55.2-59 Column Shifter ... rod or cable

[QBRacing]

Hey all. just after some advise on what people are doing to connect a column change to a 4l60e trans.

I just bought in a lokar ACA1804 however this isn't suitable for a 4l60e trans due to the plastic gear box on the side of the trans. basically once mounted the cable from the support is at to big an angle to the lever to work.

option1
I'm thinking I might make another trans mount and push the support out 25mm to straighten the run but that's likely to impede the exhaust options....

option2
modify the factory 4l60e lever bracket and hope I get the spacing right for the cable join section (which I can get from the lokar lever rod). this would pull the lever arm in and straighten the cable run

option3
it looks like an ACA1800 pushrod style may work but I'm not not sure about making it clear the brake pedal (currently not fitted)

any pics or help appreciated...

[mr48chev]

Having spent a lot of hours on one install getting solid rod linkage fitted around everything and working smoothly a cable linkage sure would solve a lot of issues and a lot of the later GM rigs with a cable shift from the factory.

I know that isn't a lot of help but we have some guys who have used that trans quite a bit who may have some viable suggestions.

Remember folks that he is in Auckland, NZ and running out to the local Pick a part for US made parts isn't going to be something that he can readily do.

I took the liberty of playing with the photo a bit to help folks see what they are looking at easier.

[QBRacing]

Thanks Mr48Chev.

Yes - being in NZ is a hassle but Summit is awesome, I order it Thursday and it arrives Monday..... I also have no probs with touching up my pic ... Im kind of a point shoot and post guy, even with my youtube videos .... 1 take, swear words, farts and all.

I thought I would go with the cable option as other than the plastic box on the side of the trans there is very little difference between the 700r4 , 4l60 and 4l60e.

I also initially didn't think there was going to be enough room around the brake pedal for a push rod and its actually on quite and angle also (see attached). You can see the brake switch arm and the exhaust in the pic also.

At this stage I have taken the Lokar bracket into the local engineering shop and asked them to make me another one but have the hole for the locating cable 25mm further out. I think it should work and clear the exhaust.

I WOUD LOVE ANY PICS (oops) anyone has of there 4l60e / column shifts for ideas just in case.

Q

[mikebte]

I did like mr48chev and used a cable. I really wanted a rod but was unable to make that work. I'll get photos when I can.

[dsraven]

personally I would use a cable if possible. most late model stuff uses a cable that goes through a bracket bolted to the trans housing behind the shifter and the cable is long enough to make a big loop from the front and come through the bracket from the back side. they are adjustable, within reason, so that makes it handy as well. not sure what you're using for a shifter inside but a lot of stock newer vehicles simply connect to the shifter inside the car and the cable exits through a grommet in the floor. some are column shift and others are console shifters.
a couple of links of interest possibly. shows a few brackets and how they are placed. possibly, if you need to come at it from the front, you could rig up a lever arrangement that would change direction of the movement to allow the lever to hang below the shifter shaft instead of above, if thats the issue with clearance for the shift lever and the electronic part. post a few pics of your set up and maybe we can come up with an idea.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/market/1913784

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1203...ImageId=290374

https://documents.holley.com/75498.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljFTJxj-c68

https://www.s10forum.com/threads/4l6...480634&slide=2

[dsraven]

can you take the lever off the trans and flip it around so it lines up better? make a new one from flat stock that has the holes in the correct position from the shaft centerline so the shift detents are in the correct spot when you shift gears?

[jweb]

I have this linkage on my '51 with a 4L60 and it works perfect, not sure how similar your truck is.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/l...SABEgIsKfD_BwE

[Chopped53]

I have the same set up as jweb. I had to bend it to clear the firewall, but it works fine.

