the neighborhood is quiet I can hear it clapping in my driveway from about a block and a half away! For trucks like yours (gasoline-powered) rattling usually means very bad shape, so I got another good line that is somewhat more fitting - "if the VIN still matches, you ain't working your truck hard enough!"

Back on topic - your AOD is not gone, nor will it go any time soon even if you leave the rod loose - like I said, you have the better design, when that rod falls off your transmission applies the clutches as hard as it can, pretty much like it does when you floor the throttle. It makes for some more heat, and upshifts are all screwed up, but trans lives to see another day. Or, really, many other days - I know a guy who lost the bushing on the lower end of his TV rod, and drove it home like that on the freeway for a few hundred miles, he was in 2nd gear till he hit like 60 mph so he was cruising at 75 all the way to keep her in 3rd.

Oh, and by the way you describe it, your truck is very much like my '79 C10 used to be - regular cab, stepside bed, 350 engine, 2wd and big tires:
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/5...stakes-003.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/5...stakes-001.jpg

Anyhow, don't feel bad about asking us questions - that's what we're here for, helping each other out, and some of us do enjoy doing so. Your boyfriend should be able to help you out with a lot of the stuff actually, as cars and trucks have some things that are common in function only different in shape, and on the things he can't figure out we could probably shed some light.

 

Welcome to FTE

That's not a 'TV' cable, it's a steel kickdown rod.

97409S8 .. C Clip ~ Attaches Kickdown Rod to Carb Linkage / Available from Ford = MSRP: $1.00

Since it fits a gazillion different applications from the 1950's thru today, every FoMoCo Dealer should carry it.

The bushing has torn from the kickdown rod, and Ford only sold it with the rod.

You might be able to find something to replace it with at an autoparts store.

1985 F150: There are five different V8 kickdown rods.

It depends on the engine size, 2V or 4V carb, with or without EFI...and a dab of color on the rod...which has prolly gone bye bye...by the looks of things.

btw: Ford refers to this style truck as a Flareside, the name dates back to the 1930's.

A Stepside is (gasp) a Chevrolet.

 

Bill, you're not correct on the part name - it is a TV rod, not a kickdown rod. If Ford has it listed as a kickdown rod for AOD transmissions in their database, then it is incorrectly labeled, as this rod does exactly what the TV cable does, and nothing like what a kickdown does in a C4 or C6 transmission.

 

Her ya go Jennifer

NPD has some pretty good stuff for your truck. Online catalog:
http://npd.dirxion.com/WebProject.as...Code=fod09flx#

Any Ford dealer should have the clips, now to find the bushing?

 

Database? What database?

From the 1980/89 Ford Light Truck Parts Catalog / Text, Section A71, Pages 2 & 5.

Basic part number 7A187: Transmission Kickdown Control Shaft Rod.

Basic part number 7F042: Transmission Throttle Control Cable ~ Use with AOT.

7A187 is what the OP has on her truck, not a 7F042.

btw: Notice that Ford does not call the cable a TV cable. The first time I read that term anywhere was here on FTE.

 

TV cable????

I have a dish...

 

Broncoholic1, there are no clips for this thing, the bushing itself has a ridge halfway down its bore that clicks in this recessed channel you can kinda see in Jennifer's first pic.

 

Where the hell do you think I came up with that clip part number, from the tooth fairy?

If you had the Ford truck parts catalog, you could plainly see...as I did, the clip (97409S8) that retains the rod to the carb linkage.

The bushing is swagged onto the rod, it has absolutly nothing to do with retaining anything, and it was not available except with the rod.

All it does is act as a buffer for the piece of carb linkage that passes thru it.

If this truck had EFI, it would have the flexible cable you are speaking of.

Since it has a carb, it has the rod instead.

 

I agree its a rod not a cable.