A4LD Won't Shift Into 1st Low Gear!!!

[Chuck "Classic Ford" JR.]

I have an 86 Ranger 2.9L 2WD with an A4LD automatic transmission (floor shifted). As you know, here in the Birmingham, AL area as well as in most of the Southeast, we just had a devastating snowstorm come through about a week and a half ago, and needless to say I was caught out in it trying to make it back home. I'd never driven in snow before, but my friend told me to put it in the lowest gear and just go as slow as possible.

When I try to shift into 1st low gear, I can't shift past 2nd. My shifter will not go past it and I tried holding it in place as far down as I could but I still couldn't shift into 1st. I'm not sure what could be causing the problem, as far as I know nothing has been modified and I couldn't find any obvious damage to any parts upon visual inspection. Has anyone else had this problem or found a way to correct it?

 

[jhammel85]

I don't know if you have an issue honestly. I found that my "2nd" gear is basically just limiting the transmission to go no higher than 2nd. If I put it in "2nd" it starts in 1st then to 2nd.

 

[Chuck "Classic Ford" JR.]

I don't know if you have an issue honestly. I found that my "2nd" gear is basically just limiting the transmission to go no higher than 2nd. If I put it in "2nd" it starts in 1st then to 2nd.

It's probably no real big issue (nice 1st Gen in your photo, by the way), I'm just kinda picky about old Rusty and just want everything to function properly. Although if I ever get caught out in the snow again I'd definitely want 1st to work then.... Lol.

 

[1986fordranger]

Yeah I saw on the new's that like a couple thousand or so people parked on the side of the roads and hoofed it home, as far as your transmission shifting, I've found on a few of the a4ld's I've worked on are limited to second gear, like jhammel85 said, is it's like the old jeep's were, first and second are both one gear on your shifter and the trans shift's between them by itself as you accelerate and decelerate

 

[Chuck "Classic Ford" JR.]

Yeah I saw on the new's that like a couple thousand or so people parked on the side of the roads and hoofed it home, as far as your transmission shifting, I've found on a few of the a4ld's I've worked on are limited to second gear, like jhammel85 said, is it's like the old jeep's were, first and second are both one gear on your shifter and the trans shift's between them by itself as you accelerate and decelerate

Yeah, I was one of those couple thousand or so. Lol. I'd be willing to buy that, but it doesn't sense that my shifter would have a 1st Low selection on it (PRN[OD]D21) but not be able to shift into that gear manually. Were any 1st Gen Rangers that you know of equipped with a shifter that only went down to 2nd? My truck was supposedly "redone" before I bought it, so I'd be willing to believe it has the wrong shifter if that's the case.

 

[1986fordranger]

Were any 1st Gen Rangers that you know of equipped with a shifter that only went down to 2nd? My truck was supposedly "redone" before I bought it, so I'd be willing to believe it has the wrong shifter if that's the case.

it's been a few years since I had, but IIRC most of the one's I worked on/drove did only go down to second

 

[Chuck "Classic Ford" JR.]

it's been a few since I had, but IIRC most of the one's I worked on/drove did only go down to second

Dang, so some shifters didn't even say 1st Low? But that seems odd that you wouldn't be able to shift down into 1st Low manually on a 2.9L V6. I've seen one other 1st gen in person, an '88 with a 2.9 just like mine, and it had the exact same shifter that went all the way to 1st Low. I'd like to believe that my truck just has the wrong shifter, I'd hate to believe it has a different transmission....

 

[jhammel85]

Thanks for the kudos! My shifter only has 1 written on it. No low or anything but I'm 4x4. I doubt it matters???

Im picky about my truck too. Its old and drives way more that it probably would like to everyday.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

 

[Chuck "Classic Ford" JR.]

Thanks for the kudos! My shifter only has 1 written on it. No low or anything but I'm 4x4. I doubt it matters???

I don't think it does. Do you have any good pictures of the interior? I've never seen one in a 1st Gen that didn't look like mine (P R N [OD] D 2 1).

 

[jhammel85]

Here you are

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

 

[Chuck "Classic Ford" JR.]

That's the same one in my truck, minus the transfer case. I just don't see why the shifter would say 1st on it if you can't shift that low.