Shift Cable Replacement 1995 4.0 4wd Automatic Transmission

[Elilyon]

I'm wondering if anyone out there has knowledge on removing the shift cable on a 95 4.0 A/T. Mine is almost broken and won't shift back up into park once in drive. I can shift from P down to reverse down the line, but I have to crawl under the truck and manually put it back into park. Looked and the cable was loose and sitting on the exhaust pipe and melted the heat housing and partially through the cable. The part is obsolete so I'm trying to get a replacement at a Picknpull but can't figure out how to detach the cable from the bracket next to the transmission. It seems fairly straightforward except for getting this bracket off, and I can't find any videos for how to replace the cable on any year Ranger. I'm attaching a picture of the piece I'm trying to get off. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[rumblecloud]

I just did this same job on my 94 4x4 4.0L A4LD. My cable came apart at the bracket on the firewall.
Here is the replacement cable:
It's bit pricey now but it was a direct fit for my 94. I only paid $46, so not sure why the price is double.. My bad, I just checked and I did pay the 84 plus shipping.
When you are removing the fitting shown in your image, you need to pull that yellow-colored tab down then squeeze the tabs on the backside to push the cable forward. I figured it out the hard way. Not sure if the 95 is different in other places, but the bracket on the trans in you pic is the same.

Any questions I'd be happy to help. Lord knows the guys here have helped me enough.

 

[sheep herder]

If the bracket is bolted to something, I'd take the bracket with the cable. Rumblecloud has answered your question though.

 

[Elilyon]

I just did this same job on my 94 4x4 4.0L A4LD. My cable came apart at the bracket on the firewall.
Here is the replacement cable:
It's bit pricey now but it was a direct fit for my 94. I only paid $46, so not sure why the price is double.
When you are removing the fitting shown in your image, you need to pull that yellow-colored tab down then squeeze the tabs on the backside to push the cable forward. I figured it out the hard way. Any questions I'd be happy to help. Lord knows the guys here have helped me enough.

I figured it had to do with that yellow piece but I'm still having a little trouble. When you say pull it down, how so? And what type of tool did you use to.pinch the back end, can't get my fingers in there to squeeze it and the 90 pliers I have don't fit back there. I'm sure I'm missing something but really struggling with it....

 

[Elilyon]

I just did this same job on my 94 4x4 4.0L A4LD. My cable came apart at the bracket on the firewall.
Here is the replacement cable:
It's bit pricey now but it was a direct fit for my 94. I only paid $46, so not sure why the price is double.. My bad, I just checked and I did pay the 84 plus shipping.
When you are removing the fitting shown in your image, you need to pull that yellow-colored tab down then squeeze the tabs on the backside to push the cable forward. I figured it out the hard way. Not sure if the 95 is different in other places, but the bracket on the trans in you pic is the same.

Any questions I'd be happy to help. Lord knows the guys here have helped me enough.

So I was able to get the yellow tab removed and can move the cable around, but I can't get the black plastic piece the tab fit into to come off of the metal bracket. Do I slide the cable through this piece? Seems from what I've seen it should come off of the bracket, but I can hardly get it to budge.

 

[rumblecloud]

Gimme a minute...lemme see if I took pics.
Here s a cropped pic of the replacement cable. You can see how the yellow portion is protruding out. I used small flat blade screw driver inserted into the edge at the arrow in your pic. Once the tab is pulled down the cable will be looser and you should be able to twist it in the bracket to squeeze the tabs.

Believe me .... I destroyed mine trying to get it out. I learned how to take it out when putting in the new one.

 

[rumblecloud]

That's what you would think because there is a slot in the metal bracket. I thought you would be able to rotate the cable to a position where the black plastic piece would be able to slide down out of the slot, but I couldn't get it out that way.

 

[Elilyon]

Here's where I'm at now.

 

[rumblecloud]

The slot in the metal bracket is at the top. You can try to twist the cable and push it up through the slot. Since you're going to replace it, damaging it shouldn't be an issue. I wasn't able to get it out that way.

