Ford Truck and SUV Column Shifter Falling Down? How to Replace the Column Shifter Tube!

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Do you have a Ford truck or SUV with an automatic column shifter that keeps falling down? The problem is likely the shifter linkage tube, which can crack and break under stress! In this video, Sue takes you on a deep dive with this installation process, which involves removing the steering column to replace the automatic transmission shifter tube!
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⚠ DISCLAIMER:
While 1A Auto strives to make the information provided in this video as accurate as possible, it makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or applicability of the content. No information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. All do-it-yourself projects entail some risk. It is the sole responsibility of the viewer to assume this risk. 1A Auto is not responsible or liable for any loss damage (including, but not limited to, actual, consequential, or punitive), liability, claim, or any other injury or cause related to or resulting from any information posted in this video.

[@1AAuto]

"√ *Watch the Video* √ *Buy The Part at 1A Auto* 1aau.to/m/Visit-1AAuto √ *Do it Yourself* √ *Save Money*"

[@SophiaAphrodite]

This can be done without taking out the column. You can just drop it down without taking it out and access all the bolts to remove it.

[@josephburns3406]

My shifter tube was broken right at the far end where the two bolts are that attach it to the shifting bracket. I saw so many videos of people saying “just tighten those two bolts”. Well, that’s not helpful if the “ears” the bolts go into is broken. THIS video is exactly what I needed!!!! I have a 2001 Ford Excursion, and the entire process, shown here, was directly applicable. Thank you for making this video! Nice job on the repair, Miss!

[@b1llygo4t]

The intro to this video gave me instant relief.

[@xhybridtheory88]

I just wanted to say thank you for making this video. I just completed this job and it was all thanks to this video.

[@2H2521]

Good video, although I would’ve just dropped the steering column instead of completely taking it out.

[@chrisn7632]

Outstanding video, very easy to follow and great help. I managed without pulling everything out, your video made it very clear exactly what everything does and reassembly was easy following along with you. I replaced the tube and bushings for under $50 using OEM genuine Ford parts on '99 F-350 XL. Very happy to be up and running again.

[@awlighting26]

You said you wanted to meet me... I started the truck, went to put it in gear and the shifter went limp. After an hour of prayer, Google and this video I got out of that downtown spot at 11pm and made my way up I95. I went in under the dash, popped the cable off that ball joint going to the Linkage, popped it out the retaining bracket and baabam. Full disclosure the truck was in park when the shifter snapped. I was able to pull the cable with two hands out of park, through reverse into drive and thankfully made my way home.

[@OfficerLarryNMSE]

And after seeing you complete that repair, I know why I have an excellent mechanic that I have no problem paying to work on my truck. I wanted to replace the plugs on my truck, but I can't even find them anymore...

[@markawesome4835]

Successfully changed my column shifter. Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏

[@ekimoguneleniyan9945]

Excellent, excellent, excellent!!! Full view of all steps to a fully helpful repair tutorial. Thank you!

[@robhertcarvalho5570]

YOU WON ME ON THE FIRST 10 SECONDS

[@1AAuto]

+Robhert Carvalho Thanks for checking us out. Shop for high quality auto parts on 1AAuto.com: 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c

[@TheWilderwun]

very easy to follow video. clear and detailed . Excellent!

[@gabrielsuarez1106]

Wow! I have same problem now. My ford explorer 96' not take the parking anymore and now something inside there is broken. Thank you for the video... Thumbs up!

[@r.d.ontheroad-1094]

Very nice work young lady! I'm working on a 96 Ford Column in a motor home and that is a tough one because of the height! But thanks to you I'm learning! Thanks!!

[@irvingguenther2047]

Thank you very VERY VERY much because My husband and I DONT know anything about cars or trucks and this video helped us get the truck going!!! One thing though…you forgot to mention or maybe i didn’t hear to put the cable right in place whenever you put the steering wheel back on because I didn’t know until I compared another f250 with my 250 and noticed the black cable that goes hanging with the screws that hold the wheel so it don’t fall but regardless THANK YOU! Thank you for using simple tools too!!! Love love love it!!!?

[@austinhackett383]

You shouldn’t of taken the whole steering wheel column off lol. Cause you don’t have to, to do this job

[@Laura-wn2yy]

Thank you so much. Great video. Hubby just replaced his, and we used your video to guide.

[@LaserJet58]

Very nice and impressive job. You really know what you do!!!

[@maxleconna1256]

I'm very happy to watch this video, and more because a woman did It. Is very amazing how she do It! Congratulations!! Excuse my english. Waves from México!!

[@SophiaAphrodite]

You left the 2 bolts your loosened for the rear indicator to remove the shaft loose.

[@Louie12673]

Yes I noticed that. The 2 bolts on the electronic plunger.

[@brianflowers4905]

Ok would love to meet you because that's how I've been driving my truck till today

[@williamperry2791]

Thank You! Your Video was Clear and concise and very easy to follow. You were right on everything. Thank you Again!

[@Rem1061]

For WITW, be aware that the new parts do not come with the lever located near the far end of the tube that "locks" it until you press the brake, nor does it come with the pins or springs. I also found that the new unit(s) may have the holes for the pins undersized too much which makes it darn near impossible to drive the drift pins fully into place. Too much force on driving the pins in will break the pretty new aluminum tube.

