Need Help! FJ Tcase gears not wanting to shift properly

I am almost done with my 4x4 conversion. Im having an issue shifting my tcase back and fourth between 2wd and 4wd. It will go into it but takes me like 3-4 min to get it back to one or the other. Basically it gets stuck in 4lo and takes alot of effort to get it back into 2wd/4high. Everything was working fine before i put in in the truck. I did cut the shifter to work with my conversion. Are the shifter handles designed to have a certain amount of down pressure from one direction? It makes the clicking/ engaging sound when in 4lo/maybe 2wd but not anywhere else along the line but i know it is shifting between them. I verified by spinning the driveshafts below the truck.

Maybe its because everything isnt lubricated?? Although nothing was lubricated when it was off the truck as well. I replaced the shift seat as well so its not that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Im pretty frustrated with it.

yes I know the shifter looks bad but it’s functional lol