Im having a hard time shifting into 1st or 2nd after my transmission warms up

The manual says to use gear oil 80w
I checked my oil, it looks new and its full to the top.

I dont know why after it warms up i get stuck in neutral. If i shake the vehicle back and forth it will slide in if I push hard.

Is this normal. i have 88k on the ranger

I believe Ford recommends Mercon(ATF) on just about all their manual transmissions. As far as the hard shifting does it grind at all(did it before)? Is this just while moving or sitting as well? Could be a synchro. Worked on one once that had a bad pilot bearing but it had problems shifting in to all speeds, just not all the time.

no shifting is very easy.
The only way it will get stuck is if the vehicle is not in motion.
I have to be dead stop in neutral to get stuck.

I have experienced this in my sisters v6 5speed mustang. I also have noticed it in older 5speed ford products. This might be normal. Im just asking if anyone knows how to get it to engage easier. Its really hard to engage sometimes if I dont start moving the vehicle so i can get it to go back in gear.

the manual says to use 80w gear oil in this 5speed manual transmission

You might want to bleed your clutch, I think it takes more pressure to put your trans in gear at a stop than when the truck is moving. Kind of like when you can shift from 2-3 or 3-4 without the clutch if needed.

the manual says to use 80w gear oil in this 5speed manual transmission
Is this an aftermarket manual. FORD has used auto trans fluid in their manual transmissions for a while now.
What year is the truck?
Sounds like the pilot bearing to me.

Is this an aftermarket manual. FORD has used auto trans fluid in their manual transmissions for a while now.

I have only serviced Dodge and Honda transmissions. The service manuals on those two says to never use ATF in a manual transmission. The Ford Ranger HAYNES Service Manual says that 80w gear oil is used in the manual transmissions.

Year? I know for a fact that FORD uses ATF(Mercon) on their transmissions have serviced plenty of them I just don't know how far back they go with that.

I have only serviced Dodge and Honda transmissions. The service manuals on those two says to never use ATF in a manual transmission. The Ford Ranger HAYNES Service Manual says that 80w gear oil is used in the manual transmissions.
Sent you a private msg. Check it out.

*im sorry*, The HAYNES SERVICE MANUAL says different.

i have a 88 ranger and mine is hard to get into 2nd gear.. all new clutch kit in it, and throw out bearing.. oil is ok..

What ever happened with this problem. I'm having a very similar problem.

Well, I never got any good ideas.

I was driving my brothers 1993 ford explorer. Sometimes it gets really hard to shift out of neutral in his car too. Maybe its just ford tranny's. If I jolt the car back and forth with my body it seems to slide into gear. Maybe the teeth are just not aligned.

I really dont know. I just shake the car untill it slides in and use force!

Thanks. I appreciate the reply.

Have any of you checked the slave cylinder? They're a PITA to get to and work on, but they have been known to go bad.

I just replace the clutch and hydraulics. It's stuck in neutral. When I try to start it, it acts like it's in gear. I don't get much clutch pedal or clearance.