Hello, to all.

The other day, the shift linkage disconnected on my 2003 Crown Victoria P71. The transmission cable is fine (replaced 2 years ago). The problem occurred at the shift linkage bushing. This caused the transmission lever and the shift linkage arm to separate.

Thanks to some looking on Crownvic.net, I found the part number for shift linkage and the bushing itself. Some calls finally located a new bushing. For a few hours I've been trying to put everything back together without success. So my question is...

Is it best to put the bushing onto the transmission lever stud, and then seat the shift linkage arm onto that? Or is it best to put the bushing into the hole on the linkage arm, then try to push these over the transmission lever?

For the few that I have done, I found it next to impossible to get the bushing installed with the shifter arm installed in the transmission. I end up removing the shift arm from the transmission and press the bushing on with a vise and/or large set of channel locks.

this post is the most current bushing I installed and ended up taking the shifter arm out of the case to install. https://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/ubbth...442#Post3112442

I'm hoping that isn't absolutely necessary, but so far I haven't been able to get the pieces together.
So that may be the answer.
The car is now waiting in line at my mechanic to see if he can work some magic. If not, I'll ask him to drop the pan, remove the arm, and reassemble it all.

Thank you for the advice, and for the thread you've posted on the topic. The information and pictures helped me out a lot.

I have the T shirt for this repair, it sucks to do for a lousy $4 part

https://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3045506&page=1

We installed the bushing on the arm which attaches to the cable, then snapped it into place with McGuyver precision. IIRC I had seen a reference to a special Ford tool for doing this job.

Good news.

With the help of a garage lift and a pair of LONG off-set needle nose pliers, the shift linkage arm and bushing are properly seated and in place.

Using the long off-set needle nose pliers, the linkage arm (with bushing in the hole) was squeezed over the stud on the transmission shift lever. It took some effort and some lubricant, but it finally worked.

I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did without the help I found on Crownvic.net. Over the past 7 years, this site has helped me with several problems just from information already posted on threads. It has saved me a great deal of time, effort, and money.

Thanks, everybody.