Has anyone ever installed one of these?

[ttthiel]

Like the title says has anyone ever installed a ratchet shifter in a 4th gen. I have a 5 speed transmission which is the 545rfe right? If anyone has how big of a pain is it to install and any issues with it or is there a better manufacturer than B&M?

Here is the link to the only one I have found thus far:
http://www.airram.com/product.php?categoryid=819&productid=1127

 

[Spud2388]

I'm not up to par with this but I believe ours are all electronic and they don't have a cable to shift anything. Could be wrong though.

 

[ttthiel]

I'm not up to par with this but I believe ours are all electronic and they don't have a cable to shift anything. Could be wrong though.

Even on the 2010’s? Because I have the column shifter

 

[Spud2388]

Even on the 2010’s? Because I have the column shifter

Yes, I think so. I think I read that the column, rotary, and console shifters are all electronic, hence they can be swapped around depending on transmission. Again, don't quote me on this though...

 

[ttthiel]

Yes, I think so. I think I read that the column, rotary, and console shifters are all electronic, hence they can be swapped around depending on transmission. Again, don't quote me on this though...

Hmm interesting. Can anyone else confirm this? And thanks for the help!

 

[GordDavey]

The 6-speed transmission uses a cable to shift, either a column shift or a console shift. Some people have converted from column to console shift, as the 09 to 12 ? had an option for console shift that doesn't seem to be available on later models.
The 8-speed transmissions are electronic shift only.

 

[ttthiel]

The 6-speed transmission uses a cable to shift, either a column shift or a console shift. Some people have converted from column to console shift, as the 09 to 12 ? had an option for console shift that doesn't seem to be available on later models.
The 8-speed transmissions are electronic shift only.

Thanks for the input! So now that I have one person saying electronics and one saying cable does anyone else have knowledge of this just to confirm?

 

[Jimmy07]

Thanks for the input! So now that I have one person saying electronics and one saying cable does anyone else have knowledge of this just to confirm?

Confirming @GordDavey, 6 speed column and center console shifters use cable. 8 speeds are the only shift by wire.

 

[ttthiel]

Confirming @GordDavey, 6 speed column and center console shifters use cable. 8 speeds are the only shift by wire.

Perfect that’s what I thought but just wanted to double check! Thanks guys!

 

[Bird]

Also confirming 6 speeds are cable - I've had to clean muddy rocks away from my shift cable.

 

[Spud2388]

What they all said.... Thanks guys for the correction.

 

[ttthiel]

So if I were to go with that B&M shifter how does the electric + and - buttons for manual mode tie into this shifter? Definitely not enough information on this subject anywhere else.

 

[GordDavey]

The 6-Speed Trans, only has shifting for P, R, N, D. The various drive gears are automatically controlled, I would assume by the Transmission Control Module and you can manually control the shift with the + and - on the column shift (called an auto stick). So as I understand it, there are just the 4 shift positions, how that meshes with that B&M that shows P down to D, 2, 1, I do not know. Perhaps the B&M cables shifts the P R N D, and sends the same signals as the auto stick column shift for + and - and they show it as gear 2 and 1 ? You'd have to read the B&M manual to figure out the details. I imagine if it is made for this truck, then they've solved it in some way that should be documented.

 

[magician]

Haven't see none of those things since I was teenager. Saw one in 68 Camaro that pull the front wheels off the ground. Thanks for the memory jog.