Question: So im looking into rebuilding my shifter on my 03 Ranger. Pretty sure its just the standard M5OD-r1 “light duty.” But im curious if the M5OD-r1 HD (Heavy Duty) or the r2 shifter would fit as well, or if there are any differences at all. I dont want to take the risk of trying and breaking something, just a thought I had. Also are there any after market shifters for it available? If so where can I find one?

 

If your truck is an 03, it will have the HD trans.

The shifter is the easiest way to identify them apart. Once your console cover is off, and you can see the shifter post, take a look at the bottom of it. The R1 will have a shifter post that clamps via a bolt that runs north/south (front to back), and the HD will have a post clamp bolt that runs east/west (driver to passenger)

The shifter post is easily removed, just remove the nut on the one side of the shifter, and then thread that nut on the opposite side to draw the eccentric wedge bolt out. Then its 3 torx head bolts and the cover is off, and the shifter stub shaft and bushings can be serviced if needed.

Also, if it needs a rebuild in its future, you may be SOL. I was told I bought the last FoMoCo 1st gear synchro on the planet (as per their inventory search), and the 2nd gear syncho is $$$$

 

I thought that the HD trans has the transfer case? Mine is just a standard 2 door 4x2.

 

The M5OD-R1 was used in all rangers after 1991, and sometime after that they rolled out an update. It was a rolling change that upgraded the 5th gear/reverse to a 30 tooth count, instead of 36. I cannot recall the exact year that this change occured, but it applied to all 2wd/4wd M50D transmissions. Then sometime in late 2000, they upgraded the transmissions AGAIN to the HD, though this was a change in 1st/2nd gear synchros. The earlier year trans used the same synchros for 1-4, and the last revision changed 1st gear synchro to a much larger unit, and 2nd gear was revised into a double cone style, to aide in 1-2 shift speed. There are technically 3 rebuilds for the M50D trans, so you need to know what trans you have if you were ever to rebuild it yourself.

 

Read here: https://therangerstation.com/Magazin...1HD_swap.shtml

Shifters are different, side by side picture in above article

 

I for whatever reason couldn't find that thread, thank you for posting. I saw a side-by-side picture of the shifters, somewhere

 

If I remember correctly, the F-Series version was in a different spot. The older M5OD R2 (80's-90's) had the notch at the front of the stub, and the newer M5OD R2 has it on the left side of the stub.

Ranger M5OD R1 has the notch on the right side of the stub, and the R1 HD has the notch on the back of the stub.