05 v6 AT shifter: Quick tranny linkage overhaul worked...except 2 and L

Hi All,
My 05 v6 AT wouldn't start Monday AM after a frigid weekend in New Hampshire. I knew it wasn't my battery then remembered reading a post or two a while ago that says it's the transmission gear indicator malfunction. I did not get the P0705. The shifter system is clearly corroded somewhere as it is hard to move. Eventually, by just fiddling with the shifter I got it started and went to work. I just did a little work on it this AM.

I just found and followed advice from several other threads. GEARCRUNCHER has some critical info indeed! On drivers side I PB blaster'd the shift linkage arm. Then, on the passenger side, I did the same thing to the Neutral Safety Switch. After putting truck in neutral, I loosened the NSS adjustment bolt and pb blaster'd it. Then, I made sure the NSS would rotate in both directions and lined up the adjustment lines and tightened it up.

Jumped in the truck, started it and ran through the shifter gears. The lube and just moving the shifter made it butter...EXCEPT 2 and L. They are not accessible.

I work on my truck out in my driveway so I plan on just driving it the way it is but I know I need to get my 2 and L back. I'm a firewood scavenger and that is the extent of my off roading these days but I use my 4 Wheel L all the time to get out of the woods with a fully loaded truckbed of wet white Oak.

I think I can handle removing the shift cable from the linkage on drivers side and silicone lube it up good. My biggest hesitation is replacing the NSS. Being a 18 year old New England truck I'm pretty sure I'll struggle a bit to get the nut off and I'm quite sure the NSS will be corroded onto the shaft. I've seen other posts that either ended with transmission fluid leaking or at least the threat of it and some drilled or cut the nut off instead of risking creating a leaky seal around the shift shaft.

This thread has one of the horrifying pictures I'm referring to...I really want to avoid this type of circumstance.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/neutral-safety-switch-removal-issue.427294/

Last time I really struggled was getting the oil pan off to change a leaky gasket...scary how much force I used to break that free from FIPG ;^O

Any tips greatly appreciated. Maybe I'll tend to this sooner than later is the intel is good ;^D