2nd gear start switch question?

[TraiLex]

I have been thinking about the issue of 2nd (and even 3rd) gear starts for over a year and just came across this thread when searching. I have a '94 with the A442F and have a low range reduction gear in the transfer case. The 1-2 shift is really harsh in low and I have to really force the truck to make the shift by over accelerating and backing off the throttle, or it just wants to keep the rpms high in 1st. Great for crawling over obstacles, and certainly would not want it to shift mid crawl, but terrible for slow rolling down a rocky trail. I have to stop much more often than I like to shift in and out of high range between obstacles/steep climbs because I want to avoid this harsh shift on the drive line. This also holds up the flow of the caravan. In my buddy's manual Rubicon with similar gearing, I just start it out in 2nd or even 3rd gear on flatter parts of the trail in 4 low.

So I have really been thinking about tapping into the transmission control module and making some push button gear selectors for 4 low. Has anyone attempted this? When I bough the truck it had some bad shift solenoids and would start in 3rd gear quite often. So I should be able to cut power to the right combination of solenoids to select the gear I want to be in using a switch or 2 - picture a push button manual selector on an ashtray switch blank. When I do this, I am sure the OD light will flash because it will detect a problem with the trans. Perhaps it will stop flashing once I return the switches to bypass or perhaps I will need to reset the ECU/trans controller after each trail ride, which would be a PITA but I still think would be worth it.

Has anyone attempted to cut power to specific solenoids in order to make a "push button" gear selector? Would love to hear experiences with this. If not I am willing to be the first. I have the wiring diagrams and shift solenoid patterning from the FSM. I definitely don't want to cut any wires and it will take some time to pull the pins from the harness and make jumpers with proper pins to insert switching without permanently modifying the harness and connectors. I am willing to invest the time if there is a reasonable chance of success. Good excuse to do the Pin 7 mod for center diff lock while I am in there.

Thoughts? Just wishing me luck....??

Seems feasible. Might be helpful to see the wiring diagram for the 343 to see how that tranny has the button wired. Seems like the 442 would be a similar setup? I feel the button is a must have in low range on the trail. When you figure it out I'll be sure to let my buddy know, his 94 could use it.

 

[Haspin FJ]

I find the 2nd start switch extremely useful in low range on the trail. I basically have it on the entire time when in low range. It makes driving between obstacles much smoother as you can simply downshift to first manually when getting into a crawling situation. Then on the flats you just shift back into 2nd gear and take off. I find the normal 1st to second automatic shift very annoying as you have to really push the engine to get the normal automatic upshift to 2nd and if you are in that 5-10mph range without the 2nd start button engaged the tranny will always want to shift back into 1st.
Does anyone know if you can install the 2nd start button into the 93-94 trucks? If the 91-92 trucks had it luck might dictate that the factory wiring loom in the 93-94 might actually have the connector hidden somewhere in the dash... maybe?

^^This^^