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Wow lots of work. Old cars were definitely easier 😎

[@travissk5036]

Great video. Thankyou!

[@wyattoneable]

Nicely completed, thank you.

[@chadpeterson8999]

Hey can you post more of these? Not many know much about this van. Also, thank you for the info.

[@suburbanmandav]

thank you great video very detailed , i followed it and goter done

[@thetermintater7770]

I can tell you love your job by throwing a few jokes made me actually want to pay attention. Anyways I had to buy one for my 2000 F-250 Super Duty 7.3L diesel, because my shifter was loose. It was not necessarily stuck in one gear. One day I was at my house I had put it in park and instead of park it was in reverse so I had to shove it all the way in park, but doing so I broke my orange reader that tells me what gear I’m in. So when we finally got it out we went to the auto zone in Mount Pleasant they had the tubing; however it did not come with the two brackets. So we bought one of them because they were also separate, they also only had one. So we ended up driving all the way to Clare to Oreilly to get another one. My question is how come the tubing and the brackets that hold it in place are not together in a box. Better yet how come I had to buy the two brackets separately? These were Dorman parts btw.

[@1AAuto]

+Alex Taylor Thanks for the feedback!

[@robertbrowning7925]

Outstanding! Thank you! 👍

[@Monk_705]

So this just happened to my '99 E-350 ex-ambulance (which means it weighs 8500lbs) and I have to shift it manually with the cable while holding the brake pedal down with my hand while I sit on the step up into the cab, then transfer it to my foot and climb in then I can drive.

[@rich1879]

I don't understand why you removed the entire column, it's a whole lot easier just dropping it down and replacing the tube, a whole lot easier.

[@kudosjeg]

Got her back into gear, And managed to shift it back into park when i got home. Had to disassemble everything, gauges on the dash and all. Was able to depress a thangymajig so the inner shaft could turn and shift the truck.

[@vicenteriviera6928]

Wow you are professional 👏👌 tanks to do this videos help me a lot god bless you 🙏

[@kennethjervis331]

Doing a lot of unnecessary work you can get to all that stuff without disconnecting half of that stuff

[@mrfree7936]

If u follow the tube to under the dash there a cabel attach to the end of the whole rig if u pull it or push it u can shift it to park

[@cleanturns]

Very informative video. Thanks for the help 👍

[@MacFyben]

This is super scatter brained for someone not removing the steering column. Would be nice if you time stamped all the disconnections so I can find the part without watching the whole thing start to finish..

[@adumbkidwithengines5949]

Yep, the bolt for the shifter on one side broke and the threads broke on the other where it meets the bracket for the cable so I took the cable out of inside the dash and ran it under the dash and shifted with that instead, but then the cable broke (apparently it was rubbed underneath) so I figured it’s time to replace both 😂

[@michaellouis6513]

Awesome job well done

[@donblack9475]

Fantastic job and explanation

[@WireZombie253]

Wow, you made that pook so easy.

[@trustnotuna]

Very helpful and professionally done 😘😁👍😜

[@robbobsjobs8456]

I have a disconnect around there somewhere, have to put the truck in Neutral, tilt it a bit, turn the wheel a quarter, tap the dash three times, then turn the key over, then wiggle the shifter to get it to start.

[@PedroASantanaL]

Thank you so much for this video it helps me a lot

[@dreblue5684]

Ty and you're super hilarious 🪦😂⚰️

[@RUBCERO0]

Muchas gracias por el video, se muestra mucha profesionalidad en el trabajo (excelente video)

[@tonyleasure6090]

I shift it like that... You take the cable loose from the harness and lay it on your lap while driving! Piece of cake! No hurry to fix LOL

[@1AAuto]

+@tonyleasure6090 Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c

[@randalln.587]

Also skip half these processes. Leave steering shift in place.. bs. No reason what so ever to do this. Yes put loc tite on shift tube assembly bracts going to cable... the end.

[@kevinmetcalf6371]

Excellent video

[@robertibarra4795]

Hi, great video excellent quality. Can you tell me if it matters what gear your in when removing? My truck dont shift into park, is it the same process? Thanks.

[@hnaso9307]

Very Good job, now I think I can do it. Good explanation.

[@clarenceperry470]

She’s amazing

[@allen5455]

Yeah, but how does one do an accounting of parts, making sure that every part gets back in the right place? This is a job for the dealer and not my next door neighbor, unless he's a Ford certified specialist. Also, how much does this cost, Let's say, Corpus Christ, Texas?

[@matthewsmith9920]

She did way too much that was extra, I just did one. Just drop the steering column don’t remove it . Smh

[@chriskuhn2988]

I took the shifter out without taking the steering column out and replaced the shaft and plunger

[@Bluecollar711]

That was a good one for diy

[@IroncloudMetalworks]

Very nicely done -- great video.

[@ChiefMusic94]

Super helpful 🙏

[@danieltaylor9761]

Do nnot use grease that stinks. Use Lithium. Make certain your grease doesnt drip down on the carpet.

