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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks!
In this video, we're going to be working with our 2001 Ford Ranger. We're going to show you how to remove and replace the steering column shift clamp and bushings. This information is the same from 1995 to 2001 Rangers and is very similar to several other Ford vehicles.
If you like this video, please click subscribe. We have a ton more information on this vehicle, as well as many other makes and models. If you need these parts for your vehicle, follow the link in the description over to 1AAuto.com.
Here are the items you'll need for this repair: 7-13mm sockets, ratchet, socket extensions, Phillips head screwdriver, flat blade screwdriver, and a T30 Torx bit.
When working with or around any components of the airbag or SRS system, be sure to disconnect the negative terminal of the battery and allow the modules inside of the vehicle to fully power off for 30 minutes. SRS components can be identified by yellow wire harness wraps and yellow electrical connectors. Always be cautious around these components for power or static charges.
We're going to use an 8mm socket and ratchet to loosen the terminal on the battery, or you can use a wrench. Loosen the clamp, and wiggle it off of the terminal. Tuck the terminal somewhere down to the side where it won't accidentally come back and complete the circuit.
Now you'll have to remove these three Phillips head screws on the column. Tilt the column down, and work off the top half of the clam shell. Place the top half out of the way. Unscrew the tilt column level, and remove the lower half of the clam shell.
To remove the knee panel, remove the four 7mm bolts: one here, two below the hood release, and one all the way by our left foot, using a 7mm socket and ratchet. Slide the knee panel forward toward you to release the hooks and remove it from the vehicle.
Remove these five 8mm screws using a socket and ratchet. Remove the metal brace from the vehicle. Remove these two 13mm nuts at the bottom of the column securing the column and the U-brace.
Remove the U-brace. Remove these two 13mm nuts at the base of the column. We use the same 13mm socket, ratchet, and extension: one here and one on the opposite side of the column. Be careful when removing these, as they are holding what remains of weight on the column, so you may want to hold up on the column to release the weight from the nuts while you remove them. Carefully lower the column, being sure not to pull or stress any electrical harnesses or crush any connectors or wires while you rest it down onto the inside of the dash.
Now that we've dropped our steering column, we can access the clamps and bushings on the shift tube. We're going to do the front one here to make it easier to show you, but the process is exactly the same for the one in the rear. Remove the two T30 screws with the T30 Torx bit and a ratchet. Remove the clamp. You may have to loosen the screws on the opposite clamp a couple of times. Pry up on the bushing with a small flat-blade screwdriver. Work it off of the shifter tube.
Here we have our old part that we removed from our vehicle and our new part from 1AAuto.com. As you can see, these bushings and clamps are exactly the same. Our clamps are the same size and shape. They have the same bolt locations and the same half-moon to cover the actual bushing. What happens with these old bushings is you can see this is getting worn out and stretched out from being on the vehicle for so many years. See that the grooves have worn away and the material's widened out a bit. This means that when you go to move your actual gear selector, as opposed to moving the actual portion of the selector you need to move, you're moving the entire tube, which is where some of that extra play feel comes in when you're moving your shifter. These are responsible for a lot of the sloppiness that is found very commonly in these vehicles.
Fortunately, 1A Auto has a great quality replacement part for your worn out old bushings or broken clamps. This part is going to go in, direct fit, just like your original equipment, and fix you up right.
Split the bushing, and place it over the shift tube. When it locks into place, install the new clamp that comes with the kit over the top, and reinstall your two T30 bolts. Tighten down all four of them.
Reinstall the steering column onto its studs. Reinstall the U-brace at the front, and start the 13mm nuts by hand. We'll leave these loose for now, as one of our studs in the rear came out with the nut, so we'll need that little bit of room to line it back up and get it started again. Once we've got everything started, we'll tighten it down with a 13mm socket and ratchet. After performing any repairs or maintenance on the shift components inside of the steering column, you'll want to check the alignment of your shift indicator needle.
You can see here that ours is slightly off. Fortunately, it's a very simple adjustment to make sure it goes back the way it should be. With the knee pan removed, you'll find a small adjuster wheel here that connects up to your shift linkage. We'll roll the dial forward toward the fire wall to move the indicator to the left, which would be from reverse over to park, or we'll roll it towards us, being toward the steering wheel, which will move our indicator to the right, which would go from park toward drive. Ours is to the right side of the P, so we'll roll it out until it lines up. Center it over the letter. Insert your key, and cycle the vehicle through the gears to ensure proper alignment., right where we want it.
Reinstall the upper and low portion of the clam shell. These do have little plastic hooks on them, so snap them together. Reinstall your Phillips head screws—you should have three, again, our truck is missing one. Screw the tilt column lever back into place. Reinstall the metal knee pan. Reinstall the five screws for the steel dash pan. Tighten them down with an 8mm socket and ratchet.
Snap in the top of the plastic knee pan. Reinstall the four 7mm screws along the bottom. Remember to reinstall the hood release and the two screws that go in there. Reconnect the negative terminal, and tighten the clamp back up. We're going to use an 8mm socket and ratchet, or you can use a wrench. Ensure your connection is tight, and you're ready to go.
Thanks for tuning in. We hope this video helped you out. Next time you need parts for your car, please visit 1AAuto.com. Also check out our other helpful how-to and diagnosis videos.
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