Christian Hazel
Brand Manager, Four Wheeler
If you've ever shifted your T-case on the trail with your suspension all crossed up,then you know the misery. You tug, heave, and yank like a bear with his paw in a trap in an effort to row through the gates.
From left to right are the adjustable linkage rod with solid rod ends and T-case shifter bracket, bendable dummy rod for mocking up the bends you'll want to make in the real shifter handle, the shifter handle, Novak's anodized billet aluminum shift knob, and the shift lever bracket assembly. It all goes together easily and Novak's step-by-step instructions are top-notch.
The factory used several styles of shifter setups in Jeeps equipped with NP231, NP241J, NP207, and NP242 T-cases and none of them offers very sure or predictable shifting. Not to mention the myriad of mounting styles. Some assemblies mount to the tub floor, some to the T-case and/or tranny, and some to a little of each. The results can be awkward and unsure shifting when the suspension crosses up, difficult-to-impossible shifter adjustment if a body lift or T-case drop is employed, and a real possibility that the T-case will jump out of gear when things get twisted up.
With plenty of clearance for aftermarket adapters or non-stock tranny cases, the Novak lever bracket mounts to the T-case studs for an easy, clean installation. The shifter assembly offers a ton of mounting variations for the lever pivot assembly and mounting locations, so you'll have no trouble centering and adjusting your shifter for optimal throw and floor clearance.
On our Wrangler we frequently wonder, "Is that all the way in gear?" when shifting with the factory T-case shifter. Plus, we have some drivetrain swap plans for the near future that will surely leave us wanting a cleaner, simpler shifter setup that will work with different drivetrain components. We ordered a universal shifter assembly (PN SK2X) from Novak Conversions and installed it in our driveway in less than an hour. Aside from bending the shifter for optimal angle and reach in your application, there's really nothing to the install. The shifter replaces the balky factory connectors and linkages with solid rod ends, solid steel bar stock, and beefy brackets that give sure and precise shifting no matter what the terrain.
