I have a 03 F-150 I have a broken shift fork. Has anyone replaced it on there own? If so what are the steps to doing it and is it hard to do?

 

I have an 03 F-150 and I'm in the middle of replacing the shift fork myself. So far it's a pain in the butt as I live in Michigan so everying has a nice layer of corrosion on it. I was told it took someone else 3 hrs to complete. I've spent 3 hours so far trying to get bolts unstuck.

I have managed to disconnect the brake caliper and sway bar so as to disconnect the driveshaft from the axle and move it out of the way enough to pull the passanger side axil limb off. Right now I have to figure out how to get that limb loose from the differential. It's got a silicone gasket and won't let go. I'm trying to pry on it without marring the connecting surfaces.

Chiltion's manual has been helpful and if you buy a shift fork kit from the dealer it comes with a diagram of the axile.

If you wana save a lot of money and have the tools, patients and time, go for it!

 

remove the front sway bar link on the passenger side to allow room for the half shaft to slide out of the way. Remove the bolt holding the axle tube to the frame and loosen the other bolts and pry the differential down. You may wnat to support the diff with a jack and remove the bolt holding the diff cover to the frame. This will allow diff to move down some more the axle tube to slip out of its mount. By far the most difficult part will be removing the vacuum actuator motor. It has a brass fitting that slides into the axle tube ear and they corrode and stick. PB blaster it a lot the help unstick it. I broke the ear on the my axle tube and had to grab one in a scrap yard. Here are some pictures of the broken ear.





Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

PS I should have taken pics on me in the scrap yard pulling off the axle tube from a wrecked F-150.

 

Victory!
Got the front end put back together and it engages like it's suppost to. The whole process wasn't too bad once I figured out I didn't have to take appart everything and once I got the bolts and axle tube unstuck.
Started by taking off the front passanger tire, moved the brake calaper(though you might not have to do that) unhooked the tierod end and the sway bar. Useing a long bar between the lug studs and hitting the ground I broke free the 6 bolts to seperate the drive axle from the axle tube and move the drive axle out of the way. I then disconnected the vacuum pump piston from the shift fork lever. Never did get that pump free from the ear, just left it there and worked around it. Removed 3 of the 4 bolts connecting axle tube to differential. The 4th bolt is behind the vacuum pump so I got it half way out. Then disconnected the axle tube bushing support and the differential front support using a jack to support the differential and lower the assembly enough to pull the axle tube out some and finish getting the 4th bolt out. Ended up useing an old wood chissel to get the axle tube seperated from the differential. Took a drill bit and drilled though the pin holding the shift fork in place then pulled the shift fork lever out and replaced the old shift fork with the new one in the kit as well as a little o-ring on the shift fork lever then hammered in the new pin supplied with the part kit. It would be easier to install the shaft syncro-thing into the shift fork before pinning the fork in place. Then slide the axle tube assembly back in, with help because it's hard to line everything up and get that 4th bolt back in yourself. The rest is just put everything back nice and tight. I took some pics I'll have to put up latter, Got to go