I have recently purchased a 70 F-100 Ranger truck, restored in overall great condition, kinda of a funny greenish yellow color that for some reasons the ladies love. In fact had I had this truck when I was single well, but..

Sometimes in a Park start the car lurches into reverse which as you might imagine gives me quite a thrill since I have two small children and I'm always afraid I'm gonna get one of them.

I consulted the Chilton manual that supposedly covers my year and it has a nice explanation as to how to set up the neutral start switch. I found all of this however the switch ativator, (a small protruding bar) at the base of the steering column that engages the switch is missing. I am also begging to suspect that the steering column is not orignal because the cam that turns the turns signals off after you complete your turn does not make up properly either.

At any rate, it is hard to see, but is the small protruding bar available as a part or and assembly am I going to have to major surgery on the whole column.

I am also having heat and a/c problems and would love to have a shop manual for this puppy.

Any help would be appreciated.

John Boggs

 

John sounds like a straight to auto, or non to power steering conversion, has taken place.

Warning: If your truck lurches when you start it, then it is not fully in park. Your truck can roll away in this condition, and crash without your even getting to watch. This has been a sore spot for Ford vehicles for a while. I would urge you to set the parking brake when you stop the truck, turn the wheels into the curb or whatever to prevent an unwelcome movement.

I am not sure what year the safty switches were first installed. I have a column from a 76 in my 66 and the truck will start in any gear position. I am aware of this and am carefull when starting the truck.

John

 

I dont know about replacing the pin but I have a 67 F100 which has a similar problem with switching gears. Before it will let me start it, I have to push the shift collar (automatic) all the way up to the top to get it to start. If I put it in park with the motor off, it will easily drop down into the reverse position. If the motor is running, it doesnt really seem to have the problem with dropping back into gear from park. Im an idiot when it comes to mechanical stuff but I did try to adjust the shift linkage and did not improve it. Anyway, seems to be a common problem.

 

It sounds like your column needs to be rebuilt, or replaced with another one, which could be cheeper.


John

 

 

I think what I'm reading is that you have a column shift and are missing the thing inside the column that sticks up and moves the column mounted neutral safety switch. If I'm reading that right, here is what you need - they are $12 from Carolina Classics. They snap into place.

Neutral safety switch, activator pin (1965-77) (D0TZ-7B097-B).

https://carolina-classics.com/produc...d30db0b5&_ss=r

My entire NSS was missing on my 77 F250 C6 when I bought it so I added in the NSS and replaced the broken activator pin. The tip of these things break off. The previous owner just created a loop back so it would not need the NSS. Of course the backup lights never worked because the electrical system didn't know when it was in reverse. Anyway...this is what I got and it works great.

I think you also probably need to adjust the shift lever because you think you are in park when you are not. That adjustment is done under the truck with loosening and adjusting one bolt from the blah blah blah rod to the whatever it's called lever coming off of the trans. Not sure of the name but that'll do it.

Final comment: Column mounted NSS may need a little adjusting. Not hard, it's just 2x screws.

 

He probably got it fixed, it was over 20 years ago.

 

Ken much appreciate the help, and your post info might help a fellow member that find this old post. But like Mark said I am sure the OP got it fixed by now. Always check the date of the last post to a thread, before you reply. John Boggs has not been on here since 1999.

 

Wow. It was at the top of my list of forum threads. Not sure how that one came up for me to reply to, probably had something to do with that ride I took in my buddy's Delorean. That's the last time I ride in a non Ford!

 

The flux capacitor was low on time fluid.