85 A4LD Neutral Safety Switch

[JoshT]

Where exactly is it located on the transmission? Near the shift lever?

Do I need special tools to remove and install? Hanes manual mentiona a Ford tool, but doesn't give a good picture of location.

4 pin or 5 pin switch? When I look it up on parts sites, both are listed.

Is there an easy way to bypass for other testing?

I'd crawl under there and look but it's so close to the ground I can't exactly get under that area of the truck. It's also not sitting in a good place to put on jack stands.

I'd like to continue working on the engine cranking/running situation while waiting on parts and chance to get it to a solid surface for stands. I'm not concerned about potentially starting in gear, I don't currently have a driveshaft installed. If I did get it running and a driveshaft installed the NSS would only be bypassed long enough to move to solid surface.

 

[ford4wd08]

It's on the driver's side of the transmission.

About half way up the case. It's is round, you should be able to put a box end wrench on it and loosen it.

 

[Bronco ii Man]

Mine has a 5 prong switch with only 4 wires. One was a dummy!

 

[Bronco ii Man]

The red wire with blue strip and the white/pink stripe is for the nss to start! Black/green and black/pink are for back up light’s!
Got my switch bypassed because of manual transmission swap!

Just remember blacks are for the back up light’s!

 

[Bronco ii Man]

Hope that helps you out!

 

[RonD]

The A4LD uses a plunger type NSS located just above shift rod on drivers side of transmission, inside the transmission is a cam that the NSS plunger sits on, plunger moves up and down for Park/Neutral and Reverse lights

It just screws in, but is adjustable so has a set nut, if memory serves
No special tool needed

 

[JoshT]

Thanks guys. Something lead me to think it was a 4 pin switch last week so I ordered one through Amazon and it came in pretty quick.

Been so busy with college last week I didn't get much time on the truck. What little I did wasn't good. I jumped over to exploring the rust I found while trying to locate the switch and it's even worse than I feared. A lot of the driver side floor is compromised.

If it's too structurally compromised to drive, not much point in getting it drivable. So, before continuing with the engine I wanted to see the extense of the rust. Next step, pull the carpet. That was last Tuesday(?) when I made that decision. Still haven't managed to get the seat out. Got the stuck front bolt with bolt extractor. Bought a 12" sawzall blade yesterday to tackle the rear. That's right, the seat tracks are rust welded in place and I'm going to have to cut the seat out to remove them. Fortunately I wasn't planning to use it anyway. Hopefully I'll be able to do something with that before it gets hot in the morning.

 

[Joshrose]

Hello all side question to this where does the harness plug up that comes off the nss I have a 89 and it is plugged up to the transmission but the other end is unplugged and I’m needing to get it plugged back up

 

[JoshT]

You'd be better of starting a new thread. This is a two year old thread for an 85 Ranger. Lots of changes between and 89. Start a new thread and get your question the attention that it needs.