B&M Z-GATE SHIFTER User Manual
Installation Instructions
Z-Gate Shifter
Part Number 80681
©1998, 2001, & 2014 by B&M Racing and Performance Products
The B&M Z-Gate shifter can be used
in vehicles equipped with most popular
three speed automatic transmissions.
Your B&M Z-Gate shifter comes equipped
with a neutral safety switch, 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. To use the
B&M Z-Gate shifter with the Ford AOD
transmission you will need our optional
accessory kit #40496. See the list on
page 8.
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
compartment 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
Printed in the U.S.A.
AT ANY OTHER TIME. Securing the steering column lock lever in any other position will both PREVENT the steering
wheel from locking and the removal of
the ignition key.
INSTALLATION
STEP 1. Remove the stock shift linkage;
Column Shifters: Remove all rods, lev-
ers or cables from the column and the
transmission. Place the column shift
lever in the Park position. Remove the
pin holding the shift lever in the column
and remove the 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 the shifter
mechanism from the console. Disconnect the rod or cable from the transmission. Remove the cable bracket if
equipped. If there is a cable or linkage
from the console shifter or the transmission to the steering column lock, it must
be blocked in the Park position as described above.
NOTE: The shifter installation may require console modification or complete
console removal depending on the
space available in your vehicle.
STEP 2. Pull the carpet 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. Make sure the trigger and the knob clear the dash with the
shifter in the Park 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, 3-3/4" ahead of the
front shifter mounting hole. Drill or cut a
1" diameter cable hole in the 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) the
carpet back to it’s original position. Cut
holes in the carpet for the mounting
holes and the cable. DO NOT use a drill
bit to make the holes in the carpet.
STEP 5. (This step is omitted on 1969
and later Chrysler vehicles.) Assemble
the neutral safety switch and the backup
light switch to the shifter using two #4-40
screws, nuts and lock washers, as
shown in Figure #1. The backup light
switch is on the other side of the backing
plate and is not seen in the illustration.
Beware, over tightening the switch attachment screws will crack the switch
housings. Install the switch assembly
on the shifter. To adjust the switch loosen
the screws and slide the switches as
required, then retighten the screws.
STEP 6. Install the cable on the shifter
as shown in Figure #1. The cable attach-
9500083-11
Gear indicator
Small O-Ring
Spring clip
decal
Backup light switch,
on other side
Neutral safety
switch
Cable mounting
tab goes on front
side of shifter
backing plate
E-Clip
Figure #1
ment tab should be bolted to the outside
surface of the shifter base using a 1/4" X
1/2" hex bolt, lock washer and nut. Install
the e-clip to secure the cable to the cable
pin.
STEP 7. Install the shifter mechanism
into the vehicle. Slide the shifter cable
through the carpet and the hole in the
floor. Bolt the shifter down using four 1/
4" hex bolts and nuts. If required use 1/
4" washers as shims between the shifter
mechanism and the floor to level the
shifter. ROUTE THE CABLE AS SHOWN
IN FIGURE #2, AVOID SHARP BENDS
WHICH WILL KINK AND DAMAGE THE
CABLE. Use cable clamps or tie wraps
to secure the cable housing to chassis
to avoid contact with hot engine or exhaust system. For General Motors ve-
hicles go to Step 8, for Ford vehicles go
to Step 13, for Chrysler vehicles go to
Step 19.
GENERAL MOTORS
STEP 8. If you have not already done
so, remove the stock selector lever nut
and the selector lever. Discard the stock
lever and the stock shifter linkage. Install
the B&M selector lever in position using
the stock selector lever nut (See Figure
#3). Torque the nut to 23 ft. lbs. The lever
should move smoothly from front to rear
with a positive click in each gear position.
STEP 9. Remove the two transmission
oil pan bolts from the middle of the left
side of the oil pan. Install the cable bracket
2
in position (See Figure #3). The bracket
must be installed with two spacers between the pan and the bracket. (If your
transmission is equipped with a cast
aluminum oil pan, these spacers should
be omitted however the cable bracket
will have to be modified.) Install the two
5/16-18 x 1.00" bolts supplied and tighten
to 12-13 ft. lbs. Do not overtighten as this
can damage the pan gasket.
STEP 10.Remove the two rubber boots,
one large nut, and a large lockwasher
from the threaded end of the shifter cable.
Route the shifter cable according to Fig-
ure #2. Avoid sharp bends and route the
cable away from hot engine exhaust
parts. Slide the end of the cable into the
cable bracket, install the lockwasher and
large nut over the end of the cable. Posi-
tion the cable so the threaded portion of
the cable housing is centered in the
cable bracket. Tighten both large nuts to
hold the cable in this position. Install the
two rubber boots onto the end of the
cable.
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 cen-
ter 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 center 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 the
Park position (all the way forward). Reinsert the swivel into the center hole in
the selector lever. Check to see that the
swivel will slide freely in and out of the
center 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 center
hole in the selector lever. (If you do not
use the center hole in the lever, it will be
impossible to correctly adjust the cable.)
Operate the shifter through all the gear
Figure #2
positions. Check to make sure swivel
will slide in and out of the center selector
lever hole in each gear position. The
shift cable is now correctly adjusted.
Install the cotter key supplied with the
shifter into the swivel and spread the 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 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 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
F
Cable swivel
Cotter pin
(Use center hole)
R
C
GM lever
5/16 x 1" bolt and spacer
(Metric trans use M8 x 25 bolt)
GM cable bracket
7/16" nut
Figure #3
3
Spacer
Use these two holes for
TH-400 transmission. Use
other two holes for other
GM transmissions
Spacer
GM cable bracket (Trimming of bracket
required if used on cast aluminum pan)
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