I'm on a 5000 miles road trip in the FG. Just outside Waldeboro, Maine, I attempted to downshift to make a turn and my shifter was completely free floating--no connection to the gears at all. Luckily there was a shoulder on the road so I pulled over and investigated. The shifting rod connects to a bell crank near the transmission and the cotter pin (or whatever kind of pin) which holds the rod into the hole had fallen out. Luckily the bushing for the rod had not fallen off when the rod dropped down onto the exhaust. I had some wire the same diameter as the cotter pin so was able to reassemble it. Without a means of securing that rod in place, I'd have been in a pickle. Carry some replacement pins in your truck.
