Hi,
My boy and I are redoing a 94 ranger and some one has really monkeyed with the shifter.

The cover plate was partially off, not sealed and missing 2 bolts. That made quite a rattle.

The first problem is you can lift the shifter handle up and down a half inch. It is loose.

Also this shifter just slips in and out of gear without applying the clutch when the power is off. Not sure if that is normal.

Can that brass cover plate be removed and the ball connection serviced or is the cover plate bent?

Notably the truck shifts really quite nicely, other than being loose. (:



Please see attached images.

This is pulling up slightly and the whole shifter comes up 1/2 inch.

 

Seems as the previous owner may have swapped out the shifter handle including the ball on the bottom?

You can lift it up half inch, but doesn't slide side to side much. So it's only loose up and down.

I don't know what is stock/OEM or how it supposed to work...

Is this spring mounted?

Suggestions how to remove the play up and down?

 

Hey Bill,

I think what you're looking for at this point is a Dorman 917-551 Shifter Rebuild Kit. I've done this job on my truck and it's not hard, as long as the screws on top come out easily. In your case, it seems over time the plastic bushings inside have worn away. I've never seen one lift out like that, but a truck with original parts from 1994 would probably do it.

Take a look at that part and let me know what you think. I think they were even available locally at the time, and I'm in the middle of no where.