[@mikepaulski1108]

Shalom Aleichem. On my 1997 F-250 pickup with a 7.3 liter diesel I didn't need to remove ½ of the stuff she's removing? What year is the vehicle she's working on? My shift tube is completely busted in ½. $28 at Rock Auto, plus I bought another serpentine belt (on sale) an idler pulley for a grand total of (including s/h) $90. Good video, very informative. Ratson haba b'shem YaHuah

[@paulruiz4778]

If you have this problem can your battery be drained over night? Due the shifter doesn’t land on park I have a 2014 e150 and the shifter is loose the next day my battery is dead. Thank you for your videos

[@sjn7220]

Nicely done!

[@ericsshorelinefishing7121]

you left a screw loose in the bottom bracket...

[@clems6989]

What camera are you using ? Super defined image !

[@NewLife-qj9mx]

I was parked on a slight incline - went to put it in reverse to leave and something broke - shifter is really sloppy but im still able to put it in reverse, neutral, and drive - but not park 🤔

[@joeidaho5938]

Don't need to completely remove column to bench...but good video for doing the job. Too much hassle to remove the column completely, when it's not really necessary.

[@oscarjones5773]

I’ll pay the shop for this repair. Wonder what the book time is.

[@DeltaH-9]

The tube is easily removable without taking the whole column out...

[@ericwilkes238]

Great video thank you

[@Shanmanification]

1:40 What’s your number? I got underneath, used the parking brake shifted it in Reverse last night and drive home 6 miles

[@thegoodlife4439]

Man you're a badass

[@almokashfimohammed142]

Good job 👌

[@dewettphillips5974]

I changed my steering column and now my truck won't start.....why?

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Note to self use your shifter correctly not as a brake

[@danielburns1063]

After doing this project I havnt been able to get my truck to start. I hope you can answer a question, in the video at 9:19 there is a pink/black wire that hooks into where the ignition comes out of. Can you tell me what that is for? Mine won’t stay in and wondering if this is the cause. Thanks

[@jtg2737]

A hello from out of San Antonio, TEXAS. How much would a job like this cost?

[@randalln.587]

POT METAL NOT ALUMINUM!!! TRUST ME IM A WELDER..

[@madmark4570]

I have been driving mine with a broken shifter tube for 4 days. Sometimes I have to look underneath. I am repairing mine tonight mine

[@goodvibesonly4548]

Omg this just happened to me today while on the job luckily I got stuck in park

[@tabletoptony]

How much does this repair typically cost?

[@joejoeg]

I wish you lived in my area

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Awesome 👏 how long have you been a mechanic ?

[@danakibby627]

I’ve got the van version of this and there is no reason to take the whole unit out. That’s a lot of extra work.

[@jamesdaly4613]

Does this work on the ford explorer sport trac?

[@michaelletteriello2920]

Very professional awesome

[@1AAuto]

+Michael Letteriello Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c

[@ojmcbaggins]

what i thought was going to be an easy install, turns rather daunting very quickly to a wood butcher

[@brandonsalas6552]

Looks relevant on 17 e450

[@lesterridenbaugh7274]

A 3 pound min sledge and a light tap will get you in any gear ya want

[@mariemerchant8431]

You wanted to know if anyone was able to put their truck in another gear by going under the truck and adjusting the cable and then still drive the truck home ? Wel my husband did it and his broke inside the tube . 😊 Don't see your number so can't call you.

[@jwilliams8331]

What is the name and part # for the damper you transferred at 14:00 minutes in the video? For a 2000 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer 5.4L 4x4.

[@barrygunter4007]

08 ranger I had to replace everything from inside the shift column all the way down to shifterselect position sencer ,shift lever to transmission , cable ,cheap, no the shift arm was 85 bucks , only from a Ford dealer, plastic crap all through this system, no good , I put this in my self , what would cost me at a dealership, or garage ??.

[@danmoen755]

how to remove shift cablewithout needing a new one?

[@kv102483]

You don't have to pull the whole steering column to do this

[@IroncloudMetalworks]

yeah but the video is much more clear this way -- and it's nice to see the process of pulling the column too!!

[@azeeninety55]

If it broke in neutral and i remove in neutral do I put the new tube in neutral position when I put back in?

[@gordonlitz4824]

Ya

[@frankjhall1]

Ah ha. I'm the one who did it!!! Pin the brake pedal. Engage e brake . Start it up. Get under there and get it into gear. My shifter split in two in park. And hanging like that. Kick the pin on brake with your foot. Get her home. And yes you can get it in park to start it to put it back in gear. And you dont have to remove the column to do it. Easier??

[@mariabarron-desoto5192]

will this cause it not to go into any gear

[@warrengalloway1657]

What size are those t30 screws in the shifting assembly? I know nothing about tap and die kits, and managed to strip out the aluminum behind the support brackets, need help asap!

[@marine4lyfe85]

I'd just buy another shifter tube and be very careful not to cross thread or over tighten it this time.

[@zsoltbayer4469]

what is thst part called

[@stanleylara264]

my key won’t come out after putting the ignition back in, help

[@ericwilkes238]

I think I love you