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  1. #1

    Default Fairmont Column shift plastic linkage

    Took apart the dash tonight and ran down the problem to my gear selector not working. Anyone know where I can buy the white plastic piece that's on the shifter shaft that's down the steering column? Sorry I don't know how else to explain it. Hoping I'm not the first one to have to track this down.

  2. #2

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    All of mine are super brittle and break. I cut off the nub where the bolt goes and then I stick a hose clamp around it.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  3. #3

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    Not sure I'm 100% following, but maybe 95% sure...at the very least you've given me an idea with the hose clamp!

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Haystack View Post
    All of mine are super brittle and break. I cut off the nub where the bolt goes and then I stick a hose clamp around it.
    So did you disconnect the loop that holds the steering shaft in place to get better access?

  5. #5

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    Take a picture for me? The cougar birds have a small plastic loop that goes around the steering column shaft, then there is the small wire or string that comes from the instrument cluster and a small loop connects to the shifter rod.

    Maybe the Fairmont is slightly different, but I've done the same thing on trucks and my old crown Vic wagon.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  6. #6

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    Sounds the same. The loop on the steering shaft was fine (until I tried moving it slightly out of my way and broke that too). Previously was looking for a plastic piece that screwed on to the shifter rod. I can try taking a picture tonight, but might be hard to get proper light, camera position and context to show.

    I got the old shifter rod piece out last night but can't really find a part number or ID on it. I'm tempted to make my own solution to it now. Really not a great position to get any kind of wrench/socket in there to get on the hex head screw (small bolt) that would attach that plastic piece to the shift rod.

  7. #7
    FEP Senior Member Greywolf's Avatar
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    D9BZ-7B502-A should work for you.

    Here's a new one on eBay:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1979-Fo...ss!04357!US!-1

  8. #8

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    Hmmm...that looks different than the remnants of the plastic clip I removed

  9. #9
    FEP Senior Member Greywolf's Avatar
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    Ah, my link was to the whole indicator assembly. I tend to find cars where the string (or the spring) have broken and the indicator either stays at Park or gets stuck just past low gear.
    My usual solution is to swap in a manual transmission.
    Haystack's solution sounds good. As far as dropping the steering shaft for more room--it's probably more work than unthreading the hose clamp all the way (I'm assuming Haystack used a worm-gear type hose clamp and not a spring type)

  10. #10

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    Well I tried improvising...and there must be some special shape to the plastic piece that broke. What I put in, doesn't move the needle far enough. I will try and make sure the broke piece makes it in my next video so I can explain what that piece I'm after looks like.

  11. #11

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    So the plastic piece makes a cameo in my latest video

  12. #12
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    Can you JB Weld the broken plastic piece back together?
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  13. #13

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    it wouldn't of done any good, because there's a finger that protrudes from it that was broken and gone to begin with. I just don't even know how to search for it. I suppose I could break down and go to a Ford dealer parts counter...but that $0.70 piece probably would cost $17 there

  14. #14
    FEP Senior Member Patrick Olsen's Avatar
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    That's assuming that you find someone behind the parts counter that is competent, and can actually manage to look up something like that part.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Str8sixfan View Post
    it wouldn't of done any good, because there's a finger that protrudes from it that was broken and gone to begin with. I just don't even know how to search for it. I suppose I could break down and go to a Ford dealer parts counter...but that $0.70 piece probably would cost $17 there
    Back in the day I would have just told you to go to the junkyard and liberate one from a car there, but in this day and age it seems like finding a car more than 15 years old in a yard is the equivalent of winning the lottery.

    It has been a long time since I had the column apart on my Crown Vic, but I recall it had something similar. Did the plastic part attach to anything? For instance if you bought a complete steering column would it come with it?
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  16. #16

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    yea, potentially...I do plan on going to a junkyard sometime in the next month. It might be worth me looking around at other FoMoCo rides of that era if I can't find a fairmont. Because, yes I could take out a whole steering column and find one. Trick on those too, is that the plastic gets brittle over time. So let's say I do find one off of a continental or something...it could be in good shape currently but break right away. Good ideas though. I may end up using this.

  17. #17
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    This may sound strange and it may not work for all plastic materials, but you can boil a piece of plastic (not for hours on end of course maybe a minute) to restore the original flexibility of the part. So if you were able to source a good used part it could still be viable.
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  18. #18
    FEP Senior Member Greywolf's Avatar
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    If you can find one, it probably can be modeled and re-made using 3d printing (see the other thread).
    A friend of mine has a 3d printer set up, I could ask her about it while I'm ashore next week.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greywolf View Post
    If you can find one, it probably can be modeled and re-made using 3d printing (see the other thread).
    A friend of mine has a 3d printer set up, I could ask her about it while I'm ashore next week.
    yea, I'd be willing to send one off to have someone prototype and re-create with a 3D printer if I found one. That's a great idea

  20. #20
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    Fifty clams, but I think this is what you need/want?
    https://www.ebay.com/p/NOS-Ford-Auto...2418962&chn=ps
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  21. #21

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    No, I have that piece. It's what the nylon loop hooks onto that I'm needing.

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