Convert Floor 4x4 Floor Shifter To Push Button.

ssm · October 8, 2011

Looking at GMT800 1500 4x4 trucks w/ 5.3L. Question I have is , What does it take to convert a truck that has the 4wd floor

shifter ,to the PUSH BUTTON style that's to the left of the steering wheel. This is on 2003-2007 trucks.

Thanks.

GasHog369 · October 8, 2011

Do not do it! I wish i had my old floor shifter from my 2003 in my 06.. The push button can very easily malfunction.. old fashioned lever is the best! Nothing like reaching down and pulling that lever. It feels so much more powerful than pushing a button.

ssm · October 8, 2011

Do not do it! I wish i had my old floor shifter from my 2003 in my 06.. The push button can very easily malfunction.. old fashioned lever is the best! Nothing like reaching down and pulling that lever. It feels so much more powerful than pushing a button.

Ya but , I want the auto function. Having hard time finding a truck locally the way I want it.

lineman · October 8, 2011

I thinks the auto is nice but the lever is what i would like to have. Im not a mechanic at all but I dont think it would be very costly to convert and not be worth the money. I have the auto in my 99 and it went out after it was to years old but they covered it under warranty.

Outlaw86er · October 8, 2011

I believe models with "push-button" 4x4 are equipped with an entirely different transfer case then models with the floor shifter, although others will be able to shed more light on the subject.

mike94silverado · October 8, 2011

I specifically got a truck WITHOUT autotrac because of the issues. seems to me that it would cost too much time, effort, and money for something so trivial. why not spend that energy on finding the truck you want nationwide

mike94silverado · October 8, 2011

what exact type of truck are you looking for? color, mileage, options etc.

8.1HD/ALLISON · October 9, 2011

I believe models with "push-button" 4x4 are equipped with an entirely different transfer case then models with the floor shifter, although others will be able to shed more light on the subject.

+1

MikeNH · October 9, 2011

Do not do it! I wish i had my old floor shifter from my 2003 in my 06.. The push button can very easily malfunction.. old fashioned lever is the best! Nothing like reaching down and pulling that lever. It feels so much more powerful than pushing a button.

The only thing known to commonly fail on the 800s was the switch panel. If it really is a concern, buy a switch and keep it in the console since it takes less than 5 minutes to swap. My 03 had the floor shifter and it sucked. It was claimed to be shift on the fly but getting into 4WD while moving was nearly impossible. I hated it and several of the 800s I drove were like that.

GasHog369 · October 10, 2011

Do not do it! I wish i had my old floor shifter from my 2003 in my 06.. The push button can very easily malfunction.. old fashioned lever is the best! Nothing like reaching down and pulling that lever. It feels so much more powerful than pushing a button.

The only thing known to commonly fail on the 800s was the switch panel. If it really is a concern, buy a switch and keep it in the console since it takes less than 5 minutes to swap. My 03 had the floor shifter and it sucked. It was claimed to be shift on the fly but getting into 4WD while moving was nearly impossible. I hated it and several of the 800s I drove were like that.

When moving it did take a hard tug on the lever.. But you knew when you pulled it, it was there to stay.

The auto 4x4 is nice, but IMO, if conditions are that bad to where you might need 4x4 ever couple of take offs, just pop it in and leave it.

I would think that the constant in and out of 4x4 with the auto would do more harm than good.

MikeNH · October 10, 2011

I wouldn't ever use the auto feature anyhow. If the conditions don't suck, I'm in 2WD. If they suck, I have it in 4WD. And again the increased reliability with the lever is only perceived- the encoder motors seem to be a rare failure in the 800s and even with a lever you still have the actuator up front anyhow. There isn't much to gain from the lever.