• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Loose shift lever (TK 5 speed)


carpart67

New Member
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
NS, Canada
Vehicle Year
1986
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
Loose shift lever (T-K 5 speed)

Hello,

I've recently purchased a `1986 Ford Ranger. It is a 2WD, 2.9L with a 5 speed manual. From what I've been reading I assume it is a T-K trans. The shift lever is loose and pivots around and I plan on repairing that soon. I was just wondering if anyone can tell me how to do this, before I start tearing things apart.

I've read the article on installing new shifter bushings in the tech
library section. Is the shifter from an 86 attached similarly (IE remove the boot and there is a slip bolt)? Any help would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:


spdcrazy

New Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
1,007
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Age
35
Location
Homer, alaska
Vehicle Year
mostly 86
Make / Model
B2
Engine Size
2.9 bored and cammed
Transmission
Manual
when i had my tk5 in still, i had problems like that. i had to take the shifter boot off, then there is about 8-12 small bolts (10mm?) then the shifter and top plate comes off. i noticed that there was a plastic ball shaped thing that caps the end of the shifter. mine had a tendency to fall off. the plastic ball keeps the shifter from wiggling around inside the cavity on the tranny. i ended up shimming it with a dime from my ashtray until i got home, then drilled the bottom of the shifter and ran a very small bolt to hold the plastic piece in.

hopefully its as easy as that for ya, only tough part is stabbing the shifter back in the cavity when your done!
 

Insanejughead

New Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
RBV's on Boost
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS Banner 2012-2015
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
2,795
Reaction score
33
Points
0
Location
Missouri
Vehicle Year
'94, '86
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.3T
Transmission
Manual
What are you talking about? My TK5 and TK4 have a shifter that's only held on with four bolts.


The TK transmissions are crappy because of the shifter. There are the little 'cups' that clip onto the ball on the very bottom of the shifter rod, but there's also the 'molded' ball that's permanently affixed to the rod at the pivot point.

That plastic ball isn't the best quality and for me and my dad, it just disintegrated on us. We ended up making our own shifters. I'm not going to go into detail on that because it's been a long damn time ago and I don't have the time right now to talk about it.


Take the shifter off and see where the problem starts. It should be pretty obvious once you do that.
 

spdcrazy

New Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
1,007
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Age
35
Location
Homer, alaska
Vehicle Year
mostly 86
Make / Model
B2
Engine Size
2.9 bored and cammed
Transmission
Manual
What are you talking about? My TK5 and TK4 have a shifter that's only held on with four bolts.
4 bolts, 400 bolts, same pivot ball same transmission...

let us know what the problem ended up being, and how you fixed it!
 

Insanejughead

New Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
RBV's on Boost
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS Banner 2012-2015
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
2,795
Reaction score
33
Points
0
Location
Missouri
Vehicle Year
'94, '86
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.3T
Transmission
Manual
4 bolts, 400 bolts, same pivot ball same transmission...

let us know what the problem ended up being, and how you fixed it!
I still don't know what you were completely talking about. It seemed to me that you were being too vague in your answer to help out someone who's inexperienced.


Carpart67, can you grab your shifter and twist it like a door knob? Or is it just loose while in each gear?
 

carpart67

New Member
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
NS, Canada
Vehicle Year
1986
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
The shifter can be twisted, it has play up and down and was loose in each gear. I removed it this afternoon. The little orange "cup" was still on the bottom of the shifter. I wraped some of that rubber tape that only sticks to istelf around the cup as a sort of shim so it fit into the cavity tighter. This stiffened things up quite a bit but it won't last. I seen a brass spring pictured in another thread, didnt see this in my lever assembly.

I have a feeling that most of my problem is the permanent molded ball being quite worn hence the reason I can move the shifter up and down in it's plastic housing/base. I'm going to price the assembly from my local dealership and possibly replace it, unless anyone has a fix. Insanejughead I seen in the other thread you suggested a TK4 shifter, would it be advisable for me to price this assembly as well?
 
Last edited:

Insanejughead

New Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
RBV's on Boost
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS Banner 2012-2015
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
2,795
Reaction score
33
Points
0
Location
Missouri
Vehicle Year
'94, '86
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.3T
Transmission
Manual
I did recommend the TK4 shifter. I found it in a junkyard one day (and didn't even realize that it was a 4 speed) but I pulled it because my dad needed it in his ranger ('87 2.9L 5 spd). I didn't understand why the TK4 has a metal shifter and the TK5 has a plastic one, but that's what I found that day.

I yanked it, bought it, gave it to him and all he had to do was change the holes for the bolts to go into. I was still in the military when he did that, but I'll ask him what else he had to do (if anything).
 

carpart67

New Member
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
NS, Canada
Vehicle Year
1986
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
I was still in the military when he did that, but I'll ask him what else he had to do (if anything).
That would be great, thanks. Meanwhile I'm going to price the original part at the dealership and also see if I can find a diagram that shows the little brass spring.
 

carpart67

New Member
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
NS, Canada
Vehicle Year
1986
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
Picked up the replacement shifter assembly and installed it last night. Much better! I'm still going to keep my eyes open for something a little tougher to retrofit though.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Members online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top