[QBRacing]

My steering columns a bit of a hybrid.
top half is 86/88 (ish) Cutlass. we drilled the nylon plug out and replace the lower section with a truck one to swap the bearings out plus the original cutlass shaft had been welded which is a no no over here.
there's now a piece of spring steel holding it all tight and allowing for collapse of the column (just incase things go wrong)

@jweb and chopped
any pics. I tried to show that in my pic on the 3rd post. I imagine there's quite a bend in the bar to clear the brake pedal which is why I went cable option.

@dsraven
suppose I could have chopped and welded as the gear selector isn't part of the steering setup (cant weld any steering components over here). I have a few pics of the column in bits on my build thread (pages 7/8 I think).

My column doesnt protrude very far outside the firewall and I only just have enough room to connect the Lokar linkage arm. I ended up drilling the selector and mounting the c bracket they supply to change the pull angle. refer attachment

[dsraven]

looks like you got it figured out anyway.
a pic a bit further away would maybe be better for reference of relationship between all the parts etc

[QBRacing]

here's one from the top and one from underneath.

the rod faces almost downwards as the cable needs to be pulled. If I didn't use the horse shoe extension the bracket would have needed to face the guard liner and the cable would gave run down through my remote brake resevoir (silver box pick 1)

hope that makes sence

[Chopped53]

Here is the best pic I can find. My truck is stored out of town, so I can't take a fresh one. The rod is angled toward the centre of the truck to clear the brake pedal, then takes a sharp (maybe 60 degree) turn down to the tranny. We just used trial and error (lots of tries and lots of error!) to get the bend right. The Lokar branded rod was easy to work with.

[vintovka]

I put a rod type on mine (350 headers, 700r4, 87 GMC VAN column) it was a PITA to adjust but now works well after many bends and readjustments. Thinking a cable would have been better but concerned about heat from headers. Maybe even a floor shift but not as easy as column shifter.

[MiraclePieCo]

Floor shift

[QBRacing]

Just thought I would make this to show everyone my solution for making the ACA-1804 Lokar gear cable work on a 4L60E when even Lokar told me it wouldnt....

First off... Im no professional, but Im good at thinking outside the box.
Second... Just cause it worked fr me I take no responsibility if you do it and get it wrong.
Third... If you get it wrong you really should be paying someone to work on your truck.

Here is a YOUTUBE VIDEO that I made and have sent the link to Lokar as well. They should be able to incorperate the mods easy enough at no extra cost but thats up to them...


KEEP IN MIND THIS IS FOR A FACTORY GM COLUMN ONLY .... Aftermarket ... well you would need to go do your own maths :p


THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT (if you would rather read than listen to me ramble on on youtube).

When using the horse shoe bracket on the Lokar ACA-1804 there are a couple of holes that can be used depending on where your support bracket is. In my case, almost straight down, so I can only use the last 2.
Measuring the travel distance from those holes to the cable support bracket you get 52mm travel (2nd hole) and 57mm travel (1st hole)

Under the car you need to remove the trans plate Lokar supply you, take it to an engineer (or weld a tab on if you have skills) so that the cable support is 1" outwards of the factory hole. This allows for a straight run to the lever arm.

Remove the Lokar lever arm. locate the 2 holes (a= custom column, b = gm column). Drill a 6.5mm hole (6 is to small so its probably 1/4" or something crazy imperial sized) but I used 6.5mm. Drill a third hole right in the middle of the 2 holes which are about 11mm apart.

The reason for this hole is that if you use the factory hole (b) the cable only pulls 41mm so you dont get full swing. If you use the custom hole (a) the cable moves 64mm (so you the trans stops the column moving.

Weirdly enough... drilling a third hole right in the middle of the two as per my pic gives you 52mm travel...... ahhhh just right as goldilocks would say.

-----------

END NOTE
Yes I could have adjusted the column support bracket and all those measurements from the horse shoe would be different. So keep that in mind before you cut or drill anything.... I liked the bracket horizontal and effectively hidden but the column.


Hope that helps someone else one day...

Q

[bobinbc]

Nice job!