There are only two tabs that need to be squeezed in to enable you to push the cable forward. I just used regular pliers.

 

[Elilyon]

I'm still unable to get the cable clear from the bracket. The black piece that the yellow tab came from just won't budge from the metal bracket. The slot in the metal bracket on the 95 is on the side away from the transmission. Seems like it should slide out but doesn't, even after removing the yellow tab. Any other thoughts?

 

[rumblecloud]

Good morning California!
Only other thing I can think of is to ask if you have disconnected the cable from the tranny? You prolly have already, but if not that might give you some additional leverage and loosen it enough to let you rotate the cable so you can get at the tabs.
I looked through my pics, but nothing would offer any help. Yes the slot is on the side.
The tabs on cable at the back side of the bracket are what's holding it place. I hate losing to a stupid part.
If you get really pissed, try a bigger hammer...

This is what I was dealing with:

 

[Elilyon]

Good morning California!
Only other thing I can think of is to ask if you have disconnected the cable from the tranny? You prolly have already, but if not that might give you some additional leverage and loosen it enough to let you rotate the cable so you can get at the tabs.
I looked through my pics, but nothing would offer any help. Yes the slot is on the side.
The tabs on cable at the back side of the bracket are what's holding it place. I hate losing to a stupid part.
If you get really pissed, try a bigger hammer...

This is what I was dealing with:
View attachment 44540

Here's what I've got so far. I was able to get the yellow tab out all the way. That made it so the cable would slide through the black plastic piece, but the black piece itself won't budge from the bracket. The cable is detached from the transmission. Did the black piece on your cable have other tabs that allowed it to come free from the bracket? I'm trying to rotate it around and it moves a little, but just doesn't want to come free. I'm hoping not to destroy it because I may have to pull a replacement from a junked truck. The 95 has a 4r55e transmission and I'm not sure the cable for the 94 will work, though I may buy one just to see. Once you got yours off, how did the new one slide into the bracket?

 

[rumblecloud]

First, I can see your cable is a bit different than mine, but the piece that fits into the bracket is the same. Not sure how to explain this, but I'll try.
Twisting the cable at the bracket - for instance 90-degress - should allow you to slide the cable out through the slot. It is narrower, so it can only be removed through the slot when it is in the right position. I was not able to remove mine in this manner cuz I got frustrated and just destroyed it. When I installed the new one, I pushed the black piece, tabs first, through the large hole in the bracket until the tabs snapped into place, so I avoided trying to position the black piece through the slot.

I understand why you're being careful. I'm not sure I would have the patience.

 

[Elilyon]

First, I can see your cable is a bit different than mine, but the piece that fits into the bracket is the same. Not sure how to explain this, but I'll try.
Twisting the cable at the bracket - for instance 90-degress - should allow you to slide the cable out through the slot. It is narrower, so it can only be removed through the slot when it is in the right position. I was not able to remove mine in this manner cuz I got frustrated and just destroyed it. When I installed the new one, I pushed the black piece, tabs first, through the large hole in the bracket until the tabs snapped into place, so I avoided trying to position the black piece through the slot.

I understand why you're being careful. I'm not sure I would have the patience.

I was able to get it. Took a minute to figure out. I wasn't realizing there were tabs on the black piece, just thinking about the yellow tabs... Once I depressed them it slid out fairly easily. Thanks for the instruction, just gotta get it loose from the steering column, hopefully that will go easier.

 

[rumblecloud]

I was able to get it. Took a minute to figure out. I wasn't realizing there were tabs on the black piece, just thinking about the yellow tabs... Once I depressed them it slid out fairly easily. Thanks for the instruction, just gotta get it loose from the steering column, hopefully that will go easier.

Just in case, the end of the cable is on the firewall. A long, large flat blade screwdriver or similar tool will work. No secret handshake is required. It just pops off. Some lubricant on the cable socket, like anit-sieze, will help to pop it back on. There is also a bracket down lower just out of reach from the top and underneath. It only goes in one way. Good luck with that.