Sloppy shifter
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Sloppy shifter
Hello to all,
I just found this forum (Thank God!). I bought a '89 F150 in Sept. and now the shifter is getting sloppy. It still shifts, but sometimes I have to really fish for a gear....mainly going from 3rd to 4th, and it's harder at highway speeds than it is at in town speeds.
I was told it's probably the shifting forks or possibly the bushing (collar) on the shifter.
What say ye?
I just found this forum (Thank God!). I bought a '89 F150 in Sept. and now the shifter is getting sloppy. It still shifts, but sometimes I have to really fish for a gear....mainly going from 3rd to 4th, and it's harder at highway speeds than it is at in town speeds.
I was told it's probably the shifting forks or possibly the bushing (collar) on the shifter.
What say ye?
It's most likely the shifter bushings. This link explains the process of changing them:
http://therangerstation.com/Magazine...erbushings.htm
It says Ranger but it's the same.
http://therangerstation.com/Magazine...erbushings.htm
It says Ranger but it's the same.
5 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 308
Likes: 7
From: Springtown, TX
Man, this is great!! 
I just realized that I don't have any shifter bushings in my tranny shifter. I thought it seemed a little weird that I could move my shifter up and almost out of "socket". That may be why it is crucial that I take my time shifting gears, because it may have too much slop..... well in addition to other things that may be wrong, but I at least know that I need some bushings!!
I just realized that I don't have any shifter bushings in my tranny shifter. I thought it seemed a little weird that I could move my shifter up and almost out of "socket". That may be why it is crucial that I take my time shifting gears, because it may have too much slop..... well in addition to other things that may be wrong, but I at least know that I need some bushings!!
5 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 308
Likes: 7
From: Springtown, TX
Sorry to threadjack but I need to ask a question that may be related to my thread "Drive shaft". I haven't removed the shaft and used the yoke to turn the tranny with the clutch engaged just yet, but would a sloppy shifter (i.e. without bushings) cause the gears to not shift correctly? This would be another option to the rearend being the problem as stated in the other thread. I drove my truck today and I couldn't get it to shift in some gears and I had to rev high to get to engage in others. I put it in reverse and the truck almost locked up but I didn't stop when I felt it. I put it in gear and it is jamming on me. I can't quite explain it, but what could be the cause? Remember you may have to read two thread to understand what I am talking about. Again Sorry for the extra work to figure this one out.
My truck has nothing left for shifter bushings too. It does make it harder to shift, and I can feel when it isn't shifting right. I have to take it out of the gear I'm trying to shift into and try again sometimes.
5 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 308
Likes: 7
From: Springtown, TX
This may be a stupid question, but is there a wrong way to install a tranny when removed that would cause the shaft to NOT engage correctly when the clutch is depressed? I am just trying to figure out what is going on with my truck all of a sudden. The shifting problem is driving me nuts.
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5 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 308
Likes: 7
From: Springtown, TX
Ok, so my next question is the drive shaft. Would the drive shaft cause the gears to not shift correctly? I would like to assume no, because it seems its only purpose would be to turn the rearend to move the truck forward or backward. But I am still asking it. To go further, how do you know when the drive shaft is bad, or the rear end is bad? Maybe this should be another thread.
