http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/shifters/sk2xc.htm

well i bought this to replace my old linkage that seemed to be falling apart after the x-case drop i did. it was alot more then i wanted to spend but i figured this would be a semi painless way to get my linkage working again. Boy was i wrong!

everywhere in the link on the page they talk about how easy this is to install. 1-2 hours install time max. right off the bat i knew it wasn't going be so. everything to do with the factory bracket that is held on to the xcase with two studs was a major PAIN. instructions say to just simply unbolt the two bolts. you can get the bottom one but for the life of me i couldn't get the top one and i have all the goodies. after trying every possible combination of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 hardware i decided i need to go another route. i ended up having to stick my grinder up in there and cut away at the old bracket so i could get a wrench in there. this took me a couple extra hours and is something i'm still pissed about.

now comes the time to put the new bracket on. it a tight squeeze in there but i couldn't get the damn thing to slid on there for the life of me. for an hour i beat my self up laying on my back trying to orientate this damn thing all kinds of different ways to get it to slide on. i kept thinking to myself " this thing is only supposed to take an hour to install what the heck am i doing wrong?" i didn't even suspect that it was all a mess up on novaks end considering how simple this was said to be. after about another hour in the hot new jersey son laying on my driveway being swarmed by ants i decided something definitely isn't right here. after getting somebody to hold up the bracket for me while i looked between the cross member and the xcase, i could clearly see the the bracket is getting caught on on of the cooling fins on my transmission. the bracket is supposed to clear around it but it just doesn't, by a good half inch.

frustrated and sweaty as hell i decided to give novak a call. i told them what was going on and the guy just kept saying "that doesn't sound right the bracket is designed to go on there" no sh**, but its obviously not. after going back and forth with him he ask me to send him a picture of where it is hitting. so i do and i get this call back. " umm yeah it looks like you have the ax15 trans (which i do) we've had problems with that bracket hitting in the past (hey that explains all the trouble i had getting the old one off) but we have since fixed the problem, so that bracket should work" so your telling me you've had this problem before and you've supposedly fixed it and all you can tell me is it should fit? he asked if i had any means of cutting the bracket to make it clear and i said i did but i shouldn't have to do this for a product that promises a smooth and seamless instal. if i had known it was going to take any more then 5 or 6 hours of my time i would have saved my $200. instead i'm stuck with my jeep off the road, trying to get back and forth to work while working 55 hours a week trying to find time to work on the jeep when i get a minute.

so buyer beware. all novak did for me was say good luck buddy. a complete waste of money and time in my opinion. i'll put some pics up when i can get to them they aren't on my phone

** also another thing i forgot to add that pertains to this system not working with 5pd jeeps is that the bend in the cable is resting up against, with a good amount of force too, my slave cylinder. i'm not sure yet if this is going to cause any issues with my slave but i wouldn't be surprised if it does..