Ok, now to recap and cram all of this into one post:
TK-4, FM145 and C5 use the shorter linkage assembly with a different lever into the cab, shift gate and t-case lever
The FM146, M5OD and A4LD use the longer linkage assembly with their own lever into the cab, shift gate and t-case lever.
To complicate things most 83-85 transfer cases had levers that were not removable. 85’s were kind of a mixed bag between removable and non removable but the transmissions that used the shorter one thinned out as time went on. Most ‘85 A4LD’s had the removable longer lever. 85-87 FM145’s had the removable shorter lever.
It would take some work to fabricate a longer lever to a shorter one. They are a really odd length and the rectangular hole is straight to the lever with the shorter ones and turned at an angle on the longer ones.
My A4LD lever:
Trying to mount the longer A4LD setup on C5 = epic fail...
Compared to the shorter gear lever set:
My longer t-case lever I tried to make fit by shortening and welding, note the hole orientation:
Here is the lever I pulled out of an '85 B2 with a 5-speed transmission last weekend, the rest of the linkage looked like what I got out of a C5. I didn't really look at the tranny to id it, I spotted the linkage and knew it had the lever I needed. The shorter detachable lever is something of a bugger to turn up.
There is a "AA" stamped on the back, dunno what that means or if it is unique to that lever.
This is one of the stupid little "getcha" things nobody thinks about when they set about swapping transmissions and transfer cases, thanks to Totalled, Copperhead and Capt Jay for helping me through this.