Dropped the driveshaft tonight, and went on to remove the shifter...oops...need a special tool. Anything around the special tool, or am I stuck until I rent or fab up a tool to lift the shifter arm off the tranny?

Also, when you guys change clutches, is it possible to slide the tranny back enough to get the spline out of the clutch, or do you have to drop the engine way down (angle wise), after the crossmember is removed, and it will then clear? Anyone remove a tranny (without a lift), with the shifter arm still attached?

 

All we did on my buddies 6spd is unde all the bolts that hold the shifter in and then just pull it out. That's it. You have to completely remove the tranny to disengage the splines. At least on the 6spd.

 

Same thing applies on the 5sp.

 

When we replaced my clutch, we just pulled the shifter out. After removing all the hardware up top, it just came right out. Don't see how it would differ on a 5 spd. You don't have to do anything w. the engine to drop the tranny. A tranny jack makes life a whole lot easier to do the job, If you don't have one available, then 2 floor jacks can get the job done w. a few buddys helping hold it in place. Give yourself the whole weekend to get the job done if its your first time.

 

When you say remove all the bolts that hold the shifter on...do you mean the top plate on the transmission? Because honestly...the only thing I see throught the hole in the floor board, is a pin, that keeps the shifter against the spring.

And if I have to remove the top plate...is it easier then it looks...as far as getting to all the bolts?

 

In my 99 I just unscrewed the shifter, pulled the center console, the plastic stuff. Pulled the rubber boots and then I think it was 4 bolts and the whole shifter lifted right out.

 

Man, I just checked it out again...and I don't see any bolts that would allow me to lift if out. According to the service manual, I need a special tool, and as for taking any bolts off..the tranny would have to be out, in order to get the "shift plate" off.

Is a 99' different?...has to be.

 

If your tranny is like mine, there is a ring around the base of the shifter that is spring loaded. You can take a couple screwdrivers, push down on the ring and turn the ring till it disengages, then lift the shifter on of the tranny. I was told to make sure it was in neutral before you pull the shifter, makes things easeier putting it back in. Good luck, Darl Absher III

 

'97 and earlier use a different top cover and shifter (poor design - steel shifter wallowing around in an aluminum cover) and it does not bolt on nice and easy like the '98 & newer. If you use a couple picks or similiar you can get it out. If you want to upgrade to the newer style just get a complete top cover from '98 or newer nv4500 and shifter stick, etc. Then you can put a short shift kit in it

 

Leave it in gear. If it is in nuetral you can not turn the shaft to line up the splines in the clutch. It will come out level just dropping it as the cab drops. To install it you have to get it closer and keep bringing it up as you come in.

Randy

PS: Just went through install friday(fourth time on this truck). While you have it out upgrade your pilot bearing. I perfer the sealed Ball Bearing (got mine from Quad4x4). Very worth while.