Hello first time with a ford, and i was a little confused on my 03 f150 i have to pull as hard as i can on my shift lever to go from 2h to 4h and it seems to go to neutral but not 4l at all. ive done some research and it seems like a common problem is the transfer case control lever. and it can be taken apart and freed up? but is this model suppose to move up and down? as mine wont push down at all. would i be able to fix it by pulling it and cleaning it up or would i be better off just replacing it with the dorman replacement part? Thanks for any help.

 

Before you go about replacing it, try lubing it up. I have to spray mine with Kroil every year about this time to keep it working as it should.

 

I took mine off and made new bushings out of sintered brass, and lubed them up with anti seize. I made a special tool to get the linkage apart from the case lever. A rather long slow tapered fork that just cleared the grommet on the arm. Be careful as this part is not available. I had to use a small press to disassemble the shifter.

 

as whitey says - try spraying some lube on it - and do that every year

i had to replace mine because i did not lube it every year and it was frozen solid - even after removing it and doing a forensic on it in the shop vice it was clear that no amount of lube would have saved it at that point - prior 2 years i had an 18" section of pipe that i would use on the shifter as beans

i bought a new unit and fudged the new with old to make it fit on my 7700 unicorn - had to cut a hole in the floor to get it out and back in so i didn't have to drop the tranny - basted it with anti-seize

happy ending... i put in it 4h for the first time this season today and it was smooth as butter

 

Yeah.... I was thinking someone was saying they had to cut a hole in the trans hump to replace it still in the truck. That must have been you 01-7700.

 

That was me !