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Winters AW4 Shifter-RADesigns upgraded

44K views 86 replies 34 participants last post by  bgredjeep 
#1 ·
So Winters is now selling AW4 shifters. I saw that these were going to be available right after the PRI Show I was at, so I had to buy one. I always like the Winters design.
So I made a Electronic Shift Control kit for my Winters shifter. No holes to drill, just bolt on a few brackets and a couple cams on, and wire in the 3 switches and go wheel. It's designed to give me 1-4 shift control electrically while using the mechanical shifter, this will help with downshifting and compression braking. Not what I need for snow wheelin' but here in the Midwest I think it will work fine.
Still have to get out and test it but at least all the parts are done.

I modified the side name plates for a little personal touch, yes crappy pic.



Parts



All the angles


 
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#45 ·
Good question, let run through this.
When the Winters shifter is in:
1 you are in 1st
2 you are in 2nd
3 you are in 3rd
Now move the lever from left to right in 3 and you get 4th.
It will stay in which ever gear you are shifted to, no TCM needed.
That help?
 
#55 ·
I finally got my winters shifter and installed this kit last night. now having done it, it literally takes 10 minutes to add onto the shifter.

Now I just have to figure out which wires are what on my trans, I have two different wire diagrams for it. its from a 98 Cherokee.

Definitely some good planning and thinking went into this kit in both fit, design and function. nice job rory!

I hope to have the buggy together for july 4th and will give a full report.

nice to have a small vendor on pirate that actually delivers a quality product!

thank you
 
#56 ·
Thanks for the review, as for wiring on the transmission harness, Blue, Purple and White wires they all have stripes, the Blue wire is #1 sol, the Purple is #2 sol the white is for TC lock. The wires at the TCM are different colored but on the trans they all seem to be the same. TCM wire colors are on my Tech page of the website.
 
#57 · (Edited)
RA designs for the win. I finally got my buggy out on the trail after a lengthy build. the new shifter set up is incredible. everything works like it should. being able to hold the trans in gear for downhill desents or uphill full throttle assaults is great. the kit is very simple to install and the wiring is even easier. Absolutely zero complaints.

I put an aw4 behind a Toyota Tacoma 2.7liter motor in my buggy. followed by a box for rocks and a dana 300. its a great setup and I couldn't be happier.

thanks for the great product rory.
 

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#58 ·
Hey bro, I'm going to buy one. I do have a few questions if you would please give me a call and I can let you know what we have for our setup. Thank you.
Steve
 
#61 ·
Shifter is in and I have 1,2,3 but no 4th? I'm doing some searching on possible causes, but maybe some one will chime in before I find it. I still need to put a switch on for my torque converter lockup also. Should I use a toggle or momentary push button?




This thing is sweet BTW. Should have done it awhile ago!
 
#62 ·
ON-OFF toggle or rocker switch for TC lock. We'll keep in touch on the 4th gear thing, might be a switch mount needs adjusted.
I'm really liking mine too. I have to say I'm glad Maverick finally came out with this model so I could modify it. :D
 
#63 ·
Props to Rory! Great service and very committed to his great product. Talked to him last night on the phone and we were discussing my 4th gear issue. (Don't believe its a shifter malfunction at this time). but Rory was more than willing to help with diagnosis. I'll post up when I get it solved.

In the mean time this thing is awesome! shifts great and will be nice on the trails. With the crawler version it should be an easy switch from 1st to Reverse and save my butt over the manual that I had!
 
#64 · (Edited)
Rory is freaking da man!
I was anxiously awaiting my package and today it arrived.

Took about 1 hr to disassemble and assemble the parts while i was sippin' on some yummy pumpkin beer :beer:

Yeah, i know his pictures are better, but :flipoff2:

The star washers are missing on some bolts until i clean up the shifter and paint and blah blah....

Anywho... props to RADesigns for making this badass shifter mod... now on to the rest of the AW4 install..







 
#67 ·
Is there the possibility that with the 'rock crawler' shift pattern, the right side of 4th (overdrive) selection could be an Auto (turning on tcm) selection?

Also, on the rock crawler pattern, does it still have compression braking on each gear?
 
#69 ·
Interrested to know also...

