Update on Shifter Support Rod problem...

[MO-KAN SHO]

Some of you may remember my post last week or so regarding a problem with my '95 MTX's shifter. Initially I had a problem with hard shifting, later on, I ended up losing the bottom row of gears all together, but was able to manage putting it in first in order to get it on the trailer to take it to a place to work on it.

What I found was the bolt that holds the Shift Rod Support bar to the Tranny case backed out. Upon further inspection, I found when the bolt was installed, only about 3 threads of the bolt were actually holding onto the tranny case, despite the fact that the threaded recess it screws into is about an inch deep.

The bolt that was in there is hardened steel grade 10.9, 12mm diameter with 1.75mm threadpitch (standard thread), and is 120mm long. I started looking all over the place for a 150mm long version of the same bolt, and I have only found a few places online which won't sell just one bolt. The fewest number of bolts I'd have to buy from what I've found is 60 at a price of about $75.

I have two questions... 1) Does anyone know of someplace where I might be able to get just one bolt, or at least fewer than 60? And 2) If I do have to buy 60 of them, is there any interest from other people wanting the same bolt since it is a very easy replacement?

Until I can find a harder bolt, I have managed to use a cutoff piece of allthread and a nut on the end of it, to secure the rod and make my baby driveable, however, after this was installed and could be inspected, it turns out to flex a lot more than expected as the allthread is not hardened. So while I am able to drive it, I have to basicly finger shift the car to ensure I don't snap the allthread off and end up in the same predicament as before.

What I don't understand, is if this 120mm long bolt is the factory bolt, why is it so short compared to the hole it goes in, and how on gods green earth did it stay in there for 150,000 miles??? If this is NOT the factory bolt, does someone know the specs of the correct bolt, or better yet, know where I can get the correct bolt?

Thanks for any and all info you can give me...
Ben

 

[jthomas68]

That is actually somewhat common to have the bolt back out,it`s happened to me also in fact.The bolt is a very rare thread,which is why you may not ever be able to find a replacement bolt.Ford sells the bolt as part of the entire $400 rod shifter assembly.I had bottom tapped the existing hole and used a lenght of threaded rod(which was still next to impossible to find,and i am in the industry).Now 2 years later,it don`t get the flex you have seen,it stays tight,and has held up perfectly.

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Ben,

Been there done that, only the threaded part actually broke off...

I have some threaded rod I can send you. All I ask is that you cover shipping.

 

[MO-KAN SHO]

I've got some threaded rod in there now, it's just that since it is not hardened steel, it flexes close to an inch when shifting. Sooner or later, that's just gonna be too much stress on that rod and it'll snap off, too.

As you know, it's a relatively easy fix, but I'm trying to avoid the nuissance all together simply because murphy's low states when it does snap off, it'll be at the most inopertune time, i.e.: on a roadtrip.

Like I said, I did manage to find a place whose website says they can get me a box of 60 bolts, 150 mm long, so it threads in all the way, AND its grade 10.9 hardened steel. Think I'd be able to get rid of the other 59 to other SHO owners if I bought them? I'd rather not be stuck with 59 of these bolts I'd never be able to use on anything else.