wobbly shifter but already tightened tube bracket

[tmanes123]

Hi,
My automatic trans column shifter is wobbly. I've already tightened the bracket bolts at the bottom of the shift tube.

Also, it seems to wobble in a way that mostly rotates around an axis rather than side to side or up and down. I've checked the play in the tube to see if the bushings were bad, but it doesn't seem like there's anywhere near enough p[lay to cause this. I remember when it first happened it was fine one day and then the next day the shifter "sagged" out of the park position causing the ignition switch to not want to release the key. This also leads me to believe that it isn't the bushings because it was a sudden change instead of slowly happening over time.

Is there any adjustment in the linkage beyond the bolted bracket that usually needs tightening?? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[franklin2]

Get someone to wiggle the shifter while you observe the linkage under the truck. If everything looks ok, it must be something in the column. I would get another column. I do not like working on steering columns, they can be difficult to work on. Unless you can't find another good one, which then you might have to tear into it. But then where are you going to get parts? Your truck is almost 20 years old.

Maybe it's time for a floor shifter?

 

[franklin2]

Seems there are a bunch in Texas. I picked a tilt column. Apparently there were factory floor shifted trucks also in 2004.

Here's just a few that came up.

2001 Steering Column Assembly Ford Ranger	TAN KEYS: W/KEY LESS STEERING WHEEL	A​	C2402008	$220​	RCS Auto Recyclers - PRP Freight USA-TX(Tyler) Request_Quote 800-259-4020 / 903-877-4020 Request_Insurance_Quote	1025​
2004 Steering Column Assembly Ford Ranger	TAN,TCD,5SP,W/KEY	X​	BI034	$Call​	I-30 Auto Recyclers USA-TX(Cumby) Request_Quote 903-994-2886 Request_Insurance_Quote	1031​
2003 Steering Column Assembly Ford Ranger		A​	3187	$150​	AAA Auto Salvage USA-TX(Quinlan) Request_Quote 1-800-776-4197 Request_Insurance_Quote	1057​
2002 Steering Column Assembly Ford Ranger	Grey	X​	H22K03	$150​	Hwy 6 Auto Recycling, Inc. USA-TX(Nevada) Request_Quote 972-853-0050 Request_Insurance_Quote	1063​
2003 Steering Column Assembly Ford Ranger	Column Shift, tilt wheel	A​	A11753	$Call​	Hernandez Auto Salvage USA-TX(McKinney) Request_Quote 972-635-3186 / 214-455-8143 Request_Insurance_Quote

 

[tmanes123]

Get someone to wiggle the shifter while you observe the linkage under the truck. If everything looks ok, it must be something in the column. I would get another column. I do not like working on steering columns, they can be difficult to work on. Unless you can't find another good one, which then you might have to tear into it. But then where are you going to get parts? Your truck is almost 20 years old.

Maybe it's time for a floor shifter?

Thanks for the advice! Even though it's not exactly what I was hoping to hear. LOL

Happy Father's Day if that applies.