Gear shift has been loose and now stuck at work.

[Redrobster]

Hello everyone!

So i'm stuck at work lol. Let me explain.

I've been battling a sloppy gear shift for over a year now on my 95 ranger. It's 4.0, Auto, 4x4. this morning when i went to leave to get some coffee my truck wouldn't go into reverse. Apparently when i put it into "park" it was actually neutral. Being an avid reader of the forums i know to check the 2 torx screws under the dash that work themselves loose and cause a sloppy shifter. The screws are tight and so is the shift bracket. what else can it be?!

I'm hoping there is something i can do or maybe point me in the right direction of what to look for? Here's to hoping I can get it into reverse so i can get home.

 

[RonD]

Reads like the shift cable is no longer tight, I known duh, lol

That usually occurs in the dash area vs the cable's other end at the transmission shifter.
But get underneath(with e-brake on!!) and check if shift linkage is loose.

 

[Redrobster]

just crawled under (at least the rain stopped) and everything is tight on the tranny end.

 

[RonD]

Then you need to get the covers off the steering column and start tracing the cable.
You said the two bolts were tight but did you move the shift lever while looking at them.
Make sure e-brake is on.
Move shift lever while watching for unusual movement.

 

[Redrobster]

got in there and looked for anything out of the ordinary, didn't see or feel anything loose or sloppy. So i hopped under the truck again and disconnected the linkage from the the trans and put the linkage through some range of motion. Heard some funny clunking up the line a bit and noticed that when i would push the linkage forward part of the cable housing would slide forward with it it. I could see where it was rubbing due to that portion being cleaner than the rest.

thoughts?

 

[RonD]

There should be a "lock tab" that holds the outer casing of the cable in place, so it doesn't slide.
Sounds like that is missing or broken.
Good work finding the problem

There is a picture here if it's the same type:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showpost.php?p=1754518&postcount=6

 

[Redrobster]

where it's moving is further up the line, though i will look at this when i go to leave tonight. The movement i get is right after the the heat shielded portion of the cable (i'm assuming thats what it is because it's thicker and has braided metal around it).

 

[RonD]

A cable like this, like a bicycle's brake cable, only works if the Case/tube the cable is in stays the same length, otherwise the cable will pull the case shorter or longer and not the other end of the cable.

If I read what you say correctly it seems like the cable case has broken, and one part is sliding over the another part.
Reads like you need a new cable.

Found this, better pics:
http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/erc53/2010-06-05_155944_explorershiftcable.pdf

 

[Redrobster]

thanks for the help and the documentation is money. I'll have to hit up the bone yard this weekend. I'll let you know how it all pans out.

 

[Redrobster]

Here are some pictures of the busted up cable housing, i was amazed at how hammered it was...


This is where the water got in and started rusting everything out.


I had about 4 more strands of cable left



one of these is not like the other..


all in all 20min in the junk yard and 20 installing it (it was pretty much plug and play) it shifts like a dream.

Thanks again for the help guys!

 

[RonD]

Yes, that's one rusted out cable

Thanks for the update

 

[doorgunner]

Update & pics got repped!