[sewiv]

If you're having problems with your shifter not going into park or reverse, or the indicator being whacked, definitely use the search function. You'll find this thread, probably: http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51613&highlight=column+shifter which is chock full of valuable info and of course Steve83's amazingly helpful pictures of every dang part of a Bronco. This was very useful to me earlier today when my 94 chose not to go into park.

However, if you look before you leap, you will save yourself a lot of hassle. I dropped the column completely (about an hour of work, including setup, in the single-digit weather we're having in beautiful Michigan this evening), only to find that it was just loose screws on the back of the shift rod (near the orange fingers in the pictures in Steve's post to the above-mentioned thread, which, when the column is installed, puts them straight up from the brake pedal). I had one of them fall on my foot, and the other was loose. They are easily replaceable/tightenable without removing any panels, though if you're a fatass like me, pulling the knee panel helps. You certainly don't need to drop the column, as I did.

Just hoping that saves someone some trouble. Oh, and if you *do* need to drop the column, here are some more tips:

The tilt handle unscrews, and even has flats on the rod for a wrench.

If you need to take the top plastic shroud off the column, loosen the 4 nuts holding up the column after you take off the bottom shroud. The top will come off a *lot* easier then.

The nuts that hold up the column take a 1/2" deepwell socket.

Unhook *and* unbolt the indicator wire, to prevent excess stress on it. Only unhooking it is insufficient.

The golden Torx screws that hold the shift rod down and the cable arm onto the end of it (like the one that fell out on my foot) are T-30s.

Sorry if this is all repetitive of some other post, this is stuff I didn't find in my earlier searches.

(I don't have any pictures because it was too dang cold.)

 

[lynze67]

Searched the forum for help on the sloppy shifter problem and your post was perfect! My husbands f-250 developed the same problem and he thought he'd have to take the column apart (he works on his, I work on my Bronco) but instead he just tightened up the screws and wa la! it worked! Thanks for the post, it saved us a cold work on the truck on the day before Christmas! We didn't have a T-30 but he improvised with a flat tip until we can get to the store to get one. Thanks again!

 

[Rolling_Thunder]

S/H.... I did this today, tightening the two T-30 screws, and what a HUGE improvement!

It was really quite easy, just needed to get under there and find what everyone was describing, and sure as tomorrow, there it was. I backed out the lower screw, which was loose as hell, put red Loctite on, then ran it in and tightened it down; then the same for the upper screw. I’d recommend against pulling them both out because there seemed to be spring tension on the part the screws were holding, and I think the part might get to be an added challenge if it came fully loose. Since the screws are going into potmetal, I’d second the recommendations to hand start and NOT overtighten them. The screws looked a little special, so I can’t recommend replacements if one gets lost - think OEM would be best.

Once done, I noticed I still have a lot of play and am sure I need to put in a bushing, but I’m sure I can live with this a little while.

Here’s a pic I took...