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Got the swap 99% done and running. 5.3/4l60 into a 93 short wide 2wd truck. I can't get the shifter linkage to work at all. I've been told it will work "with a little tweaking" but it definitely won't, that I can see anyway. If I put the shifter lever down in 1st gear, the link rod won't reach from the transmission to the steering column. I assume this is because of how the engine mounts and transmission cross member locate the new running gear. I'm not sure what the do exactly, so any help is appreciated. This is all I need to wrap up to drive the truck.
Also....when in park, with everything hooked up, it won't shift out of park into reverse. It feels like the entire linkage is in a bind, which I believe is actually what's going on.
For reference, with the shifter in 1st and the gear selector on the trans in 1st, the linkage won't even reach the steering column and it's also in a bind at the transmission. What's the solution here? Everybody swaps these trucks but I can't find a single thread on the Internet that's helpful. I feel like I've done something really stupid, or I'm pioneering the 5.3 swap in OBS trucks, lol.
Had same problem with my 1994 C1500. I ended up cutting the linkage by about 2". Unfortunately, I never got it working right. My shift pattern is reversed ! I use it as a security feature now though. But "R" is drive and "D" is reverse. I got a n '02 5.3 with a 1998 4l60e. Originally I had a 2002 trans but messed up the pump. It shifted properly with the linkage, but once I put in the older trans, it must've been shorter cause the shift pattern with the orongal linkage made it reversed and I also had to move the trans crossbrace. I do have dirty dingo slider motor mounts and eventually I will shift the motor and trans to make sure they line up properly with shift linkage. I got no time for that now though.
Looks like the cross shaft (and possibly the arm on transmission) are 180deg out. The cotter pin end should be down not up.
That's kind of what I thought too, but it's even further away from working if I switch it around. I've tried every orientation possible and even tried using the other hole in the frame behind the one the linkage is currently in.
I'm going to play with it tonight a little more and if I can't figure it out, I'm busting out the cut off wheel and millermatic...that usually fixes just about anything
Got it. Wasn't hard to figure out really, I was just lead to believe it would work in its factory state with "some minor tweaking.".....that minor tweaking ended up being cutting 3/4" out if the armature, bending one if the bends another 30-40°, then rewelding it back together. Here's a pic for the next guy to see so he/she isn't as lost as I was or spends gobs of cash on a floor shifter.
09-21-2016, 08:50 PM
93 Silverado 5.3/4l60 swap shifter linkage. ..? 
