Sloppy Shifter Fix - (MT Only)

[trilobyte650]

If you've got a 5spd and you think the stick is a little sloppier than you'd like there is something you can do. Take off both shift knobs and the four screws (or is it two?) that hold on the shifter cowling and then lift it off. Have a close look at the linkage for both the trans and transfer case shifter. Notice anything? They both use exactly the same linkage pieces except for the stick itself. Eureka. The linkage uses plastic bushings that seem to crush and wear-out over time. Also, that little ball joint seems to get sloppy. Since the transfer case shifter linkage rarely gets used it's all nice and tight. At this point you've got two options: 1) You can switch all the pieces from your transfer case shifter linkage to your transmission shifter linkage (You'll end up with a sloppier t-case shift but your day-to-day shifting will be a little tighter) or 2) go to a wrecked van and pull out all the bits from the t-case shifter linkage and use it in your tranny shifter linkage.

I went with option 2. Now I'm not sure if the t-case shifter linkage from an auto will work because it just so happened the van I pulled it out of was an MT but it's probably the same.

Note: you have to disassemble the t-case shifter linkage somewhat in order to get to the trans shifter linkage.

It's really very simple and easy to do (probably took longer to write down than to actually do. Sorry I didn't take photos, I was working in low-light conditions and pumped to get it done). I'm convinced the shifting is tighter but it still isn't super-snug like my F150 was.

Peter.

[Trinker]

Candidate for the Turtorials page?

[Growlerbearnz]

Candidate for the Turtorials page?

Way ahead of you there: viewforum.php?f=95