Extending shifter for body lift

[bigdaddy69420]

I'm sure the majority of you here are already familiar with the mildly annoying clearance issues that you get when you do a small body lift on manual transmission trucks. It looks like in the past certain companies used to sell modified shift levers to extend up and make it easier to shift into second fourth and reverse. Those days are long gone so my idea was to pull the shifter out and cut it, and then find some round steel stock at Menards and have a shop weld it in to bring the shift knob up higher. I'm wondering if any of you guys have ever done something like that and any advice you may have in regards to how I should reshape the shifter since I'm basically doing it fully custom. Eventually going to put a t-handle Hurst shifter. Mostly just looking for a few inches of height and also to solve the problem of making it harder to shift into second fourth and reverse

And it's the 2002 4 cylinder with the 5-speed

 

[OldBuzzard]

Depending on where the shifter is being blocked, you might be able to just move your console back a little to free it up.

If you do a Motor Mount Lift, it will make it even worse. But if you do a Tummy Tuck (or partial), it will make it better. Both together may put the shifter back where it belongs.

If you're not planning on either of those, there are some threads on here about modifying the shifter. Try googling this:
site:wranglertjforum.com modify shifter

 

[GATORB8]

If you are dead set on doing it, I'd also sleeve it.

In the late 90s I had extensions welded into the trans and t-case shifters on a Toyota (the extensions came with the BL). Both broke multiple times over the years, it always happened in the mud and far from home.

 

[bigdaddy69420]

If you are dead set on doing it, I'd also sleeve it.

In the late 90s I had extensions welded into the trans and t-case shifters on a Toyota (the extensions came with the BL). Both broke multiple times over the years, it always happened in the mud and far from home.

What does it mean to sleeve it? And yeah I wasn't sure if it was at risk to break but I figured we aren't really putting a whole lot of force onto a shifter unless you're a moron, and welding is a very strong way of attaching 2 metals

 

[Wildman]

Back in the days of 3" & 4" body lifts Yes they used to sell modified shifters....
This is a little different but to give you an idea, here is a shifter modified for a V-8 swap where the transmission is moved forward about 2"
But as everyone has already stated for a 1.25" body lift it hasn't been needed in most cases. I had a 1.25" on my 4 popper and don't remember any issues.

 

[GATORB8]

What does it mean to sleeve it? And yeah I wasn't sure if it was at risk to break but I figured we aren't really putting a whole lot of force onto a shifter unless you're a moron, and welding is a very strong way of attaching 2 metals

Well, I was in my teens, so moron was probably a good descriptor, but the extensions were welded in low on the shifters, ensuring a built in lever arm. IIRC, the shifter always broke in a 1-R rock, the transfer in the 4L shift.

It looks like @Wildman 's post demonstrates what I mean by sleave, welding a tube cut in half over the extension once it's welded in.

 

[bigdaddy69420]

Okay I see what thats doing. Good idea. I'm not sure how big my body lift is but I definitely am getting some small amount of interference when shifting into the 2-4-R and occasionally makes me not fully in the gear I choose. Been driving 15 years on all sorts of stick cars and trucks so I know its not me. Gonna take the shroud off and see what sort of modification the rod needs plus also add a couple inches of height to it so I don't feel like I'm driving a sports car with the short shifter

 

[GATORB8]

Okay I see what thats doing. Good idea. I'm not sure how big my body lift is but I definitely am getting some small amount of interference when shifting into the 2-4-R and occasionally makes me not fully in the gear I choose. Been driving 15 years on all sorts of stick cars and trucks so I know its not me. Gonna take the shroud off and see what sort of modification the rod needs plus also add a couple inches of height to it so I don't feel like I'm driving a sports car with the short shifter

If it's just close on one side, you could probably heat it with a torch in a vise and bend it a little.

The factory isolators are less than an inch from memory, you should be able to look at any body mount and tell.