Ford Flex shift knob install in Explorer

[MotorCityFats13]

Hi

I just did my flex shifter conversion, but I'm having two issues;

OD button activate the light on the dash, but no down shift occurs.

and the other one is that the I'm having problems shifting to paking from drive, N or revers etc..

What did I did wrong? I followed the instructions here, but seems like everyone but me had an easy install!!

Please help!

if you drill too far you mess up the shift rod "like I did when I drilled the second hole" then you have to rig it up so there is no N lockout.... are you sure it is in D this is the only reason that the light would come on/off and no down shift... ie if you are in 3 then there is no OD

 

[JeepGuy25]

Old thread...but its the one that I found most useful when I was looking into this mod.

I made a video (somewhat long) of how to do the install. I also found THE way to do this without screwing up your shift rod. You REMOVE IT. Its easy. Along with removing it, you have to de-burr the holes you drilled, and you also have to shave a few threads off the new screws that come with the Flex shift knob. If you do this...you will have no issues and everything will work smooth and perfect. Check out the video if you want!



Justin

 

[MotorCityFats13]

i did not know that it slides out that easy... i might be able to salvage my screw up and get the N lockout working again... good find!

 

[JeepGuy25]

Yup! You should def be able to fix it. Just get a good grip on it, and pull nice and easy. Don't twist... You don't want to mess up the interference fit between the splines on the little shaft and the rod.

Also might as well shorten the mounting screws by a thread or two if you haven't already.

Justin

 

[naiku]

Bringing this back up as I just recently picked up a Flex shifter...... can someone confirm the drill bit size to use. I have read M29 and M30, I already have an M29 bit but would need to buy an M30 if going that route.

Am I correct in that if you use the M29 that the screws will essentially self tap into the shift rod, but if using the M30 you need to use an M4 tap? If using the tap is it the 4-0.7 or 4-0.75 that should be used?

Other than that, the install looks fairly simple, which makes for a nice change!

 

[JeepGuy25]

Check out my video above. Tap and drill sizes are in there, as well as some tips and tricks for the install. It's a few posts up.

J.

 

[SixPonies]

Bringing this back up as I just recently picked up a Flex shifter...... can someone confirm the drill bit size to use. I have read M29 and M30, I already have an M29 bit but would need to buy an M30 if going that route.

Am I correct in that if you use the M29 that the screws will essentially self tap into the shift rod, but if using the M30 you need to use an M4 tap? If using the tap is it the 4-0.7 or 4-0.75 that should be used?

Other than that, the install looks fairly simple, which makes for a nice change!

Check out my video above. Tap and drill sizes are in there, as well as some tips and tricks for the install. It's a few posts up.

J.

I did this mod a couple of months ago to my 2010 Sport Trac. Thanks to Jeepguy25's awesome how-to video, it was a piece of cake. As he recommended in the video, I used a #30 drill bit and M4 x .7 tap; and the screw fit like a glove. The shifter comes with two screws, but I only used one. It was snug enough that I didn't feel the need to drill another hole. The only problem with mine is that I must've drilled the hole slightly off, because my shifter is just a bit off from 12 o'clock, pointing just a bit towards 11 o'clock. But you only notice if you're looking at the shifter from dead center behind it, and I'm probably the only one who will ever notice it, because it's my truck. And also because I'm a bit **** like that!

Also, I didn't have any issues whatsoever with first gear. Upon completion of this mod, my shifter works normally, going all the way back into first gear. This is probably one of the best mods I've done to my Sport Trac so far. I think Ford should've installed these shifter from the factory instead of the big ugly one from the F150.

 

[JeepGuy25]

So glad the video helped!!! If the shifter being clocked slightly off bothers you, just drill the opposite hole in a better spot and use the other side to screw it down. That was my thinking haha. My two bolts dont line up that great, so I just use one. But if I didnt like the angle, I could use the other for a slight adjustment.

As for first gear...I made a second video to show that it really isnt an issue. If you modified things to mount the shift knob up a little higher, it would be even less of an issue. You can see I still have full range of the gears...just doesnt clunk all the way back like it did from the factory. But honestly...how often do you need to lock in 1st gear with these? Maybe if you take it off-road often...but if thats the case Im betting the shift knob isnt where you are putting your money haha.



Justin

 

[naiku]

Check out my video above. Tap and drill sizes are in there, as well as some tips and tricks for the install. It's a few posts up.

Funnily enough I must have watched that video more than once, and glossed over the M4 x 0.70 piece!! haha. The OP in this thread used the M29 which is why I was not certain. I think I will go with the method you used, M30 and an M4 tap.

I did this mod a couple of months ago to my 2010 Sport Trac. Thanks to Jeepguy25's awesome how-to video, it was a piece of cake. As he recommended in the video, I used a #30 drill bit and M4 x .7 tap; and the screw fit like a glove. The shifter comes with two screws, but I only used one.

I will likely only use one screw as well, so glad to hear it is snug with just the single on there. Now to find some time to grind down a screw a couple threads and then get to installing it.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Still my favorite mod. I actually have another shifter in my garage in case I screwed it up!

