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Baja shifter

2lazy2p

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Texas
I spent the weekend in Palo Duro canyon, Jeep Jamboree there is my favorite, somewhat expensive but I like the people, the the Figure 3 Ranch and the wheelin and scenery is fabulous. I was one of there XJ's out of 100 jeeps there. I was hampered by not being able to control my AW4 transmission and keep it in low gear. I ordered an AWShifter but got caught in that fiasco and did not get the device or any return of my emails since OCT 08. I emailed Rory Des Jardins at http://radesignsproducts.com/default.aspx after I got back Sunday from Amarillo and he personally called me from Washington state today to answer my questions. I ordered the "BAJA Shifter" after talking to him and reading reviews on Pirate 4x4 ( http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9782514 ) and an install and testing thread there. He assured me, it will go out on Friday and be here next week. I am going to post on this thread my experience with this shifter after I install, I'll try to picture up install as I go. I would appreciate any info on this product. I'll have to wire a switch for the torque converter and I have not decided to do a switch to turn on and off the shifter or not. He says he leaves his on all the time in his daily driver Toyota. I think I'll try it that way to start. The "Rail Shifter" version is less expensive, but i like the design and the potential durability of the BAJA.
 
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that looks awsome... I notice that you have to remove your center console... I wonder if you can mount it anywhere close by.
 
Im planing on buying one of these before the summers out and swapping out my ax15 for an Aw4 with the baja. looking forward to this thread and its results.
 
Subscribing, I wanna see where this goes.
 
that looks awsome... I notice that you have to remove your center console... I wonder if you can mount it anywhere close by.
In theory you can mount it anywhere since it is electronic. And, What I would do since I use my console, is modify and mount it next to the stock shifter.
I would personally rather have a Hurst ratcheting shifter over that, but its a cool idea.
 
Got email from Rory yesterday---
Looks good---



"Your shifter was shipped today USPS, it should arrive mid-week.
Thank you for your order,

Rory A. DesJardin
RADesigns Products LLC
509-552-9439
Clarkston, WA"


I'll be watching for it mid week--
 
The shifter was at my door on Tuesday afternon just as Rory promised. I looks good. We are in the midst of a family yard garage sale so my work area is occupied as is my time for the weekend, therefore I won't be able to mess with install until next week.(That doesn't keep me from sharpening the saw, studying wiring etc.) Rory includes instructions for wiring switches to switch on or off the shifter and the torque converter, does any one know of a source for these switches? Rest assured Rory's business practices are right on and he delivers when promised.
 
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OK, I am a subscriber of good ole Abe Lincoln's philosophy "If you give me 4 hrs to fell a tree, I'll spend 3 hrs sharpening the blade." I studied the wiring diagram of the TCU connector from the manufacture's repair manual ( I invested in it early in my cherokee journey), boils down to this. The yellow wire to D16 is a fused power source that is operative with the key on. That to me looks like a good source for the power tor the shifter if I want to mount the relays under the right side of the dash close to the TCU.
Wiring the switch for the Torque Converter should be easy, I like the wiring for that part as illustrated in the GreatLakesXJ tech article--- http://www.greatlakesxj.com/tech/aw4shiftmod.html .
So now I got to find a DPDT switch worthy to wire in to switch the BAJA on and off. I have deeply considered whether to do this or not and have decided that I will not be the only driver so I need to be able to switch back to "natural" for my wife and daughter. That leaves wiring the red wire of the shifter to a jumper off of the D16 wire, and then wiring the other two (blue and yellow) to switch the wires from the TCA to the to the transmission solenoids (Solenoid 1 = C16 Blue to shifter Blue wire,Solenoid 2 = C15 Violet wire to the shifter Yellow wire) then a good ground for the black wire. What do you think? I can't get physically to work for a few days but there is nothing wrong with brainstorming.
 
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I believe as Abe Lincoln in spending 3hrs sharping the saw when you got 4 hrs to fell the tree. I studied the Factory Manual diagrams of the TCU and after making the decision to wire in a control switch for the shifter, since my family will also be driving the vehicle, I will need to be able to switch the shifting back to natural.
Also I have decided to mount the relays for the controller under the right dash near the TCU.
I think a good power source for the shifter is the yellow wire going to D16 of the TCU, it is a fused 12 volt source from the ignition switch, it could be jumpered to the red power source wire of the shifter.

That leaves 1.finding a good ground for the black wire of the shifter. 2. Finding a worthy DPDT switch to wire to switch the 2 remaining wires of the shifter. The blue shifter wire to the blue wire going to Solenoid 1 at C16, and the yellow shifter wire to the violet wire going to Solenoid 2 at C15.
I can't get to the shop for a few days but I can brain storm and prepare. I plan to take plenty of pictures when we start.
Comments please. What do you think?
 
I finally got some work done. I'm gonna present my project in several steps since I am simple minded and probably need too much flexability but here goes. I got the shifter as noted.
THE SHIFTER
DSC00534.jpg


Note 4 wires from the relays, black is ground, red is power (12V when key on), blue is selected power to #1 solenoid , yellow is selected power to #2 solenoid. Which solenoids are activated to change gears in the transmission is well documented elsewhere.
BACK SIDE
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Nice design sensors to send signals to relays to select power to transmission solenoids to shift. Next Post is Preparation.
 
