98 laramie, 5.9, 4x4

My TC shift rod's trunion piece thing, with the little bolt in it, broke. The tc shifter just "dangles" up there in the cab. If I manually place the tc shift lever into the 2hi, then maybe zip tie the broken rod and stuff under there for the time being, can I still drive the truck until the new shift rod kit gets here? Prob be about a week or so before it comes. I ordered it online this morning. Thanks!

 

Been there, done that. T-case has detents on the linkage inside the case, so what ever position you turn it, it will stay there.

 

Really. So just to make sure I'm explaining it right, the shift rod has that square little piece on it(under truck at tc) and that piece broke, so the rod just sort of hangs down there. I can zip tie it all up so as to not get caught in anything. Then up in the cab the shifter just moves around wherever, as it's not connected anymore to the broken rod underneath. I placed the t case in 2 hi by hand under truck (the 2nd notch from front of truck) and now I can drive it ok, you think? Like, the selector on the case wont pop out of 2h or anything while I'm driving? Or something else happen I don't know of that could?

And you've been there, done that! Sux! I understand your reply, once in the 2hi detent, it's gonna stay. I'm just making sure I comprehend! Sometimes I ain't too bright!

 

You should be ok till your parts come in.

 

Years ago I changed couple of U-joints to front d-shaft. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tighten the d-shaft to flange bolts, and eventually d-shaft fell off bending the shift rod. And as you can see from the pic, bent shift rod was least of my worries. Anyway, I couldn't shift from 4-lo to 2-hi, so I took off the rod and turned the selector with pliers to 2-hi position.

 

Thanks for the help. Drove to store earlier, worked just fine!

The one i ordered doesn't look the same but it says it's for 98- like 01 or so. It's the long skinny silver rod, like the one's after gen2, like for the gen 3's.

Mine looks shorter and fatter. I'm little concerned it won't work right, or good. Or at all! Comes with 2 black rubber grommets things. Just isnt the same shape as the one I had on mine.

Holy crap! is that a hole in the transmission?? You were able to drive it like that, with that giant hole, or you had to do something to be able to drive it? Damn, I just learned I'll be sure to double check flange, u joint, ANY bolts I take off and put back on down there on mine from now on!!

 

I'm thinking about going lowes and getting that turnbuckle thing, with the nuts and washers and building a shift rod. Like the one in the write up on the gen3 forum.

Just not sure if it's the exact same washers and stuff like that. Don't wanna bind the tc shift lever or something else stupid(that I'm always capable of doing for some reason).
I would guess if I make sure it's not angled any sort of way then it'd prob work just fine. Maybe better, last longer, than these aftermarket's last!?

 

Yeah, lost only small amount of oil so I was able to drive it home. Can't remember that did we make any kind of patch to there. But luckily that broken off piece was on the t-case skidplate so I was able to weld it back.



That was easy, this was much worse:





But I manage to weld it together, still going strong after five years.

 

That's what I did