 

[JeepGuy25]

They are so cheap...Im thinking about buying another one to keep around in case something happens to this one. Its so nice to rest your hand on, I find myself doing it often. Im afraid the leather will wear or get messed up from hand oils. So I might snag one just in case it needs a freshen up one day.

 

[naiku]

Picked up all the tools to swap mine at the weekend, tap, drill bit etc. hoping to do it Saturday but with it being Christmas Eve may not get to it. A little nervous about the drilling piece, but it looks fairly straight forward and removing the plastic rod from the shifter alleviates some of the worry!!

 

[JeepGuy25]

Removing the plastic rod should relieve all of the worry! Remember to pull/wiggle that little shaft out to release the plastic plunger, dont twist. Couple of extra pointers. Make sure you measure twice before drilling. Get the knob all the way seated, and carefully mark the holes. Use a good center punch, and make a good punch mark at center. When you drill, make sure the bit is perpendicular to the shifter shaft. After you drill, make sure you clean it out. There will be a burr on the inside, as well as some shavings. There is a ton of grease in that shaft. My advice is to shove something down BEFORE you drill. That way after you knock the burrs down, you can pull it out and all the chips will come with it. Should be enough grease left on the plastic piece to keep it happy.

Should go pretty easy for you! Good luck!

Justin

 

[naiku]

My advice is to shove something down BEFORE you drill.

I wonder if my son's trombone cleaning brush will fit down in there. It's a stiff brush about 5/8" in diameter on the end of a flexible rod. Might work really nicely to poke it down in there and then clear it out after drilling. Hopefully the next post on this topic from me will be of a successfully installed shifter.

 

[naiku]

Well that was a complete disaster. Got to the point of removing the pin to take the plastic shaft out before drilling, and it won't budge. Tried various pliers, pulling at different angles, nothing works.

So put the old shifter back on.

Great, now that's not acting right. It lets me shift without putting my foot on the brake, it also lets me shift from R to N, N to D, then 3, 2, 1, 1-D without even squeezing the button on the shifter.

Really incredibly frustrated right now and not sure how to fix it. What's worse is it's my wife's vehicle.

Anyone done this mod in VA want to earn a 6 pack?

 

[JeepGuy25]

Did you reinstall all the shift lock parts? Everything plugged back in like that solenoid? If you were able to budge the pin, then nothing should have changed. It took some wiggling to get that sucker out. It's just a press fit into that plastic plunger.

Anyone else have trouble getting it out? Mine came without too much trouble.

J.

 

[naiku]

Did you reinstall all the shift lock parts? Everything plugged back in like that solenoid? If you were able to budge the pin, then nothing should have changed. It took some wiggling to get that sucker out. It's just a press fit into that plastic plunger.

As far as I know everything went back fine. O/D plug went back in, reverse solenoid back in place, the only piece I was not sure about was the piece of black plastic in front of the reverse solenoid. That piece is loose, but I cannot see if it locks to anything. It's strange.

I wonder is maybe the pin budged a little and it is having an effect on the shaft, but from what I could tell from your video it just slides through. The plastic rod moved up and down fine before I put the stock shifter back on. But even with the shift knob removed it lets me move without brake/button pushed.

Is the pin smooth? In your video it looked like it is and came out easily. Wondering if I can twist it some before pulling it out or if it needs to slide out. In one of your earlier posts you said not to twist it. I was really pulling and noticed no movement. Annoying as it looked pretty simple to do!

Also, Merry Christmas

 

[JeepGuy25]

Yeah that would be frustrating. The pin has some serrations where it intersects with the plunger. That's why I say not to twist. If you twist, those serrations might remove some material from the hole in the plunger, and it might not be a tight fit when you put it back. Then again... It might be just fine to do it one time. Just don't twist a ton. Just a little to see if it'll move.

As for the shifters current behavior, the mechanism is pretty simple. When you hit the brake, are you hearing/seeing the solenoid move? If so... Is it moving the plastic piece that actually blocks the shift? Sounds like something is just off.... And I can't recall how it looks exactly to think of what it could be.

I hope you don't give up though! The mod is worth it IMO. Just give it another try after the holiday is over. Let us know how you make out or if you get stuck.

Merry Christmas!

J.

 

[naiku]

I hear the solenoid move, but I suspect the piece of plastic is not in the right place (the piece that sits just in front of the solenoid). I did not touch the plastic, but for some reason it looks off to me. When I dig into it again I may take a quick video if I can't figure it out on my own.

I might try to find a replacement pin and plunger before trying again, just in case I destroy mine pulling it out. I can't imagine it being that expensive, just probably tough finding the part number.

 

[SixPonies]

As for the shifters current behavior, the mechanism is pretty simple. When you hit the brake, are you hearing/seeing the solenoid move? If so... Is it moving the plastic piece that actually blocks the shift? Sounds like something is just off.... And I can't recall how it looks exactly to think of what it could be.

Might it be possible to you to remove your console trim & take/post some detailed, close-up pictures of your solenoid assembly, & all of the plastic pieces as assembled? I did this mod a few months ago, and everything went well except for the fact that I don't have to depress the brake pedal to shift out of park. I'm thinking I may have something slightly off with that whole solenoid assembly, but can't figure out exactly what that may be.