T56 Shifter Location Change

[TR65]

Hey Guys,

I am putting a T56 6-speed in my 65C10. I am keeping the interior stock looking including the bench seat. I want to make it look like I have the stock 4 speed floor shifter. (I have an orginal shifter rod and black knob.) The T56 shifter is located very far back on the transmission and will come up under the seat.

Kiesler Engineering makes a kit that allows you to move the shifter to the "front" position which is really an inspection port and access to the shifter guide and detent plate. The kit is $200 and includes a new shifter. You can DIY it but it is a bit involved.

Here is my experience installing the kit. I hope it can help someone else with the same problem.

Here are some links I found helpful:

http://www.keislerauto.com/index.php...emart&Itemid=7
(This is the Keisler kit)

http://www.ttcautomotive.com/English...vice%20Manuals (The Tremec service manual for the T56)

Use the above manual or a GM unit repair manual for the T56

http://www.thegearbox.org/T56.html (snap ring kit)

http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...ild/index.html (good T56 rebuild article)

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=925032 (another good T56 rebuild article)

http://0174de9.netsolstores.com/inde...PROD&ProdID=58 (another kit I know nothing about)

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...ter+relocation (more on T56 shifter location change)

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec...ion/index.html (another T56 rebuild article)

[TR65]

More pictures

[TR65]

More Pictures

[TR65]

More Pictures #3

[TR65]

More Pictures #4

[swb85]

Great post!!! I've always been curious what it took to change shifter locations. You got lucky if that 5/6 driven gear came off easily, most of them are really hard to remove without chipping teeth......I've had to cut two of them off they were so tight. I assume you're doing an ls series motor?

[TR65]

Thanks SWB85,

I guess I was lucky. The 5/6 gear had a little fretting corrosion on the fit so maybe the tolerance was not right on it. I put it back with a locktite product made for that. I probably won't be able to get it off again.

I have a complete 6.0 LS2 drivetrain out of a 2005 SSR.

TR

[swb85]

That'll be a really cool truck when you're done, you'll love that LS2. I'm building a nasty 6.0L for my camaro this winter.

[TR65]

Hey guys,

Time for an update. I got the engine and trans mounted. I have a low hump cab and thus need to mount the tranny as close to the cab floor as possible. To do that I let the shifter housing extend up into the cab. I cut 3-1/2" hole in the cab floor and the shifter housing is 3" so I have 1/4" clear all around.

My aim is for the T56 to look like the original granny gear 4 speed. I got an original shifter rod and fabbed a tang to bolt it to the T56. The original type boot won't fit around the shifter housing so I got a boot for a Kenworth on e-bay.

So you can see where the shifter ended up. A little further back than the original 4 speeds but close. So I am ready to take it back apart to paint the shifter rod. For reference the LS engine is mounted 1" forward of the old 283 and 5/8" higher (oil pan clearance) with the usual 3-4 degree tilt toward the back.

TR

[TR65]

Truck is running now. Shifter and tranny work fine. Bit of a long throw with the long shifter rod but thats OK.

TR

[cableguy0]

Thats a very good write up. This should be added to the faq and moved over to the new lsx section as well. Nice clean work btw.

[lrader99]

FYI these transmissions are an utter PIA to take apart. let alone trying to slide the entire case back over the shift rail and not knock it out of alignment...Be prepared to try it more than once

[MB_70]

Wow !!!

[LEEVON]

Hope you don't mind, I posted this on LS1tech.com. Amazing write-up, hope I get to use it someday soon!

[raycow]

Subscribed.

Ray

[ccreddell]

Sure wish I could buy the new shifter receiver all by itself......

[TR65]

LEEVON Re: T56 Shifter Location Change

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Hope you don't mind, I posted this on LS1tech.com. Amazing write-up, hope I get to use it someday soon!

Nope, I don't mind, thanks.

ccreddell Re: T56 Shifter Location Change

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Sure wish I could buy the new shifter receiver all by itself......

ccreddell - Call up Keisler, they would probably sell you just the receiver. The problem is that you still need a special shifter, since the bolt pattern is different than the rear one.

raycow Re: T56 Shifter Location Change

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Subscribed.

MB_70 Re: T56 Shifter Location Change

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Wow !!!

Thanks guys.

I have not had any problems with this set-up and I have 2000+ miles daily driving. I did paint up the shifter rod.

TR

TR

[ccreddell]

Originally Posted by TR65

Call up Keisler, they would probably sell you just the receiver. The problem is that you still need a special shifter, since the bolt pattern is different than the rear one.

Actually, Im very interested in seeing if I can make an adapter plate and use the Hurst shifter from my MG5. Its pivot point is about 3" higher than all the T-56 shifters, and with the long stick, should make for very short throws.

EDIT: Ive heard that Keisler wont sell any parts of this kit separate.......

[TR65]

Got it CCRED,

That is a valuable piece. If you were really into it you could machine one using the existing receiver for some of the dimensions.

There was a guy that used to do this mod in his shop and I think he was machining the receiver. He finally stopped answering questions and deleted all his posts about how to do it. Too much hassle.

TR

[ccreddell]

Originally Posted by TR65

That is a valuable piece. If you were really into it you could machine one using the existing receiver for some of the dimensions.

This is true. And it would allow me to make allowances for possible ball diameter differences and make up for adapter height............

[chevy71c10]

Nice! Just found this thread on the T-56 swap and plan on installing one in my 71 C10 SWB. I have the tranny but have been really concerned about shifter location, throw, and hump mods to cab. I have a low hump cab and plan on installing late model buckets with center foldable console. Thanks for the great write-up on the shifter mod and I plan on contacting Keisler soon on their kit. Please post more pics of the shifter position to seat if available.

Thanks,
Justin

[TR65]

Originally Posted by chevy71c10

Nice! Just found this thread on the T-56 swap and plan on installing one in my 71 C10 SWB. I have the tranny but have been really concerned about shifter location, throw, and hump mods to cab. I have a low hump cab and plan on installing late model buckets with center foldable console. Thanks for the great write-up on the shifter mod and I plan on contacting Keisler soon on their kit. Please post more pics of the shifter position to seat if available.

Thanks,
Justin

Thanks Justin. 4000 happy miles later no problems with the tranny or shifter. Here is a better picture with the seat in.

TR

[chevy71c10]

Hey TR65, Thanks for the additional picture. Very setup you have going! I may have questions in the future regarding how you setup the hydraulic clutch and pedal assembly, but still aways from that work.

Thanks,
Justin

[TR65]

Originally Posted by chevy71c10

Hey TR65, Thanks for the additional picture. Very setup you have going! I may have questions in the future regarding how you setup the hydraulic clutch and pedal assembly, but still aways from that work.

Thanks,
Justin

Justin,

Here is the thread on the hydraulic clutch.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=300087

Enjoy, TR

[theastronaut]

TR65, this how-to (well, all of your write-ups really) is extremely well put together, easy to read and understand, and extremely helpful! I'm currently looking for a T56 for my '66 C10 and this will be super helpful when it's time to relocate the shifter. Many thanks for taking the time to carefully document the process! I'm right down the road in Anderson; I'd love to meet you and take a look at you truck sometime!
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