Reverse lights / Neutral safety switch

[Ozark Tim]

I thought the members of this board may be curious about the fix for my 72 F-100 Explorer wound up being. I had asked if anyone knew, and had no response, so I thought I might volunteer the information in case anyone experience's the same thing.
I had a missing piece/part, or so it seemed from the column to the switch. As I had suspected Ford part #DOTZ-7B097-B was what was broken. The pars man said they had sold a numerous amount of these years ago.
It is not an expensive piece, but it is a poor design when you consider most have a switch with the pin exiting the bottom, and a hole in the column to recieve it. In this case there is another factor which apparantly is prone to breakage. Easy to rig the switch to a position so as to trick it into thinking it is in neutral or park, but if you ever made the mistake of starting it in gear without being ready for the results, it could be a tragedy.

[2ToneBeater]

How do you replace the metal thing that exits the column and moves the Neutral Safety Switch? Mine broke while trying to get the steering wheel back on. I need to have backup lights and rigging the switch to think it is in "neutral" doesn't allow the backup lights to come on when I go into reverse. I have the new metal peice. How do I go about replacing it?

Marc

[67effie]

Are you guys talking about the small metal clip that goes on to the column that moves the neutral safety switch/back-up light switch?

[2ToneBeater]

Are you guys talking about the small metal clip that goes on to the column that moves the neutral safety switch/back-up light switch?

That's the one

[67effie]

That little part just clips into and out of place I believe that hey are available only at a wrecking yard now days. It is almost impossible to replace this part with the column in i unbolted mine and dropped it as far down as I could to install a new one.