68RFE Column to Console Shifter Conversion

[Tractorman]

Why make the conversion from steering column shifter to console shifter?  Good question.  The only two trucks that I have driven with a 68RFE 6spd automatic transmission are a Cummins powered 2011 Ram 2500 and a 2018  Cummins powered Ram 2500.  Both were driven hauling a gross combined weight of over 20,000 lbs each.  Both trucks were quite capable.

 

My experience with the 2018 truck was in the summer of 2021.  However, my focus will be with the most recent trips (August and October of 2023) in which I was driving the 2011 truck.  The 2011 Cummins powered Ram 2500 is owned by my neighbor Jim.  He is the original owner.  Until this time, he has never hauled heavy loads with his truck.

 

The first trip with Jim’s truck was an emergency trip.  My receiver hitch on my 2001 2500 truck separated from the frame, while cresting the top of a 5,000 ft mountain pass about 50 miles from home.  The GCW was 20,500 lbs.  I called Jim and we brought his truck to the rescue. 

 

After getting the trailer hooked up to Jim’s truck, Jim activated the Tow-Haul mode and the exhaust brake.  We began the 6% grade descent (me behind the wheel) needing to slow for many 40 mph, 35 mph and 30 mph curves.  Our first impression was that the exhaust brake and transmission downshifting was too aggressive for our taste in the Tow-Haul mode.  The downshifting and braking were effective, just too aggressive.

 

We still had one more 5,000 ft mountain to climb and descend.  I suggested that we start climbing the next pass with Tow-Haul mode engaged and then about halfway up the pass, turn off the Tow-Haul mode and manually select the specific gear limit on the transmission.  So, as we began climbing the next pass in Tow-Haul mode, unwanted downshifts and some unwanted upshifts began to occur. The downshifts were an abrupt event, and some of the upshifts were accompanied with over-revving.

 

We turned off the Tow-Haul feature for the rest of the trip and manually selected the gear limit when needed by using the -/+ switch on the column shifter.  It turned out to be a much better experience.  The unwanted shifting ceased and when the shifts were manually made (using throttle control for the shift) the shift was smooth - whether shifting up or down.  The descent was made without using the service brakes.  Throttle control was used for engaging and disengaging the exhaust brake.  We were both impressed with how the transmission and exhaust brake performed using -/+ switch on the column shifter.

 

We finished the rest of the trip through a twisty road with lots of curves using the -/+ switch when necessary.  During this part of the trip, we started talking about the awkwardness of reaching for the switch on the column shifter (forcing the eyes to leave the road) and having to avert the eyes to the dash to see if the action actually happened.  One of the comments made by one of us was, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a console shifter with a -/+ toggle right where you rest your hand.”  After some research we found that the conversion had already been done by others - and, it was done with OEM parts. Who would have guessed?

 

Before making the conversion, I wrote down what Jim and I thought the pros and cons would be regarding the conversion.  Later, after the conversion was complete, we found what is listed below to be true:

 

Pros –
*   Shifter is located much closer to hand for ease of operation. 
*   Once “Drive” is selected, the right hand could rest on the shifter handle and momentarily toggle the shifter left or right (-/+) for downshifts or upshifts respectively to select maximum gear limit.   This would be the most important and impressive improvement.  Because the shifter handle’s right and left distance movement is short and has a positive mechanical stop, we felt there would be no doubt that the shift was made. 
*  Eyes would stay on road during shifts
*  Shift timing and throttle control would be precise for smooth upshifts/downshifts
*  On icy / snowpacked road driving, the transmission could be easily bumped into “Neutral” from “Drive” if needed when coming to a stop.

 

Cons –
*  Slightly less console storage area (a very minor sacrifice)
*  The middle front seat would be sacrificed with certain truck models

 

Here are some photos of the conversion after completion.

 

 

Note the -/+ symbol below the letter "D" in the photo below. When drive is selected, the shifter can simply be toggled left or right to select a different gear. The shifter is spring loaded to return to center.

 

 

In the photo below, note how comfortably Jim's hand rests on the shifter when "Drive" is selected.
             

 

To my knowledge, there are no 2500 and 3500 Cummins powered trucks that come with the 68RFE transmission console shifter (could be wrong here).  However, gas powered trucks during those years that came with the 66RFE had console shifters.  The basic difference between the 66RFE and a 68RFE is the strength of the transmission (note the second digit).  Because the two transmissions are basically the same, all of the shift controls, wiring harness, shifter, and console for a column to console conversion can be purchased and installed with no cutting or drilling. 

 

While we certainly weren’t the first to do this conversion, I could not find any detailed information regarding the real benefits for doing this conversion.  We had to figure that part out for ourselves.

 

The console shifter does not do anything that the column shifter can’t do; it’s just that the console shifter does it more efficiently, and much more intuitively.  Precise shift timing matched with throttle control makes for smooth shifting. 

 

Jim now drives his truck as a daily driver much differently than he did before the conversion.  When he drives to town and back (about a 25 mile round trip), he now uses the shifter many times in the manual mode slowing for curves at highway speeds, thus maximizing the use of the exhaust brake and minimizing the use of the service brakes.  He is a happy camper.

 

-  John