Jump to content

What's the trick to shifter removal 1988 4 speed? Step inside


Recommended Posts

Truck needs a slave put in it, upon removing the console I see that the rubber mat only allows access to a few of the bolts that hold the second boot on. I can see where the top shifter slides over the one that comes out of the trans.. What holds that in place ? A retaining ring or clip ? How do I get it out or off ? I'm going to assume something heat and pry like hell.. I don't want to pull the entire thing from the trans because the flooring is in good shape on the truck and I know damn well it will rip trying to get it out under the bottom of the dash.. Thanks for any insight

 

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh I thought he was asking about how to separate the shifter halves.

 

To pull it out once you can see the top of the transmission and have removed the last rubber boot there is a round clip that has to be pressed down and rotated it springs out once it's free, some are harder to move than others and under more tension. Mine i used a pair of players and a screwdriver to manipulate it.

 

Here is a video on that spring clip . You can ignore most if it until it get to that clip, it's on a 97 wrangler with ax15 but it's pretty much the same this for the ax4

 

 

Edit the video link didn't past

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drop the trans a few inches, remove the 4 bolts, pull the shifter housing up and out, remove trans. Take the lower bushing cup off shifter input shaft, throw shifter in the trash. 

 

https://core-shifters.com/collections/shifters-for-cherokee/products/core-hurst-shifter-for-1984-2002-jeep-cherokee-xj-comanche-mj-w-4-cyl-ax5

 

 

Now  you can unbolt the shift lever, and drop the trans.............not to mention all the smoooooth shifting you'll enjoy.  :yes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I am talking about removing the top half of the shifter, not the one from the top of the trans. I have done it a hundred times in f body's, and they are easily accessible to get.. I just want to know how to get the top( long shifter handle ) off of throne that bolts into the top of the trans. Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh I thought he was asking about how to separate the shifter halves.

 

To pull it out once you can see the top of the transmission and have removed the last rubber boot there is a round clip that has to be pressed down and rotated it springs out once it's free, some are harder to move than others and under more tension. Mine i used a pair of players and a screwdriver to manipulate it.

 

Here is a video on that spring clip . You can ignore most if it until it get to that clip, it's on a 97 wrangler with ax15 but it's pretty much the same this for the ax4

 

 

Edit the video link didn't past

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

That video makes it look like the upper shifter handle just easily pops off the lower part of the lever. NOT SO. It's REALLY on there. I've tried separating them in a vise and couldn't do it. The shop foreman at my dealership told me there was a special tool for the job, but they never used it at the dealership and they eventually threw it away to make room for newer tools in the tool crib.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Oh I thought he was asking about how to separate the shifter halves.

 

To pull it out once you can see the top of the transmission and have removed the last rubber boot there is a round clip that has to be pressed down and rotated it springs out once it's free, some are harder to move than others and under more tension. Mine i used a pair of players and a screwdriver to manipulate it.

 

Here is a video on that spring clip . You can ignore most if it until it get to that clip, it's on a 97 wrangler with ax15 but it's pretty much the same this for the ax4

 

 

Edit the video link didn't past

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

That video makes it look like the upper shifter handle just easily pops off the lower part of the lever. NOT SO. It's REALLY on there. I've tried separating them in a vise and couldn't do it. The shop foreman at my dealership told me there was a special tool for the job, but they never used it at the dealership and they eventually threw it away to make room for newer tools in the tool crib.

yes sir. I've never been able to separate any of my shifters, I don't know what shifter they have in that wrangler I just wanted to show the OP what the last clip retaining the shifter was like.

 

I heard there was a special tool for separating both shifter haves, never seen a picture of it. Supposedly some have used four screw drivers to separate it, also heard of using pickle fork and BFH.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is not a clip or snap ring holding the top part of the shifter shaft to the bottom part. It is a tapered square fit. If you pull the snap ring shown, the whole shifter shaft may come out along with the ball assembly that it swivels on.

 

The way I got mine (88 with a BA10) to separate was to pull the whole shifter off the trans, put the lower part in a vise (upside down) and whack the edge of the top part with a large ball peen hammer and a dull chisel (or a large punch). The reason I pulled it was to fill the trans with new lube. That was easier than trying to get the oddball plug out of the side. Drain plug came out OK, but the fill plug beat me.

 

Since you're trying to avoid cutting or tearing the flooring, you may want to try removing the snap ring, after putting the trans in neutral so that it will go back together more easily. Get the whole shifter shaft out, separate the two pieces and put the lower part back in the transmission to keep the gearing from moving around without the shifter in place while you are pulling and re-installing the trans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...