auto to manual

[Kuke]

Well i know this has probably been on here a bunch of times but i cant use the search since im not a member. I have found most of the info in need for the swap but i still have 2 questions. First for a little backround info i have a 78 k5 with a auto trans and im swapping it for a sm465 and np205 out of a late 70s 1 ton. My first question is do i have to swap my steering column? And my second question is my k5 has a 3in body lift and what do i have to do to extend the mechanical clutch linkage?

 

[tRustyK5]

Posted on the home page...

http://coloradok5.com/auto2manual.shtml

Rene

 

[Kuke]

Yeah i read that but it doesent say if he had to swap the steering column and he used a hydro clutch and im using a mechanical set up.

 

[tRustyK5]

You don't 'have' to swap the column...remove the tranny lever and it'll be fine. You just won't have a proper neutral safety switch. The stock manual trucks you have to depress the clutch to start them. Most manual guys disable that anyways so the truck can be restarted in gear on the trail.

As for the mech linkage, the rod going down through the floor would be the best place to make the correction. The 'Z' bar and remaining linkage lives between the bellhousing and the frame, neither of which are moving up or down with a body lift.

Rene

 

[Kuke]

ok thank you. that cleared it up for me. I pulled out my auto trans today and took off the flexplate and made sure it was the same size as the one i got with my manual trans. it looked to be the same but when i went to put it on the center hole and the bolt pattern was smaller. why is this?

 

[tRustyK5]

The donor tranny and T-case should have come with a flywheel, not a flex plate. It could be the donor had a newer one piece rear main seal engine, and your current truck has the older two piece rear main seal. The back of the two respective crankshafts is not the same, so you may have to get the correct flywheel for your current engine.

Rene

 

[Kuke]

yeah the donor came with a flywheel. im going to go to the junkyard today to try and find the right one. thanks for your help.

 

[MTMike]

Here's my build thread from last summer where I did pretty much the same thing.
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233153

I kept the same column and it works fine.... for the sake of saving an hour of stupid troubleshooting, just make sure that you know that if you bump the area where the shifter handle used to attach, it triggers the "In-park" safety switch and won't let the truck start until you move it back to the "P" position. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[udy2554]

Done that too. It offers a pretty good security mode. If you go open top. Just mmove the column "into gear". I've pulled my dist. all apart, not to mention alot of wires, just to find out I somehow moved the old auto shifter into gear.

I am also in the middle of a swap from a 700 to a 465/205, with mechanical linkage. My last Blazer had a 2" body lift, I just lengthened the rod that tRustyK5 mentioned. Every thinbg worked quite well.

 

[BlazerBoyK5]

Did you lengthen the rod that goes through the floor or the or the threaded one that that pushes on the clutch fork? I am curious because i am thinking about adding a 1inch body lift to clear 38s.

 

[udy2554]

I lengthened the rod that goes through the floor. It's kind of funny, now I need to cut that piece out, my "new" Blazer has no body lift, as opposed to the older one that had the 2" BL.

 

[Kuke]

ok i got the right flywheeel today and the clutch pedal and the rod that goes through the floor. all i need now is the rest of the linkage. Thanks for all the replies.