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Winters Sidewinder 4L80e shift cable too long

Shawn

Shawn

Nuckin Futz!
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Has anyone had issues with the Winters Sidewinder shift cable being too long? This is on the 4L80 model. I shortened it as much as I could at the shifter but its still 1/2" too long. The only option I have is to cut the threaded cable part (which won't leave much of the threads) or make an adapter on the transmission bracket and move the cable back.

20190630_190546.jpg

#3 is 1/2" too long
4l80diagram.jpg
 
Greg Ducato said:
My vote is to move the cable back, can you get the bracket bolt holes to line up with pan bolts further to the rear? Sometimes you have to slot the bracket for an exact fit
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the same thing. Much easier to get a small piece of metal plate and drill 4 holes in it. I can move it back 3/4" to allow some adjustment on the threaded end that attaches to transmissions shift arm.
 
Here's my quick fix for this in case anyone else runs into this issue on the same shifter. Moved the cable mount back 3/4" to allow some adjustment. I also found you can't shorten the threaded shaft at the shifter too much. It will cause it NOT to go into first. Had to take it back out and fix that.

Ignore the blue lines. Measured wrong and had to re-mark. Drill holes are correct.
20190703_183936.jpg

20190704_093745.jpg
20190704_185405.jpg
 
I didn't see this sooner, but yes I had the same problem and similar solution.
 
When I installed mine (th400) the directions had the bracket backwards.
 
I had to go back and read my build again. I had 2 problems with mine. First was like @Shawn with needing to modify the bracket.

I also had trouble with the lever on the shaft. When it was in 2nd gear the lever and cable were in-line and I could shift into 1st. I had to modify the lever by welding an extra one I had onto the other. Then I could get the transmission into 1st. If you're interested it's in here: https://ck5.com/forums/threads/89-r...onversion-beyond.303347/page-172#post-3866868

@Shawn I would be curious if you ran thru all the gears and if you had trouble getting into 1st like I did.
 
Greg Ducato said:
Mission accomplished, well done! what did the console come out of??
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Thanks! Console is from 2015-2019 F150. Fits nice! I have more pics of it on my build thread. I got a good deal on ebay and looked to be a take out since it was never used. I imagine a police or fire truck.

mrk5 said:
I didn't see this sooner, but yes I had the same problem and similar solution.
Click to expand...
Good to know.

skunked said:
When I installed mine (th400) the directions had the bracket backwards.
Click to expand...
I was double checking the instructions with that. The TH400 goes on the inside, 4L80E goes on outside. I tried to mount the linkage on the inside but it hits the pan. The only way is the illustration above.

mrk5 said:
I had to go back and read my build again. I had 2 problems with mine. First was like @Shawn with needing to modify the bracket.

I also had trouble with the lever on the shaft. When it was in 2nd gear the lever and cable were in-line and I could shift into 1st. I had to modify the lever by welding an extra one I had onto the other. Then I could get the transmission into 1st. If you're interested it's in here: https://ck5.com/forums/threads/89-r...onversion-beyond.303347/page-172#post-3866868

@Shawn I would be curious if you ran thru all the gears and if you had trouble getting into 1st like I did.
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm not impressed with the gate notches matching what gear you are in. I had to get just close enough so reverse works and 1-2 works. It will engage in first but won't go all the way down which is ok. 1st to 2nd it barely engages before hitting the gate stop. Then its fine after that. You really have to fine tune it to shift it correctly. I wonder if the trans. shifter arm is off at all? I'll have to look at your thread and see what you did.
 
It's been in there a year and I haven't had trouble. I've had the same shifter for 10 years and both the gates and the lever are showing signs of wear and I don't know if that helps or hurts in this case. :doah:
 
I see what you did with the arm and welded another one. If it doesn't shift right then I may have to do the same. Can't take it out for a drive until I get the brakes and hydraulic bled. I did make a call to Winters Performance. Tech guy Dean is out but will call me back Monday. If we both had the issue then its all of them. I bought my Winters shifter awhile back ago so I wonder if they have a revised version of the bracket/arm. I tried to google search on this. Someone else reported the same problem but have not seen if Winters has addressed this common issue.
 
