# Allison trans shift cable broke



## jrodgers (Feb 14, 2001)

Was out plowing when my trans shift cable broke (cable that goes from shifter to trans). Has anyone had this problem? This is a 01 2500hd d/a combo, with 53,000 miles on it. Should I complain to Chevy to fix it? I actually ordered the cable already($126) but as I think about it, should it have gone at 53,000 miles? Not the only problems I have had with this truck. This was one of the early 2500hd with the d/a combo. Got it in Feb of 01. I will never buy the first year production of anything again, I think that was alot of the problem. Of course I had to be the first one to have one, and now I'm paying the price. I still love the truck but I am having a hard time relying it. Trans went at 18,000, last year got stuck because the neutral lock out switch went, tail gate straps both broke (re-called), now this with the cable. Did not get stuck with the cable broke because I was determined to get my work done so at 2am I came up with a way to shift by taking half the cable (2 piece cable) feeding it up through the cab floor and shifting it with vise grips, (yes it was a b--ch) but I was able to plow another couple days like that but that is another story for another thread!


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

Never really heard of that. Did your cable get some mositure in it and get realy stif and you brake it when you forced it or what? 

You lost a NSBU switch early on at 18k? Or you took out the trans at 18k? Or you took out the trans becasue the NSBU switch died.

NSBU switch is a 50$ part and can be changed in the field easily, I ran with a spare for awhile incase mine died. I had a black one and its a POS, I now have TAN and recomend if you dont have a tan switch you buy one and carry it as a spare so you arnt down at 2am if you are out plowing. Sucks only having 3rd gear with no reverse


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## jrodgers (Feb 14, 2001)

No the trans went at 18,000 , not even plowing with the truck then. The NLOS went another time. And the cable went this last time. I have no idea how the cable broke it wasnt hard to shift or anything, there was no way I could see to even prevent this. I wouldnt even know where the NLOS is to keep a spare one. I know old trucks but with all this stuff new ones have Im not to great. That is why I have a newer truck so I dont have to go through this.


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## redhenny16 (Feb 13, 2004)

I had mine break at about 20,000 miles. I was at Lowes at the time it happened and the truck was parked agaist a curb. The only way that I could shift it was to crawl under the truck and do it by hand with the park brake set. I had to go in reverse first since I couldn't push the truck by myself, and needless to say I was a little nervous about being under my running truck and shifting the Allison into reverse with only the park brake holding the truck. But it worked, and I replaced the cable and all is well now. Make sure that you replace both halves of your shift cable.


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## jrodgers (Feb 14, 2001)

That is exactly what I did, and boy do I know that feeling of being under the truck and shifting all I could think of was reading in the paper how plow guy gets crushed by his own truck. How hard was it to replace the cable any problem or things I should look out for? I did get both becuase it broke right where the two join together. I just posted the whole story about when it broke on the plowing forum under "Story of survival dont give up" check it out.


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

The NSBU switch is located on the driver side of the trans right were the cable attaches to it. Factory comes with a crap.....er i mean black switch. The good one is a tan colored switch.

The switch tell the truck and the trans what gear its in. Switch goes bizerk and you trans defaults having 3rd gear(no 1-2, 4-5 or revers) park and nutral. Sometimes cycling through the gear selector and or shutting off the truck will wake it up and you wont have the "shift range inhibited" message

You take off the 2 electrical connectors, the cable(15m IIRC), take off the 2 bolts(13m IIRC) and throw that old POS under the tire so you can run it over once you get your truck running. Take the new switch and slide it onto the shaft. Its got a flat spot on the shaft and a flat spot on the switch, Try a slight amount of lube to aid it sliding, its a pretty tight fit, there is a metal clip thingy that holds the plastic spinning inside of the switch in its place, dont remove this little line up deal untill you tighten down the 2 13m(IIRC) bolts holding the switch in place. You may have to move the shaft to get it in the right position.....I think it should be in park but I cant 100% remeber, it may need to be in nutral. Then remove the metal clip and put the littl black plastic peice in place and then put the linkage on the shaft and install the nut, you may have to place the gear selector in a different gear depending....I cant 100% remember.


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## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)

I never looked at my truck, I have a 03. If it black. I think I'll just replace it. dones the GMC dealer have the tan ones? or do I have to get it from the Alison dealer? not worth losing $$ over a cheap part.


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

GM has the tan ones, so does allison. gmdieseltech.com should have em online and realativly cheap. There is a TSB, I would bet that if you went in describing the symptoms they would fix it for you. Mine wasnt acting up when I brought it in but it was before hand, they didnt bat an eye, they just siad, sounds like the TSB, we are swaping your switch. The black ones dont seal well and get shorted and crap out. I have heard people killing the tan ones although i didnt over 30k(mine died very early in its life) It kinda pisses me off that GM puts the black ones on still, they know that weather can piss em off and just figure if the customer runs into problems then we will fix it, till then we will keep throwing the crappy ones on.

50$ or so IIRC for the switch and its a very easy fix. I have also heard that it is considered an emmision item and is thus covered under your 100k emieion warantee.


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## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)

My truck only has 9000 miles on it, and don't have a problem with it but I'll put the switch in inventory. In case I have a problem at 3 am.


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## redhenny16 (Feb 13, 2004)

The Allison shift cable isn't to bad to replace, the hardest part is getting it routed up and around the steering column. It has to weave through a bracket on the column mount. Also make sure that you adjust it correctly when you put the two halves together. If you don't know the adjustment procedure, ask and I will post it tomorrow.


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## jrodgers (Feb 14, 2001)

No Im not to familiar with it so that would be cool......


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## redhenny16 (Feb 13, 2004)

Ok, when installing your Allison shift cable first place both the shifter and the trans in nuetral. Next install both halves and then slide the two cable halves together and push the cable housings together until the blue spring on shift cable is fully compressed. This will engage the inner wire and lock both cables together. Sometimes the cables come together so in that case don't worry about the first step. Next release the cable houseings and allow the blue spring to tension/adjust the shift cable system. Pull the white cover on the shift cable end back and then push the natural colored lock button down to engage the locking teeth on the shift cable end. Next release the white cover. Verify that the white cover conceals the natural colored lock and you are done.


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