I would love something like that :

3th right side = OD Auto with TCM
3th left side = D Auto with TCM
2nd right side = 2nd locked
1st = 1st locked

This way you could still use the "normal" road functions and lock the gears in the lowest ranges.
Would that be possible ? I didn't look in details in the diagrams but I think it could work.
These options may be possible but I think you would need more switches and or relays to make either options work. I haven't spent any time yet trying to figure out options in wiring. Like I said though it would be added components/$$$ needed for sure. Or you could just add the switch kit I already sell for choosing between manual and auto. :D
Yes the Rock pattern still has compression braking in each gear.
 
#68 · (Edited)
Interrested to know also...

I would love something like that :

3th right side = OD Auto with TCM
3th left side = D Auto with TCM
2nd right side = 2nd locked
1st = 1st locked

This way you could still use the "normal" road functions and lock the gears in the lowest ranges.
Would that be possible ? I didn't look in details in the diagrams but I think it could work.
 
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#74 ·
I have a question. I understand these products let you take controll of indavidual gears but is there a way to toggle the auto drive portion so you can freeway drive the vehical. My jeep sees street usage so I need the option of a regular drive so I'm not constantly up and down shifting as I drive.

If this has been covered i missed it or did not understand.
 
#79 ·
Just keep in mind. Relatively easy if its a XJ with aw4 already. More complicated and time consuming if a swap like in a TJ. I chose manual only on my swap even though I had computer & harnesses.

BACK TO AWESOME ALL IN ONE WINTERS E SHIFTER
>> Winters AW4 Shifter-RADesigns upgraded <<
Yes I suppose we might have had a translation issue. But this thread is not new product development, and I don't mind discussing new ideas, but start your own thread. :D
Thanks for the Tech input on swapping into a non-complete TCU/harness setup.
 
#78 ·
Originally Posted by R.DesJardin Yes, many guys do this. The install instruction covers this and they are on the website it even tells you which type of switch to buy. There are a couple install threads I've seen that have done this type of setup too.
Just keep in mind. Relatively easy if its a XJ with aw4 already. More complicated and time consuming if a swap like in a TJ. I chose manual only on my swap even though I had computer & harnesses.

BACK TO AWESOME ALL IN ONE WINTERS E SHIFTER
>> Winters AW4 Shifter-RADesigns upgraded <<
 
#80 ·
Hey Rory about to do a aw4 install in my tj with no tcu and want to get a manual shifter that will do it all! I was thinking a version of your rock shifter with a OD button on the top and built in tc lockup switch when shifter is on the left side of the gate. Not sure it can be done, but like too know what you think. Basic manual shift pattern with left gate switch cut outs to allow converter lock up: example: 1st would be all the way back . 2nd would be next notch up. 2nd locked would be to move shifter to the left. To get to 3rd gear you would have to go back to second unlocked and move shifter to next notch up. 3rd locked would be to the left again. 4th will be the button on the shifter and move the shifter back over to the non locked position. 4th locked would be back to the left again same as 3rd locked but with button in shifter switched to OD position. Neutral reverse park etc. example:
P----|
......R
......|
......N
......|
3L--3U button on shifter depressed is OD only in 3rd
......|
2L--2U
......|
......1st

The winters design is nice but I like your rock shifter because it fits in the console. The idea of the way the gate is set up will probably save the life of the torque converter clutches because they will have to unlock before a shift just like the computer would do. I'm also thinking we should always have forth locked all the time because that's the gear that causes the most heat because the torque converter slips the most. My built 700r4 with 2500 stall behind a 500 hp 4500 pound truck only locked in forth and that trans never got hot with the big cooler I put on it. Just some ideas I'm throwing around but do you think its possible to do this with your rock shifter? I talked to you a while ago about doing a straight gate that goes from 1st to reverse also for us semiauto guys not using the tcu. If you want me to post these questions in another thread let me know.
 
#81 ·
New ideas

I readily accept new ideas and concepts. But he best way is probably to email me to follow through to see what can be done. If I build something then we can start a thread of how it works or maybe doesn't, point is it may generate more ideas. OR maybe I should start a RADesigns Products New Ideas thread???? Hmmmm. All right I'm starting a new thread in General 4x4 we'll see what happens.
 
#82 ·
I want one. Seems that I can't use the MJ column (shifter on the column) in my CJ.
 
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