how do i get to the cable lever pivot point on the top of the steering column

Read up on this page: http://www.justanswer.com/chevy/1ltsd-95-lumina-ls-3-1-column-shifter-stiff-cold-weather.html ......I know it says '95 but are same. Age? You are kidding right? I say 35 from your avatar but arthritis can strike even before then. best of luck, there is some good information at that site

Lovely compliment. I am 68 but take excellent care of myself. I appreciate your response so quickly. I have been researching this problem for a couple of days and had one 18 yr chevy mechanic say it was seldom the cable but that prior to 1999 the pivol bolt was not good and it needed grease or replace it with a bolt they starting using in 1999. Many people replied saying they did that and it was fixed. My car only has 67k miles and only shifts hard when it is cold. If it was the cable, why would it run fine and shift easily all the rest of the time? It goes into gear and stays into gear and runs great so if the cable was bad, after 8 years it seems the transmission would not allow it change gears eventually. I know I can remove the steering cover but have no pictures available to identify the cable or pivot so I realize this is something I probably cannot do. Unfortunately, I live in an area where I have yet found a mechanic that was good as well as honest except the one that works on my 17 yr old Sears lawn tractor. I usually troubleshoot it thru research online so he has heads up for what to look at first. I am not always right but he has always appreciated what I find and share with him. I love this car and do not want it put in the hands of a butcher which is possible here in northern VA. I hope to have this car for as long as I am driving. I take excellent care of it and have all the checks done at the correct time and oil changed every 3k miles. The windshield is getting a bit hazy but then so am I. :-) Sherry