Automatic gear selector problem...HELP! **UPDATED**

[stang1986gt]

New guy here...hopefully someone here can help. I performed a search and still can't find an answer. My truck is a '69 F100 automatic. (I know I need to use the e-brake because these trucks are prone to slipping out of park...people on other forums offer this advice as a solution, but I'm not sure I'm making the problem clear, so I'll try again here...!) My gear selector clearly isn't working right, and I was hoping someone could tell me how it's supposed to work. On a properly working automatic, you have to pull the gear selector toward you to unlock it from park to move into reverse, drive, etc. However, on my selector, you can simply push it down into reverse without pulling it toward you. There is tension on it when you pull it toward you, but when you put it in park the selector doesn't lock (incidently, if you're on an incline, the transmission does lock into park, so the paw in the tranny is ok...it's just if you accidently hit the shifter, it will slip right down into reverse). Can you tell me what locks the selector and what I should be looking for? I looked at some of the pictures in the article about adding power steering, but I'm not sure what actually locks the selector in park to make you have to pull it towards you to move into reverse. Make sense?

[spartman]

I know on the chevy trucks there is a spring behind the back of the shifter in the collar to force the lever to stay in place.

Not so sure about our old fords though

[binder56jd]

from chiltons - shift linkage adjustment 68-69
1-disconnect the lower end of the manual shift rod from the transmission manual lever.
2-position the selector lever so that the pointer is against the steering column stop in the d position
3- shift the manual lever on the transmission to the d position, 3rd from the rear.
4 adjust the lenght of the shift rod until the end can be easily inserted in the manual lever.
5-connect the shift rod to the manual lever and tighten the lock nut at the steering column end.
6- shift into all positions and make sure that the manual lever at the transmission is in the full in all gear ranges. readjust the manual shift rod one turn at a time , if required
hope that helps- jd

[stang1986gt]

from chiltons - shift linkage adjustment 68-69
1-disconnect the lower end of the manual shift rod from the transmission manual lever.
2-position the selector lever so that the pointer is against the steering column stop in the d position
3- shift the manual lever on the transmission to the d position, 3rd from the rear.
4 adjust the lenght of the shift rod until the end can be easily inserted in the manual lever.
5-connect the shift rod to the manual lever and tighten the lock nut at the steering column end.
6- shift into all positions and make sure that the manual lever at the transmission is in the full in all gear ranges. readjust the manual shift rod one turn at a time , if required
hope that helps- jd

Don't think this will help, as I have all range of gears. When the indicator is in "R", it's in reverse, "D", it's in drive, etc. What I'm saying is I don't have to pull the selector towards me to move into gear from park. I can just bump the selector and it slips down into R. Make sense?

[Chasbod]

I'm not sure if the Fords have the safety lock from P to R. I pull mine out of habit. Will have to see if I can go straight from P to R.

I realize this doesn't help you much but it will be interesting to know.

The Fords are also notorious for having a sloppy neutral safety switch which requires you to hold up the shifter when starting in P.

[stang1986gt]

I'm not sure if the Fords have the safety lock from P to R. I pull mine out of habit. Will have to see if I can go straight from P to R.

I realize this doesn't help you much but it will be interesting to know.

I think they do...I had another '69 previously and I had to pull the shift lever towards me to go into reverse. It's too sloppy. I know these trucks were bad to jump into reverse (hence the recall and the sticker on the door), but if you breath on the shifter, if falls into R.

[Chasbod]

I know my shifter is a bit sloppy as well, but tearing it apart is way way down on my priority list. I'm sure there are some bushings in there that need to be replaced.

[FORDification]

First of all, sorry for the large pic here, but I needed to keep it kinda large for detail.

OK, here's what the problem is. The yellow arrow in this picture is the lock plate for the steering column. The green arrow is pointing to a slot in the lock plate. The shift lever has a tab which extends up into this slot when it's in Park, and is the reason you have to pull back on the shift lever to get it out of park...when you pull back, the shift lever pivots, pulling the tab out of the slot.



Anyway, it sounds like either the tab isn't being moved far enough forward to enable it to engage the slot, or either the tab or slot are worn. I'd put my money on it just not being adjusted correctly to allow the shifter arm to move far enough to allow the tab to fully engage the slot.

I was trying to find a picture of a bare shift lever to show you the tab, but I can't find one. If you can wait till this weekend, I can get a closeup of a shift lever, for the visual.

[edited spelling error]

[binder56jd]

Keith- i like the big pictures - they're better for us old blind guys- are those little clips available if one is broken or beyond repair?jd

[FORDification]

AFAIK that steel piece is not available aftermarket, you'd have to find one from a junkyard steering column. They normally don't wear out...I've disassembled many steering columns and never saw one that even shown any wear to it, so I doubt that's the problem if your truck isn't locking into Park. You just need to adjust the linkage to allow a little more 'swing' to the shifter....or replace the shift lever due to a worn tab.

[stang1986gt]

Keith, thanks so much for the pictures! I'd love to have the other pictures you mentioned as well when you get a chance. This is exactly what I needed to see.

So I assume that I can simply pull the wheel and the turn signal mechanism to get to these parts, correct?

You know, it almost feels like that pin behind the lever is missing (I assume that is what pushes the tab into the slot) or the tab is broken off. If I'm looking at this correctly, the pin in the picture is spring loaded and provides the tension for the lever. My lever has tension on it, but it just doesn't catch into that slot. Hopefully it's just out of adjustment, but I can push it up past park a little like there's not stop (it does stop, but it's not a firm stop, if that makes sense). So, I bet that tab is broken. I'll check it out and compare to any other pictures you come up with. I'll take my own as well for all to see.

Again, thanks. You've answered something in a matter of hours that I've been search for for months!

[FORDification]

Take a look at the following page:

http://www.fordification.com/steering-column.htm

This is a basic how-to on shortening a steering column. The picture I posted above is one that I took during that photo session but wasn't used on this page.

In the picture above, the shift collar is at the bottom. See where the shift lever goes in (along the right)? Right next to that there's a pin poking up. That's a spring-loaded pin, accessible by removing the Phillips-head screw right next to it. If the spring in there is broken it could also cause the shift lever tab to 'fall out' of the slot.

[stang1986gt]

That makes total sense. When I pull it apart, I'll take pictures of what I find for others that may have a similar problem.

[stang1986gt]

Take a look at the following page:

http://www.fordification.com/steering-column.htm

This is a basic how-to on shortening a steering column. The picture I posted above is one that I took during that photo session but wasn't used on this page.

In the picture above, the shift collar is at the bottom. See where the shift lever goes in (along the right)? Right next to that there's a pin poking up. That's a spring-loaded pin, accessible by removing the Phillips-head screw right next to it. If the spring in there is broken it could also cause the shift lever tab to 'fall out' of the slot.

Ok, I took the column apart, and it appears that the tab is worn down to the point that it will no longer fit in the slot. I also found that the hole the pin goes through to hold the lever on is wallowed out (by the way, how do I get that pin out?). So, it appears that I need a new collar and a new gear selector lever. Do any of you have any really good used parts? (I'll check the classifieds as well.)

Please look at the following pictures and tell me what you think:

[fordman]

thats a roll pin you drive it out with a punch.