TU/TD Column Shifter & Wiring

[First c10]

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

[First c10]

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.

[First c10]

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

[First c10]

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

[First c10]

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.

[First c10]

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.

[First c10]

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.

[First c10]

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.

[First c10]

First attempt didn’t work to well

[First c10]

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

[First c10]

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.

[First c10]

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.

[dayj1]

Very nice! Great work!

[First c10]

Originally Posted by dayj1

Very nice! Great work!

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!

[First c10]

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.

[First c10]

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

[jadedbird]

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

[87chevy.com]

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

[First c10]

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.

[87chevy.com]

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

[First c10]

Originally Posted by 87chevy.com

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

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

[6600DURAMAX]

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

thanks

[Joyridin]

Originally Posted by First c10

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.

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.

[First c10]

Originally Posted by Joyridin

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.

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