Broken Shift Tower Bolt But not the typically broken one.

[Jorgen]

OK So I went to take my shift tower out today expecting a 4 -8 hour thing with a bunch of cursing when I can't find the bolt head...

I get the shift tower out in about 5 minutes from having the bolts removed. Pull it out and look at it thinking "WTF mate?" I am holding it and hear something in the external section of the tower block rattling a little pull that cover plate off and there is a bolt on the outside that I sheared in half and is rattling around.

Now my problem does anyone have the part number for all the parts in the shift tower so I can locate the one the broke? It is a wierd little bolt with an nub that is sticking above the head of the bolt. very strange. But at least it was easy to pull apart and the bolt head isn't in my trans. No I just have to take this whole shift tower apart and get this new bolt and put it all back together.

Has anyone ever broken this bolt that I am talking about instead of the standard inside th trans bolt?

[Jorgen]

Well I looked into this a lot further I found one other person who has broken the bolt I broke. While the tower is out I am going to find the strongest bolt I can to replace the one that typically breaks and I am going to have to stick with a ford replacement for the one I broke. I found that the little booger that sticks out of the bolt I broke is for the reverse indicator lamps. So now I just have to head to ford first thing Wednesday and order this bad boy up. Hope I can get the bolt Thursday or Friday and get this tower re-installed ad the cougar back on the road.

[Drewmanfu0]

Yeah I got done doing Erics shift tower bolt yesterday. His was stuck in 1st gear and I found that lifting from the rear of the tower it basically pops out. Wish I would have known that from the start because I struggled with that thing for about an hour trying to wiggle it out. My ego got the best of me and I said **** it rip it out, sure enough it popped right out. BTW the regular shift tower bolt is a 7MM X 1.0 and can be found at advanced auto. Make sure it is a 10.9 strength bolt though.

Pics of the removal were taken so a detailed how to will be in the works.

[Jorgen]

Will I have a problem getting this back in with the transmission being in 3rd? Do I have to shift the inside of the trans into neutral to get the tower back in?

[Drewmanfu0]

Originally Posted by Jorgen

Will I have a problem getting this back in with the transmission being in 3rd? Do I have to shift the inside of the trans into neutral to get the tower back in?

Yeah the forks inside need to be lined up toward the center, only one should be moved so just move that one back to line them up.