B&M PRO RATCHET SHIFTER User Manual
Inst allation Instructions
Pro Ratchet Shifter
Part Nos. 80840 and 80841
© B&M Racing & Performace Products 1993
The B&M Pro Ratchet shifter is a full
ratchet shifter that is equally at home on the
strip and on the street. It will work with most
popular three speed automatic transmissions.
It has a positive ratchet design so that you will
not miss a shift, either up or down. It works
with both standard and reverse pattern valve
bodies. It has a unique “one hand” reverse
lockout feature that meets NHRA and IHRA
requirements. You don’t need to use two
hands to shift into reverse.
Part No. 80840 is for use only with aluminum Powerglide transmissions. 80841 is for
use with three speed automatic transmissions: GM TH-400, TH-350, TH-250 and
TH-200; Ford C-4 and C-6; and Chrysler
1966 and later Torqueflite A-727 and A-904.
Your B&M Pro Ratchet comes equipped
with a Neutral safety and backup light
switches, transmission brackets and levers
and a five foot shift cable. Optional shifter
cables in 2 ft. (80830),3 ft. (80831), 4 ft.
(80832), 8 ft. (80834), 10 ft. (80835) and 12
ft. (80836) are also available.
Please read the instructions and review
the illustrations thoroughly before beginning
the installation.
The mechanical components of this
shifter are precision made and assembled at
our factory. Any modification or disassembly
of these parts can cause the shifter to malfunction and will void the warranty. You should
disassemble only those items outlined in the
instructions.
The vehicle should be about 2 feet off the
ground for ease of installation. Use jack
stands, wheel ramps or a vehicle lift. Make
sure the vehicle is firmly supported before
attempting to work on it.
IMPORTANT: If your vehicle is equipped
with a locking steering column. Securing the
column lock lever in the engine compart-
ment in the full up position will allow the
steering wheel to be locked and unlocked
and the ignition key to be removed.
WARNING: This allows the steering wheel
to be locked WHENEVER the ignition key is
turned to the “lock” position WHILE THE
VEHICLE IS MOVING, OR AT ANY OTHER
TIME. Securing the steering column lock
lever in any other position will both PREVENT the steering wheel from locking and
removal of the ignition key.
INS TALLATION
STEP 1. Remove stock shift linkage;
Column Shifters: Remove all rods, levers or
cables from column and transmission. Place
column shift lever in “Park” position. Remove
pin holding shift lever in column and remove
lever assembly. If your vehicle is equipped
with a locking steering column, secure the
column lock lever in the full up position.
WARNING: This allows the steering wheel
to be locked and ignition key removed WHENEVER the ignition key is turned to the “lock”
position WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING, OR AT ANY OTHER TIME.
Console Shifters: Remove shifter mechanism from console. Disconnect rod or cable
from transmission. Remove cable bracket if
equipped. If there is a cable or linkage from
the console shifter or transmission to the
steering column lock, it must be blocked in
the “Park” position as described above.
NOTE: Shifter installation may require console modification or complete console removal depending on the space available in
your vehicle.
STEP 2. Pull the carpet, if any, away from
the floorboard where the shifter is to be
mounted. If the vehicle has a bench type
seat, move seat to the full forward position.
Place the shifter on the floor with the stick
shifted to the rearmost position. Locate the
shifter for ease and convenience of operation. See figure 2 for shifter dimensions.
(The rear mounting hole of the mechanism
must be at least 1¾” from the front of the seat
when the seat is in the full forward position.)
Make sure the knob clears the dash with the
shifter in the forward position. Mark the position of four mounting holes on the floor.
STEP 3. Drill four 9/32" mounting holes
where marked. Temporarily mount the shifter
in place using washers as required to get it
level. Mark the location for the shifter cable
hole, 3" ahead of the front shifter mounting
hole. Drill or cut 1½” diameter cable hole in
floorboard. NOTE: Some floorboards are
extremely thin and will not adequately support the shifter mechanism when bolted to
the floor. For those vehicles we recommend
that you fabricate a stiffener plate for additional strength.
STEP 4. Install (but do not secure) carpet
back to it’s original position. Cut holes in the
carpet for the mounting holes and a 1½” slit
for the cable. DO NOT use a drill bit to make
holes in carpet.
STEP 5. Install the cable on shifter as
shown in figure 1. The cable attachment tab
should be bolted to the outside surface of the
shifter base using ¼” X ½” bolt, lock washer
and nut. Install E-Ring to secure the cable.
STEP 6. Install the backup light switch and
the neutral safety switch in place on the
shifter mechanism. Install using two #4-40
screws, nuts and lock washers, as shown in
figure 1. If necessary bend the fingers slightly
so that they engage the slots. Beware, Over
tightening the switch attachment screws will
crack the switch housings. Adjust switches
so that the neutral safety switch (the lower
switch) operates in Neutral and Park only
and so that the backup light switch (the
Printed in U.S.A.
9500513-02
Cover
Pointer
Reverse lockout
handle
Cable
E-ring
Figure 1
upper switch) operates in Reverse only by
loosening screws and sliding switch as required. Then retighten screws.
