column shift to floor:: shift..auto trans

i have a 92 Ford Aerostar 2wd van... i need to replace the shift cable... this van has a column shift with airbags ..... my local junk yard has a aerostar with a automatic floor shift and cable... can i convert my van to a floor shift my reasons for doing this is because the key keeps getting bound up and stuck in the ignition and i have to move the shift lever and wiggle the steering wheel just to get the key to work....ALSO the floorshift is a direct hook-up cable striate to the tranny...and the column shift is long and winds around all the way from the column to the trans............ i plan on putting a lot of miles on this van and i want it to be trouble free and easy to work on... ..... can someone please tell me the steps i need to take to convert this...or tell me what steps are needed to just replace the stock cable . does this involve messing with the air-bag? Thank-you

Reply to
Sha Zam
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It is unlikely that installing a floor shifter will fix your key problems - not to mention the hassle of finding the right spot in the floor, cutting the hole, returning to the wreckers for the bits and pieces you forgot to get - I'm not sure if the floor shifter requires a different lever on the side of the trans and these can be 'interesting' to change.

s far as replacing the stock cable.... it is pretty straightforward for someone with medium skill and familiarity. I suggest purchasing a manual for the van... since you want to put many miles on it and it is 12 years old, the manual will likely pay for itself in short order.

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

Reply to
Jim Warman

As always, Sound advice from Jim.

I might also add that I used to own an Aerostar with a floor shift (89) and it had NO INTERLOCK at all. on the shifter.

This may seem trivial, but my next-door neighbor left his van in drive one day when he pulled into his garage. A short time after exiting the vehicle, it began to roll backwards, and came to rest in the living room of the neighbor across the street ! Fortunately nobody was hurt.

Luckily I never had such a mishap, however I *did* miss putting it in park once while getting out in a haste. Leaving the unit in Reverse (and no park brake) Fortunately it only rolled a few feet on semi-level ground.

At any rate, I don't know if Ford put interlocks on later vans or not, but it's something to think about !

good luck!

Reply to
Chief Wiggum

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