Installation 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 popularthreespeedautomatictransmissions. Ithasapositiveratchetdesignsothatyouwill 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.
YourB&MProRatchetcomesequipped 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 malfunctionandwillvoidthewarranty.Youshould 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; ColumnShifters:Removeallrods,leversor cables from column and transmission. Place columnshiftleverin“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 tobelockedandignitionkeyremovedWHENEVER 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 wheremarked.Temporarilymounttheshifter 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 figure1.Ifnecessarybendthefingersslightly 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 |
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Knob |
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Cover |
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Pointer |
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Reverse lockout |
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handle |
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Backup |
light |
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switch |
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(Upper) |
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Cable |
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E-ring |
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Neutral |
safety |
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switch |
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(Lower) |
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Figure |
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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.Slidetheshiftercablethroughcarpet and hole in floor. Bolt shifter down using four ¼” hex bolts and nuts. If required use ¼” washersasshimsbetweentheshiftermechanism 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. ForGeneralMotorsvehicleswiththreespeed transmissions go to Step 8, For Ford vehicles got to Step 13, For Chrysler vehicles go to Step 19. For aluminum Powerglide equipped vehicles go to Step 25.
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 figure 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 wayforward.AlsomovetheshiftertoPARK 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.
Ifyouhaveaproblem,DONOTFORCE 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 enginewillnotcrankunlessthesewiresare connected together). Disconnect Battery ground cable before beginning to wire the Neutral safety switch. Reroute the wires to the B&M Pro Ratchet.
OnGMvehiclestheneutralsafetyswitch 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
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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 accidentalshorts.Ifyouhaveaneutralsafety 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, seefigure1. Tape terminal connections and all other connections to prevent shorts.
Ifyouhaveamechanicalinterlockcutthe 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 terminalsontheendsofthelengthenedwire. Crimp terminals onto wires using a crimping tool or pliers. Connect the wires to the LOWER switch on the shifter. The backup
Figure 2
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