STEP 7. Install the shifter mechanism into
vehicle. Slide the shifter cable through carpet
and hole in floor. Bolt shifter down using four
¼” hex bolts and nuts. If required use ¼”
washers as shims between the shifter mechanism and the floor to level shifter. Do not
bend the shifter mounting tabs. ROUTE
CABLE AS SHOWN IN FIGURE 3, AVOID
SHARP BENDS WHICH WILL KINK AND
DAMAGE CABLE. Use cable clamps or tie
wraps to secure the cable housing to the
chassis to avoid contact with hot engine or
exhaust system. Seal cable hole shut to
avoid the entry of exhaust fumes or water.
For General Motors vehicles with three speed
transmissions go to Step 8, For Ford ve-
hicles got to Step 13, For Chrysler vehicles
go to Step 19. For aluminum Powerglide
equipped vehicles go to Step 25.
Knob
Backup light
switch
(Upper)
Neutral safety
switch
(Lower)
GENERAL MOTORS
STEP 8. If you have not already done so,
remove the stock selector lever nut and selector lever. Discard stock lever and stock shifter
linkage. Install B&M selector lever in position
using stock selector lever nut, see figure 4.
Torque nut to 23 lb. ft. The lever should move
smoothly from front to rear with a positive click
in each gear position.
STEP 9. Remove two transmission oil pan
bolts from the middle of the left side of the oil
pan. Install cable bracket in position, see fig-
ure 4.) The bracket must be installed with two
spacers between the pan and bracket. (If your
transmission is equipped with a cast aluminum oil pan, these spacers should be omitted
however the cable bracket may have to be
modified.) Install the two 5/16-18 x 1.00" bolts
supplied and tighten 12-13 lb-ft. Do not overtighten as this can damage pan gasket.
STEP 10. Route the shifter cable according to
figure 3. Avoid kinks and sharp bends and
route the cable away from hot engine or
exhaust parts.
Remove the two rubber boots, one
large nut, and a large lockwasher her from
the threaded end of the shifter cable. Slide
the end of the cable into the cable bracket,
Install large nut and lockwasher loosely
over end of cable. Install two rubber boots
onto end of cable. Install the swivel on the
threaded end of the cable and position it in
the center of the threaded portion.
STEP 11. Move the transmission selector
lever by hand to full rear position (LOW).
Operate the shifter lever to the low gear
position (ratcheted all the way back). Adjust the large nuts on the cable so that the
swivel will slide into the rear hole on the
selector lever. Tighten the large nuts completely. Be sure that the swivel will slide
freely in and out of the hole in the selector
lever. Note: The shifter will not operate
correctly unless the rear hole in the
shift lever is used.
Leave the swivel out of the hole and
move the selector lever to PARK, all the
way forward. Also move the shifter to PARK
position (all the way forward). Reinsert the
swivel into the rear hole in the selector
lever. Check to see that the swivel will slide
freely in and out of the rear hole in the
selector lever in this position. If it does not
slip in freely, adjust the swivel slightly until it
will slip into the hole in the lever.
Move the shifter back to the low gear
position and check that the swivel will still
slide easily in and out of the rear hole in the
selector lever. (If you do not use the rear
hole in the lever, it will be impossible to
correctly adjust the cable.) Operate shifter
through all gear positions. Check to make
sure swivel will slide in and out of the rear
selector lever hole in each gear position.
The shift cable is now correctly adjusted.
Install cotter key supplied with shifter into
swivel and spread key ends.
If you have a problem, DO NOT FORCE
THE SHIFTER, this will damage the cable,
the shifter or the transmission. Simply start
at the beginning and check all your steps.
STEP 12. On GM vehicles, the Neutral
safety/backup light switch is located on the
console shifter or steering column. Locate
and identify the Neutral safety switch (the
engine will not crank unless these wires are
connected together). Disconnect Battery
ground cable before beginning to wire the
Neutral safety switch. Reroute the wires to
the B&M Pro Ratchet.
On GM vehicles the neutral safety switch
may be located on the shifter (steering
column or console), or it may be a mechanical interlock in the steering column
that prevents the key from turning to the
Start position unless the shifter is in the
Park or Neutral position. Identify the type of
2
neutral safety system you have. If the key will
not turn to the Start position unless the stock
shifter is in Park or Neutral, you have a
mechanical interlock, otherwise you have a
neutral safety switch. With either type, disconnect battery ground cable to prevent
accidental shorts. If you have a neutral safety
switch, locate and identify the neutral safety
wires (engine will not crank unless these
wires are connected together). Extend the
wires from the GM switch to the shifter. Strip
1/4" insulation off the wires and install slip-on
terminals supplied in kit. Crimp terminals
onto wires using a crimping tool or pliers.
Connect the Neutral safety wires to the
LOWER switch and the backup light wires to
the UPPER switch, see figure 1. Tape termi-
nal connections and all other connections to
prevent shorts.
If you have a mechanical interlock cut the
wire that goes from the start position on the
ignition switch to the solenoid on the starter.
This wire is usually a 10 or 12 gauge purple
wire. Run wires from both ends of the cut
wire to the B&M Pro Ratchet. Put slip-on
terminals on the ends of the lengthened wire.
Crimp terminals onto wires using a crimping
tool or pliers. Connect the wires to the
LOWER switch on the shifter. The backup
Figure 2
Figure 3
3
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