Shawn said:
I see what you did with the arm and welded another one. If it doesn't shift right then I may have to do the same. Can't take it out for a drive until I get the brakes and hydraulic bled. I did make a call to Winters Performance. Tech guy Dean is out but will call me back Monday. If we both had the issue then its all of them. I bought my Winters shifter awhile back ago so I wonder if they have a revised version of the bracket/arm. I tried to google search on this. Someone else reported the same problem but have not seen if Winters has addressed this common issue.
Click to expand...
My bracket kit was new which is why I had an extra lever. The other lever was from the 700r4 the 4l80 replaced. I was afraid to order another one just to find out it was not because I received the wrong kit. After seeing this thread I'm glad I didn't, because it would have been more of the same.

My transmission was from a 95 K3500. Not knowing which year you have, I wonder if there's any chance the kits work better on the newer model 4l80.

Smokinthehippies said:
Are we all just gonna pretend the picture he put up almost every item is labeled as #3?? I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.
Click to expand...
Maybe there-in lies the problem. :haha:
 
Glad I saw this, I'm having the same issue on my winters shifter I put in my SAS'd suburban. As of right now it won't go into 1st gear. I'm gonna do this and see if I can get it working right.

Thanks! :waytogo:
 
@mrk5 I saw your fix too in your thread you linked above. I think I'll do both of those on mine to get it to shift right. It sounds like this is obviously a problem with Winters and they should get it figured out
 
Smokinthehippies said:
Are we all just gonna pretend the picture he put up almost every item is labeled as #3?? I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.
Click to expand...
LOL yeah I noticed that after I posted. Its longer "somewhere" in that area. :D

When I talk to Dean at Winters, I'll post back what he has to say. Now that we have a thread with several people reporting the same issue, they should have some kind of fix. I thought I was going crazy with this thing and I'm glad I'm not the only person having problems with shifting. Something is definitely off on the geometry. If I make it perfect with reverse, 1 and 2 are off. If I adjust it at 1 or 2 then reverse is off. Just sucks spending the money on this shifter and its cable and shift points are way off.
 
Shawn said:
LOL yeah I noticed that after I posted. Its longer "somewhere" in that area. :D

When I talk to Dean at Winters, I'll post back what he has to say. Now that we have a thread with several people reporting the same issue, they should have some kind of fix. I thought I was going crazy with this thing and I'm glad I'm not the only person having problems with shifting. Something is definitely off on the geometry. If I make it perfect with reverse, 1 and 2 are off. If I adjust it at 1 or 2 then reverse is off. Just sucks spending the money on this shifter and its cable and shift points are way off.
Click to expand...

That's the exact same issues I have currently. Since mine doesn't even have a front drive-shaft yet (so been using for other duties) I just have reverse setup correctly, and I can't get it down into 1st right now.

When I was installing it, I literally was having the same feelings that I thought I was going crazy. I have the exact same shifter in my blazer with a 700r4 and it was perfect right out of the box, that's why when I was installing it on the 4l80e, I thought for sure I was doing something wrong. Glad I came across this thread to realize it isn't just me
 
I think the slot in the lever isn't quite clocked right and may not be the correct length either. Otherwise I think the gates are fine on the shifter itself.
 
Got a call from Dean from Winters today. They said they have ran into that problem. He said it stems from the 95+ transmissions shift shaft makes the arm go back too far. This Sonnax part apparently fixes the issue but sounds like you may need to drop the pan. At that point I'm tempted to just make a shift arm that clocks it forward. I thought my transmission was older than 95 so I will need to try to find date code on mine and verify. Curious on people having problems if the transmission is 95 and newer or older.

Dean mentioned they are revising the instructions to reflect that Sonnax part but don't plan to make a different arm.


Sonnax Part No. 38511-03K
https://www.sonnax.com/parts/2142-manual-shift-shaft-kit
 
I actually bought a Sonax shaft because mine had the longer shaft for neutral safety switch that I removed. I don't remember them having the options you link now. Obviously mine wasn't intended to fix the shifter problem.
 
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