If it's a 1990, it won't have rods, it will have cables, unless someone has done a rod shifter conversion. The stock shifter uses cables.
Many times the cable ends that attach to the shifter will wear out. Zip ties work fine for a while, and are lots cheaper than new cables, if you can even find them.
If you want to replace the cables, there probably is someone on here who has done the rod shifter conversion who has some decent cables laying around. If not, you'll have to find good ones from a junk yard, or a Ford parts person willing to do a nationwide search for them.
