TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Hey All,
I thought I would share my Tap up / Tap Down GM Column shifter project for a 6L80E transmission.

I want to thank all that participated in my questions regarding shifter styles, wiring diagrams, and links to information.

First off I ordered a column shifter from a 2008 truck GM # 22834629. It was 30$ on ebay.

Here is a amazon link but too expensive (but you get the idea) TU/TD GM Shifter

I figured 30 bucks was worth a try as I did not like the toggle switch floating around the cab or trying to drive and switch gears like that.

I will be posting pictures and links as I can.

Picture is of a short Chrome stock tilt column shifter next to the newer shifter

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Before I did anything I needed to find out how to get the switch portion to work. The stock wiring uses just 2 wires. Well that made it a challenge as I knew I needed 3 wires 12v in and 2 outputs for TU/TD.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

This is the switch’s circuit board with the stock resistors.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

I used my small soldering iron and removed the stock resistors.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

After I removed the resistors. I drew up a schematic on exactly how the switch worked. Then I soldered a bridge on the circuitboard to allow the switch to work as needed. I did have to add a third wire To the circuitboard.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Since I could not find how to utilize the tow/haul button. I decided to just use one of the white wires for the switch. The wires are inside a hard plastic stealth inside the shifter. Possibly I could have just added another fine wire but I don’t have plans to use the tow haul button I figured it would be easy to use.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

The first picture is the shifter back together.

Second picture is how to wire the resisters.

Third is a look at the covering of the wires and how it exits the shifter.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

So with the testing of the switch and it working correctly.
I focused on the other end of the shifter and how I was going to make it work with the old column.
As you an see in the pictures I was able to until I read the existing hole just have to drill out a little. I don’t remember the size but I think it was 7/32”.

I didn’t put the curve in it as the shape of the shifter would have hit the steering wheel while trying to put it in gear.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

First attempt didn’t work to well

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Second time was a lot better. I had to buy a mill bit and use a mill style vice. Not ideal but worked out

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Ok so I got the TIG welder out and started to weld and cool weld and cool.
Tough to keep the heat out of the shifter and not melt the wiring inside. But I took my time and it turned out well.
Last picture is it cleaned up with a disc sander and painted.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

On to the test fit.
Got in the column nice. I did make a small thin Teflon shim to take up a little gap. The shin was like .005 think. It took out the little bit of slop.
The boot you see is a column shift grommet for a 56 Chevy Bel Air.
It fit on the plastic groove on the shifter.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Very nice! Great work!

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Thank you!

I do want to reference 87Skier as he helped me with the wiring end of it

Here is a link to his thread. I do not think I can do it any justice
87Skier's thread Post #18

I will post pictures of how I wired it!

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

The linked thread of 87skier has the links to the resisters I used.
I bought 5 each as they were very cheap.
In the pictures below you an see the resisters in a loop.
I just cut to length and solder everything together like in the schematic shown under the resisters on the note pad.

The next picture I put them online and hear shrunk them together and put a couple of small mollex type connectors.
The pigtail on the shifter is long enough to go through the rubber column grommets and under dash about 2 inches. There is where I connected to the resister pigtail via the connectors. Then 1 wire to the trans and the other to switched power.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Here is the first test run before I fine tuned the shifts. It was hard to check things out and video tape at the same time.

https://youtu.be/Zoy-VQZU_qQ

https://youtu.be/qg8ciNAMja8

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

You should sell these. I'm not ever good with circuitry but this is exactly what I'm looking for

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

im missing something here....

there's no need to mod the switch unless the resistors are wrong? correct? what did i miss?

the signal, out from switch, is all you need... and its already there, pin 3. Pin 4 is 12v in to the tap switch section of the switch. other 2 wires is simple momentary for tow/haul.

power goes in, goes through all 3 resistors and out to trans at X.X volts

push up or down goes through either resistor and get a different X.X volt signal for tap up or down .... no need to open it up and complicate it...
clint

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Hey Clint.
There is only 2 wires on the original switch shifter arm as it originally communicated with the BCM. To use tu/td you need a 12+ into the switch and a resisted wire for the up and the down independently. You also need to set TU/TD enabled and set to “wired” in the tune.
Not complicated if you just want a momentary switch on the dash or something. But the shifter will not just work without modify the shifter switch.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

i see now.... lol, i wasn't thinking.. your right :) the switch needs to be modified to function like the corvette switch does ...
clint

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Ok cool I was thinking I did all that work for nothing lol.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Running a 6L80e would like to do same - I'll DM you

thanks

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

Did you need to flash the TCM to get this to work? I was under the assumption that for a truck transmission, you had to have the TCM flashed to a Corvette tune in order for this to work, or there is a box that a few people were selling to bypass the tuning.

Re: TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring
 

It does take someone with hptuners to be able to set the tu/td setting to “wired”
FYI. This info is for an e38 ECM. Not sure on other types.
I believe the box you are talking about is basically what I built. Mines Just not in a box.
Scott