Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks - GM transmission shift cable

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GM transmission shift cable

Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Other Topics
Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
Forum Description: anything you want to talk about except politics
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=209422
Printed Date: 19 Dec 2025 at 3:50pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: GM transmission shift cable

Posted By: Coke-in-MN
Subject: GM transmission shift cable
Date Posted: 19 Dec 2025 at 11:17am

Seems my 2010 GMC shift cable dropped off lever that operates the selector on transmission 3 times in last week .
Replaced the bushing with Dorman repair kit and 2 days later it fell off again .
The small tang on the operating arm is suppose to snap into nylon bushing but seems to come loose with little or no effort , shifting in or out of Park is enough to dislodge cable .
Now wondering on a repair that keeps the cable attached as this crawling under truck to put cable back in place is NOT a Easy Fix when in traffic areas .
Clearance of arm to transmission case if using a bolt in unit presents a clearance problem unless welding and drilling is done .
Wonder if GM has a actual FIX or recall on this problem - Truck only has 30,000 on it but 15 years of age , but new bushing still fails

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Life lesson: If you’re being chased by a lion, you’re on a horse, to the left of you is a giraffe and on the right is a unicorn, what do you do? You stop drinking and get off the carousel.

Replies:

Posted By: DanWi
Date Posted: 19 Dec 2025 at 12:14pm

On my !999 3500 the end of the cable broke down by the transmission. I took a small piece of metal and made a little splint that wrapped around both ends of the broken piece. Then used zip ties to hold it together. Ran it that way for a few weeks till I got it fixed. Dot a new genuine GM part on Amazon in less than 24 hours. The new cable goes to the back thru the tunnel then under the driver's seat then forward to the firewall shifter. It wasn't a job I wanted to do so had my local garage fix it, They were familiar with it and also found a bracket under the steering column that cracks. They took that out and down the street to have that welded up. Its weird because the column shifter has no detents they are all in the transmission so your shift lever just falls down. That's the problem with new stuff made cheap and out of plastic. Remember the old shifters that had a rod going right to the transmission with a metal ball joint on the end.

Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 19 Dec 2025 at 1:11pm

if the new bushing can not be retained on the original arm / stud... then you probably need to remove the arm, replace the stud with a bolt and nut...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Typ0hxla7w" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Typ0hxla7w

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.

Posted By: Coke-in-MN
Date Posted: 19 Dec 2025 at 3:17pm

What I was thinking of doing is using a bolt and washers , weld bolt to arm and lock nut on threads . As I have one truck in shop and have to do the work outside , it might have to wait . See you can buy a new arm (Dorman 74125 Shift Lever Arm) for around $11 but wonder if that would be the fix or use tie wraps for now until it gets warmer to work outside .
Again the curse of not building the shop big enough to get more than one vehicle in .
32 x 45 use to seem large enough - and then THINGS filled it up

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Life lesson: If you’re being chased by a lion, you’re on a horse, to the left of you is a giraffe and on the right is a unicorn, what do you do? You stop drinking and get off the carousel.