shift lever (ball) removal?

[alnvilma]

shift lever knob removal? IMPOSSIBLE

Hi again folks.
Seems I have to swap my shift lever from a donor transmission I installed.
It works fine but I need the boot off and can't figure how to pull the little ball/handle! It appears to just slide on to the shaft splines but I can't get a grip on it w/o damage to it? I must be missing something simple.

An aside; I found that a speedometer gear and the drilled tail housing from an earlier M50D will bolt right on a later model. Whew.
I heated it and pulled and twisted, hammered with a soft mallet, heated again..hahahahahahah I wound up chipping it off in 4 pieces just to say I did it! Now I'll buy an after-market knob

 

[Ranger44]

This part?. If it's the part I think you are trying...it should just pull out. Watch out when you pull though. Those edges are sharp even though they may not look it. If anything carefully pry out the upper shifter bushings then pull. Make sure your truck is in nuetral when you do this, or it will be a PITA to get it to shift.

 

[TireIron]

if you're trying to get the shift knob off, grab a heat gun or at least a hair dryer and get it real good and hot (it heats up the glue holding it on the shaft) and using a rag so you dont burn your hand just grab hold and pull it up. Be sure you don't whack yourself in the face when it pops off.

 

[alnvilma]

Thanks,
Shift knob is it. Glue? For crying out loud.....! Figures I'd be = that close and stuck at the last thing to do. Ford..You got to love them or hate them. The Jury is still out.

 

[Ranger44]

Oh... shifter knob....ok...nevermind.

 

[Hahnsb2]

I used a wrench with the right size opening and placed the open end under the knob and hit upwards with a hammer...

 

[AllanD]

If you can force the boot down over the shift lever you can take a 17mm wrench and pry between the "ring" that holds the boot up against the bottom of the shift knob
and the bottom of the shift knob.

The factory DOES NOT use glue.
IUf you find glue someone else put it there.

AD

 

[Natedog]

This part?. If it's the part I think you are trying...it should just pull out. Watch out when you pull though. Those edges are sharp even though they may not look it. If anything carefully pry out the upper shifter bushings then pull. Make sure your truck is in nuetral when you do this, or it will be a PITA to get it to shift.

About this part...one side of the paddle that goes into the shift rail setup has a half inch tall flat spot machined into the narrower side...does this go towards the front or the back when it's installed in the tranny? Also what is the little metal thing on the left side down in the tranny but just above the shifter rail setup?