Shifter Cable Ends - CEG Archives

I was wondering if anyone here had a problem with the orange adjuster piece inside the shifter cable ends popping off? Recently after putting the focus shift tower on I switched the cable ends. So after driving the car home with only 1st and 3rd gear, I got the guy working on my car to lift it up and adjust the cables. Well after it was adjusted I was moving teh car out of my driveway and noticed I had no gears all of a sudden. Well I looked on the ground and saw the orange piece that sits inside the shifter cable end was on the ground

. So does anyone have an ideas? Tomorrow is round two, now that I was able to find the how-to on adjsuting from the Ford CD.

Aaron

note: I did use the search function and actually used the how-to on adjsuting the cable ends.

I Know This Probably Isn't The Answer You're Looking For, But A Suggestion (And Something Iv'e Been Looking Into) Is Fashioning A Piece Of Aluminum To Slot Into The Area Where The Orange Clip Would Go. Or Perhaps Two E Clips To Help Keep The Adjustment. I Haven't Had Any Problems Personally With The Orange Tabs, But Have Heard Plenty Of Stories About Them Popping Out. I Don't Believe The Orange Tabs Can Be Had From Ford, But You Can Always Head Up To The Salvage Yard And Pull The Entire Cable Assembly For Spare Parts. Good Luck...

They just have teeth that clamp onto the cable. They shouldn't go anywhere on the old style since they are spring loaded. Just put Cougar cables on and you just push the tab in. They aren't loaded like the 98's. Seems like more adjusting with these later style.

I have purchased new focus cable ends, since one of my others mysteriously broke. I will attempt to put them on the 98 cables if for some reason this doesn't work I guess I'm left with buying new cables. Thanks for the replies.

Aaron

Be prepared for a lot of swearing and let me know if you need any tips. At least look at the ford manual before doing it and reading old post.

Todd, I did look at the Ford manual and it seemed straight forward. I had focus ends on it before but as I mentioned on of them snapped and the other one the orange piece shot out. So are you saying there is a good chance the Focus cable ends will not stay on the 98 cables? I'm starting to wonder if I should have just put the old shift tower on instead.

Aaron

Originally posted by SVT SNOB:
I have purchased new focus cable ends, since one of my others mysteriously broke. I will attempt to put them on the 98 cables if for some reason this doesn't work I guess I'm left with buying new cables. Thanks for the replies.

Aaron

The Focus cable ends will fit on the cable, but they will not fit on the shift tower without changing the attaching pins to the Focus style with the ball ends.

Also the Focus cable ends will not fit on the replacement cables, which are the 99 and newer style. The Focus calble will not work as it is too short.

Quote:

The Focus cable ends will fit on the cable, but they will not fit on the shift tower without changing the attaching pins to the Focus style with the ball ends.

Also the Focus cable ends will not fit on the replacement cables, which are the 99 and newer style. The Focus calble will not work as it is too short.

So is what your saying that if you have replacement contour cables and your trying to install the upgraded shift tower your SOL because there is no way to install the required shift cable ends?

Originally posted by SVTake2:

Quote:

The Focus cable ends will fit on the cable, but they will not fit on the shift tower without changing the attaching pins to the Focus style with the ball ends.

Also the Focus cable ends will not fit on the replacement cables, which are the 99 and newer style. The Focus calble will not work as it is too short.

So is what your saying that if you have replacement contour cables and your trying to install the upgraded shift tower your SOL because there is no way to install the required shift cable ends?

Well my first cable ends I put on my SVT were from a 99 Cougar, then when those broke I ordered focus cable ends and they were the exact same as the ones I had taken off the cougar.

Aaron