SITE PREPARATION
You must remove the bottom of the dash to get to the Transmission Control Unit (TCU)
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Remove screws and drop the panel to reveal the TCU.
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Remove the connector. I took the panel out to make more room to work. You will need to ID the proper wires that will need to be of importance later.
TCU4.jpg



C14,C15,C16 are the ones we need to find and tag, C16 (dark blue/white) is solenoid #1, C15 (purple/white) is solenoid #2 and C14 (white/black) is the Torque Converter wire.

DSC00543.jpg


The red tag is on yellow (power when key is on) Blue tape is on C16, Orange tape is on C15, and Green tape is on C14.

Next Post ----the Plot thickens. So Hang on. I'm submitting these in small bites because my damn computer keeps resetting out of the blue. So I don't want to keep redoing these posts. So forgive me.
 
I wanted to accomplish a few things while working on this project: I wanted flexibility to revert to stock configuration with the wiring, remove the parts, switches or even the Shifter itself easily in case I change vehicles (Shiznett happens you know) and I wanted a fused power source for the TC switch and the Shifter (it requires 12V on when ignition switch is on). So I decided to install a fuse block into the 12v source (yellow wire) so I unwrapped the tape around the wiring and found the 10amp fuse connector and wired in a fuse block.
DSC00542.jpg


The larger wire is the power source and the smaller wire goes to the TCU to supply power when the key is on.
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This is the fuse block wired into the location of the stock 10amp fuse connector pictured above. Notice the 2 red wires connected to the block, they are the independent power sources for the Torque Converter and the Shifter switches, I wired a connector to these red wires which will attach to a "harness" that will go to the switches etc. I've got other connections for other power sources if needed later.

So much for the power source. On to the next step.
 
Next I wired in a connector to the 3 wires to the 3 solenoids that we need to manipulate to manually shift and control the TC. I had a couple of spare trailer wiring connectors (4 wires) so I decided to use them (I only needed 3 of the 4 though). I numbered the connections for ID because the colors of the wires are different on the connectors. I used the connections that are all 3 together and used the spare 4th connector as a reference. Connections were numbered 1-3 (1 being the connection furtherest from the reference( Solenoid #1 to C16), 2 the next connection ( Solenoid #2) and the connection closest to the reference is the wire to the TC.

DSC00592.jpg


I labeled the wires with colored tape to ID the wires going from the TCU (orange tape) and the wires to the solenoids (Green tape), the Red taped connector is the power mentioned above. So to revert to stock wiring all I need to do is connect these two together.

DSC00593.jpg


So now I have connectors that will revert to stock any time I want or need to. Next I'll wire the switches and connect it all via a "harness". Next time same station so stay tuned. (Damn computer, I had to re-do this one because it reset)
 
The plot thickens, but to simplify things I adopted a couple of "rules". I keep track of the wires to the connectors using the orange tape and green tape to refer back to the connectors under the dash. Blue wires for the #1 solenoid (as on the shifter wiring), and yellow for #2 solenoid and white wire for the TC control. First I wired the switches, first the Shifter On/Off switch. I got a Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) switch from Radio Shack, there are other sources or switches waytekwire.com for one. This switches the wiring for the 2 solenoids to the Shifter or back to stock setting.

DSC00581.jpg


I wired soldered and painted with insulation material the switch, blue wires on one side and yellow wires on the other, and attached connectors that will later connect to the "harness", I also labeled each set with tape, white tape for the connectors to the Shifter, green and orange per the previously noted "rules", notice that the center poles (green tape) on the switch go back eventually to the wires connected directly to the solenoids and the orange taped wires to the connector to the TCU. I decided to use these connectors again for flexibility in positioning the switch, I have not as yet decided where I am going to mount the switch but I can easily connect the switch to the "harness" when I do.

TORQUE CONVERTER SWITCH:

DSC00580.jpg


This is a 3 position switch on-off-on single pole switch (again from Radio Shack). Same rules apply, note the red wire (power from the fuse block 12v with key on), center wire goes to the connection to #3 solenoid in the transmission to control the Torque Converter. The other (orange) connects back to the connector to the TCU. This gives us 3 options. 1- 12v power to the solenoid turns onor locks in the TC, 2- Center position TC is completely off, 3- Stock configuration. Again I decided to use connectors for flexibility to place the switch where I want it or move it later. Notice the orange and green tape which will help us keep the connections straight when I build the "harness".

Next episode I will build the harness and connect up the Shifter and switches. Stay tuned.
 
I built the harness out of trailer connectors adopting the same position numbering as above posts and same green/ orange convention to ID wires to the solenoids (green) wires to TCU (orange).
Here is the "harness"

DSC00582.jpg


Notice the red power wires and the connectors tape labled on one end and the trailer connectors on the other with the connector for the power wires, again labled with green and orange tape.

Here is a picture of the trailer connectors labled to connect to those under the dash and the power source connector.


DSC00590.jpg


The blue wires look black in this picture.

Next I hooked up the TC switch.
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Remember white wire green tape goes to the
solenoid#3, white wire orange tape goes to the TCU and the red wire is power (12v key on).

Next I connect up the switch to the Shifter. Match blue and yellow wires.

DSC00587.jpg



The blue and yellow wires with white tape go the the shifter, the others attach to the "harness" using the color codes previously mentioned.

Next is to attach the Shifter wires to the Shifter switch and power connector from the harness.



DSC00588.jpg


Here is a picture of the whole mess. I actually tested the wiring in place with my meter and all seems to work with proper voltage going where its supposed to. I will need to position everything in the vehicle for a road test and report back.

DSC00589.jpg


Stay tuned, I've got to decide where to mount the switches and the shifter and put this baby through its paces. More later. But the wiring is DONE. :clap:
 
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