Tips for Novak T-Case Shifter Install

**SuperWade2** · 12-12-2008, 09:22 PM

...any words of wisdom?

I have the main L Shaped Anchor Bracket on T-Case with everything in the "default as shipped"/recommended positions... I have the T-Case Rotator Plate install (pointing up with the stamped 231 facing out, or toward Drivers Side).

I tried to connect the Lever bracket to the Rotator Plate, and something doesn't seem right... the shifter cane mounting location is essentially sitting on the threaded rod with the heim joints, which doesn't appear to be anywhere close in any of the pics in the instructions

I'm not even to the point of thinking about bending the shifter cane...

Should I be able to manually maneuver the T-Case Rotator Plate to shift the T-Case into the various gears it moves just 1/2 a click and I can't get it to move very far in either direction.

Maybe I got in over my head with this thing if I'm stuck before the tricky part of bending the cane...

SW2

Tim · 12-12-2008, 09:51 PM

i think mine is positioned in the rear most hole in the l bracket. i made it to have the longest throw on the linkage and a shorter one on the cane. there was no cutting on the console of mine. or my dad's...

i did cut the tub a bit and used a small shifter boot to keep the weather out.

klimb2xs · 12-12-2008, 09:59 PM

Here is a pic of how mine is installed. Maybe it will help.

**SuperWade2** · 12-12-2008, 10:06 PM

Maybe taking the front DS might help me figure out whats going on, or at least give me a little more working room

RVA_TJ06 · 12-12-2008, 10:06 PM

Do you have the new style?

**SuperWade2** · 12-12-2008, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVA_TJ06

Do you have the new style?

I think so...it showed up new just a couple weeks ago...

Looks like this...

I'm done for the night, but will take the DS out and try to snap a pic tomorrow and post...

**dubbuggy** · 12-12-2008, 11:49 PM

i just installed the new style novak shifter. i must say i had a little difficulty with mine at first. just keep fiddling with it. i adjusted mine back forth between holes and threded rod length for about 3 hours until i got it how i liked it and then had to rebend the shifter cane a couple of times. now i am very pleased with it. also be careful when bending the cane. i broke the threaded end off and had to drill and tap the cane to accept a threaded rod to attach the shift knob. all i can say is keep with it. i drove my jeep two weeks in 2hi because i ran out of time and had to drive to work. i left my front ds attached and worked around it. imho the bends on the shifter cane are the most important part of this kit. i can barely shift the linkage itself by hand. the cane gives you the leverage which makes it easier to shift.

850GLT · 12-13-2008, 08:02 AM

klimb2xs has the older style. The new one looks a lot different.

The right setup is a perfect balance between leverage and throw. Your throw is going to be limited by the body and console opening, so you need to find the best position for the lever that will maximize the leverage for the throw. I spent way more time than I'd like to admit trying the different combinations.

The best horizontal position on the bracket is going to be the one that centers the cane in the console/body opening, but there's a lot of tuning you can do with the vertical positions on the brackets. I can't remember where I finally ended up but I'll look the next time I'm out there.

Bending the cane is tough. Some say MAPP gas will do it, but after almost 30 minutes with a MAPP torch I couldn't get it hot enough. I ended up buying a $50 mini-torch from Lowes that blends the MAPP with oxygen, which will get it red hot enough to bend. You'll still need a big pipe to get the leverage to make the bends and a sturdy vice.

One more tip for bending -- keep the area of the cane that you're heating a few inches away from the vice, because it will act as a heat sink and rob the heat from the bend. good luck

**SuperWade2** · 12-13-2008, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 850GLT

The best horizontal position on the bracket is going to be the one that centers the cane in the console/body opening, but there's a lot of tuning you can do with the vertical positions on the brackets. I can't remember where I finally ended up but I'll look the next time I'm out there.

OK, I'm not even Close to that point....Its SO far in the front edge of of the hole that looking straight down, All I see is T-Case, I don't even see the cane mounting bracket (Until I move back a little bit)...Something monumentally off...

**Jerry Bransford** · 12-13-2008, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klimb2xs

Here is a pic of how mine is installed. Maybe it will help.

That's the older style with the reversed shift pattern. The model currently shipping is different and has a non-reversed shift pattern.

Superwade, can you post a pic of what you've got so far?

And 850GLT, I know I recommended MAP gas in an earlier post but I should have said you need oxygen too to get it hot enough. i used a map/oxygen kit on mine.

**Jerry Bransford** · 12-13-2008, 11:35 AM

Here's a pic I just shot for you that shows the geometry of mine. It may not be the best possible geometry but it's the best I could come up with after many different combinations and it finally shifts well now. I added that spotweld to the clamp because I couldn't get it tight enough to prevent the shift cane from rotating out of position.

**SuperWade2** · 12-13-2008, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

Here's a pic I just shot for you that shows the geometry of mine. It may not be the best possible geometry but it's the best I could come up with after many different combinations and it finally shifts well now. I added that spotweld to the clamp because I couldn't get it tight enough to prevent the shift cane from rotating out of position.

Thanks Jerry, I got some "Kid stuff" to do today, but will get some pics posted this afternoon!

**SuperWade2** · 12-13-2008, 07:15 PM

Hard to get a good pic with the drive shaft in... I have linkage removed because I couldn't even get the piece connected... something is still goofy... I didn't spend any time today and hope to look again tomorrow if I get a few minutes...

**SuperWade2** · 12-17-2008, 09:36 PM

I yanked the front driveshaft last night... once I get my kids to bed, I'm going to connect the linkage piece back up and try to get a better pic posted...

I still can't seem to even manually move the Rotator plate on the t-case in either direction (I suspect it was in 4Lo or 2Lo when I yanked the old one off but don't remember for sure.) I should be able to put the tranny in N (3 Spd Auto) and still move that to manually shift the tcase, yes? no? Wade's an idiot? (don't answer that last one)

Tim · 12-17-2008, 09:49 PM

rattle the rear drive shaft when you try to shift with the rotator plate.