[Best4x4]

After some off-roading today my Jeep's 4spd Auto linkage fell apart right where the white plastic clip or bushing connects to the actual metal linkage leaving me with no gear selection. I did have my transmission repaired under warranty around April when it would go into limp mode and I'm thinking they either broke the original part and slapped it back on or didn't re-install it correctly. My question is can I just buy this little white bushing looking clip (I know it's white after climbing under another Jeep and looking at it) and is this a common issue? I've owned a lot of trucks and I have never had a shifter linkage just fall off before! Any help would be appreciated!

Tad

P.S. I was able to get off the trail and back home using two zip ties.

[Best4x4]

Don't tell me I'm the only one to ever have this issue?

[Jerry Bransford]

I doubt you can get that particular part separately, it's probably only available with the cable but just check with your dealer's parts department. But if your tranny was repaired in April, I'd think your dealer would cover anything tranny related like this. Especially since it's likely they didn't get the cable attached and back together properly from what happened.

[Best4x4]

Yep that's exactly what I was thinking that the little white part would be part of the entire cable assembly. The dealership I took it to was by far nothing great and this kinda proves it. I'll see if they're willing to work with me on this and if not and I can't buy the part separately I guess I'll be posting a write-up on a modified 4spd auto shifter linkage mod using a either a metal roller washer or plastic along with a bolt, two flat washers, and an aircraft nut. The only part that would really need modifying is the actual metal linkage arm. I would have to cut off the metal nipple with a grinder and then just drill a hole in it. As long as I got a thick enough roller washer to fit into the eyelet of the cable with just enough free-space to spin freely I think I'd have a bullet-proof linkage vs that POS Jeep stuck on there.

Tad

[Jerry Bransford]

A new shifter cable wouldn't be that expensive or hard to install if it got down to that.

[Best4x4]

Yeah but I don't ever want that to happen again lol. I guess I shouldn't call it a mod, but more of an improvement on the original design. Where I work we have a lot of thick roller type washers for pivot points and such so that's easy. The only hard part I see is drilling the hole. The bolt, 2 flat washers, aircraft nut, and the thick washer would only take minutes to install. I'll keep you guys updated on what I end up doing. It's pretty crazy down here with that hurricane coming so I doubt I'll have it fixed until it settles down around here.

[Best4x4]

My linkage is fixed and I think this modification will last me a very long time vs the stock setup.

Tools Required:

Drill
3/8 Drill Bit
1/2 or 13MM Socket
9/16 Socket
Socket Wrench
9/16 Open End Wrench

Hardware:

1 3/8x16 1 1/2 Bolt
2 3/8 Flat Washers
1 3/8x16 Aircraft Nut/Locknut

1. Apply the emergency brake
2. Remove the metal linkage from the transmission using a 1/2 socket.
3. Using a 3/8 Drill bit drill out the original nipple.
4. Re-install the metal linkage and tighten it down.
5. Get your 3/8 bolt and slide one washer on then slide it through the eyelet of the shifter cable, then slide on the other washer.
6. Insert it through the metal linkage and install the aircraft nut.
7. Tighten it up, but leave enough slack so the eyelet on the cable can rotate freely.
8. Crank your Jeep up and run it though all the gears. If all is well you're done modifying your 4spd auto transmission linkage.

[tkki1230]

This is a great post! My Linkage crapped out this afternoon, and I was stuck with my tranny in Park. After crawling under the jeep and discovering that the bushing was wasted, I was hoping that I could just buy that POS part, but I wasn't sure if I would have to buy the whole cable assembly. I then thought about drilling out and modifying the arm. Thanks to your post, you've saved me a lot of time and experimenting.

It's hard to believe that this hasn't happened to more automatics, as that grommet/bushing is a joke.

[Best4x4]

I totally agree the OEM setup is weak to say the least. If it was attached at the top of the linkage vs the bottom it might stand a better chance of "hanging on". I was going to take it in under warranty and have the dealership fix it, but I have more faith in my repairs vs anything the dealership does. I think my mod will last a good while longer and I don't see a 3/8 bolt just crumbling like the OEM bushing. I'm glad my write-up came in handy. From now on I'm going to carry a spare bolt, washers, and aircraft nut for when someone else has a failure.

Tad

[NH2112]

I had the same problem with my 83 CJ7's tranny, but at least back then (about 11 years ago) the dealership sold the bushings as separate pieces.

[abyss2829]

I had the same thing happen to my Jeep last Saturday night. My friend and I put a rubber cap over the metal piece off the transmission and then pushed the cable onto that, and then the best part....we used cable ties to hold the cable to the transmission bracket. It worked to get me home and is holding thus far this week. I was thinking of doing the exact thing shown in this post. And now that I've seen it done, I will most definitely go this route instead of buying a $30 cable that I have to order and wait a week for that will just break again a year from now.

[Best4x4]

Yeah my mod is working great and I wouldn't hesitate to do the same mod on any of my friends Jeeps with an auto transmission.

[maddogfx]

Like your mod. I have used zip ties to get home after losing that silly bushing. I purchased a set of plastic bushings at Autozone that worked for a while. This weekend I'll be following your plan. Mine always happened after a hard pull and going to reverse then back forward.

Originally Posted by Best4x4

My linkage is fixed and I think this modification will last me a very long time vs the stock setup.

Tools Required:

Drill
3/8 Drill Bit
1/2 Socket
9/16 Socket
Socket Wrench
9/16 Open End Wrench

Hardware:

1 3/8x16 1 1/2 Bolt
2 3/8 Flat Washers
1 3/8x16 Aircraft Nut/Locknut

1. Apply the emergency brake
2. Remove the metal linkage from the transmission using a 1/2 socket.
3. Using a 3/8 Drill bit drill out the original nipple.
4. Re-install the metal linkage and tighten it down.
5. Get your 3/8 bolt and slide one washer on then slide it through the eyelet of the shifter cable, then slide on the other washer.
6. Insert it through the metal linkage and install the aircraft nut.
7. Tighten it up, but leave enough slack so the eyelet on the cable can rotate freely.
8. Crank your Jeep up and run it though all the gears. If all is well you're done modifying your 4spd auto transmission linkage.

[Best4x4]

Mine fell off during a normal day of off-roading nothing serious just hill climbs and narrow trails. I got to the very last downhill and stopped to check out the hill. Put it in park (thankfully it went into park), got back in and when I went to shift into 1st it just slide all the way down and I was like WTF! I was on the CB talking to my friends saying I have no gears which they took for I have fears lol. I was like no I can't MOVE lol. Finally a friend came up and saw my cable just hanging there. He put in 1st gear for me and I finished the trail, but boy was I pissed off at my Jeep. I used two zip ties to hold it on for the 90 mile drive home and I made it home. The next day I was going to take it in under warranty, but I honestly can't stand the service I get out of any of my local Jeep Dealerships so I went and took matters into my own hands lol. The results are great and I know I'll never have that problem out on the trail or highway ever again. It's a poor design and I'm surprised it hasn't happened to more people especially in parking lots when they think it's in park, but it's really not. It could roll and either pin someone or run them clean over and being a Jeep with tons of off-road stuff mounted on it you know that's going to hurt lol.

[abyss2829]

I haven't hardly had mine in 4wd yet. I made it to work, and went to get some dinner and put it in gear and my shifter was flopping around like a badly broken limb. But the beauty of a Jeep...it could be fixed with a cable tie. I traded a 2004 Mini Cooper in on my Jeep...at 40k, the clutch disintegrated and cost me $1200 to fix. I love my Jeep so far, and the help and parts available is awesome.