Any opinions on an 06 Duramax with 4WD engaged on the floor instead of the dash.....I notice on floor is about 1500.00 cheaper on a used 06.....Whats the real difference just convience or am I missing something...Thanks in advance....

Floor models shift mechanically, dash buttons do it electronically. To be honest, the mechanical ones are probably more reliable. They still use an electric shift solenoid to make the front axles turn. I think it's just a nice convenience.

I wished mine was on the floor...

I wished mine was on the floor...


Why...? And another question...With the 4WD on the floor can you shift in and out of 4WD on the fly......My current 4WD I have to be stopped to either go in or out and when I go out I have to back up to dis-engage the hubs which is a pain in the ass.....

Why...? And another question...With the 4WD on the floor can you shift in and out of 4WD on the fly......My current 4WD I have to be stopped to either go in or out and when I go out I have to back up to dis-engage the hubs which is a pain in the ass.....I have 2 trucks with the floor shifter, and 1 with the push button. You can shift both of them on the fly, as long as you are not under power. I prefur the floor shifter, it engages faster, and is more reliable. The push button is more convenient, dosen't take up any room on the floor, and dosen't vibrate.

My reason is just a personal one. I am more of an ole school kinda guy. Im never in any kind of hurry and wouldnt mind if I had to stop, but you dont have to stop anymore with one on the floor. Dont get me wrong, the push button is easy and in a little cubby hole, but ID rather see some mud and slam a shifter down and haul arse after it... Just pushin a button seems to take the fun out of 4wd..02 cents

Why...? And another question...With the 4WD on the floor can you shift in and out of 4WD on the fly......My current 4WD I have to be stopped to either go in or out and when I go out I have to back up to dis-engage the hubs which is a pain in the ass.....That is a really good point. My 02 is on the floor and it is a PITA to switch. I do like it though. I have to shut it off in neutral to make the change out of 4 lo. Nephew has the same deal on his truck. My 05 is never in 4wd (I think it works?), so I can't comment on push button shift. The floor shifter is a bit rare, but you have mechanical control over the Tcase. I like less electronics. Especially on a truck that may see some 4WD abuse.

prefur the floor shifter, it engages faster, and is more reliable. i agree

mines on the floor. i shift it on the fly all the time into high range. have not had any problems at all with it and i use it pretty regular (sometimes i need it to get up my driveway). i like it better than push button.

I wish I had the floor shift, I agree that it is more fun and is faster, IMO

I was under the impression that they were the same, both electronic.

I wanted the floor shift so i know it is in or not, far more reliable in my opinion.

the floor shift isn't any more reliable.


edit - ben explained it better than i could-

"The front axle is electric disconnect/unit bearing, there is an electric "encoder motor" (DC servo with position feedback) in the front axle, as well as another motor on the electric shift NP263 xfer cases. The NP261 manual cases use the same encoder motor on the front axle....which is why I roll my eyes when lovers of the NP261 scoff at the 263 "I dont need no stupid computer to shift for me!! One more thing to break, those are unreliable, real trucks dont have push button 4wd, blah blah blah"

they tend to forget that yes, the NP261 still uses a TCSM (xfer case shift module) as well as an electric front encoder motor......if that TCSM or the electric encoder motor fails, the floor shifter wont do anything, as you 4x4 guys know......"

I was under the impression that they were the same, both electronic.

floor shift has linkage.

Mine is also on the floor and I've never had problems with it. I've shifted in and out of 4wd Hi at over 160Km/H many times. To put her in 4Lo all I do is stop, shift into neutral, push the lever into 4lo and drop it into Drive.

go with the floor shift more reliable

the floor shift isn't any more reliable.


edit - ben explained it better than i could-

"The front axle is electric disconnect/unit bearing, there is an electric "encoder motor" (DC servo with position feedback) in the front axle, as well as another motor on the electric shift NP263 xfer cases. The NP261 manual cases use the same encoder motor on the front axle....which is why I roll my eyes when lovers of the NP261 scoff at the 263 "I dont need no stupid computer to shift for me!! One more thing to break, those are unreliable, real trucks dont have push button 4wd, blah blah blah"

they tend to forget that yes, the NP261 still uses a TCSM (xfer case shift module) as well as an electric front encoder motor......if that TCSM or the electric encoder motor fails, the floor shifter wont do anything, as you 4x4 guys know......"
I agree with the expaination of the front axle but at least i know that the transfer case itself is engaged. When the front encoder motor craps out then i will go with the linkage set-up so the whole thing is manual.

as nosliw explained above, the floor shift is no more reliable than the push button shift, no matter how much more hard core and "simpler" people think it is. ;) It is not the eqivilant of the NP205 and mechanical hubs that GM had 15 years ago.

nobody makes a replacment "mechanical" front end actuator for our trucks as far as I know.

so basically, its just preference, but dont be surprised when the front electronically controlled encoder motor fails and you lose faith in the 'trusty old mechanical' floor shift :D

ben

as nosliw explained above, the floor shift is no more reliable than the push button shift, no matter how much more hard core and "simpler" people think it is. ;) It is not the eqivilant of the NP205 and mechanical hubs that GM had 15 years ago.

nobody makes a replacment "mechanical" front end actuator for our trucks as far as I know.

so basically, its just preference, but dont be surprised when the front electronically controlled encoder motor fails and you lose faith in the 'trusty old mechanical' floor shift :D

benI dissagree. The push button setup has two actuators that can fail. That means to me it is 50% less reliable than a floor shift modle!:D

I had my 4wd not engage twice on my 93' Yukon (floor shifter) both times the actuator went bad. So far no problems with my push button sierra. Knock on wood....

The floor shifter gives you a place to hang a can cooly that is within easy reach when you want a beer:beerchug: :grd: .

as nosliw explained above, the floor shift is no more reliable than the push button shift, no matter how much more hard core and "simpler" people think it is. ;) It is not the eqivilant of the NP205 and mechanical hubs that GM had 15 years ago.

nobody makes a replacment "mechanical" front end actuator for our trucks as far as I know.

so basically, its just preference, but dont be surprised when the front electronically controlled encoder motor fails and you lose faith in the 'trusty old mechanical' floor shift :D

ben
Yeah, you are still at the mercy of the front actuator but, at least there is still less to go wrong with no servo or encoder at the transfercase on the manual shift jobs. Floor shift is definitely more reliable than push button garbage and if I could have gotten manual shift with the LT3 I would have. My 2003 Duramax with manual shift never had an issue, did what I wanted. Half the time I want 4 lo with my 06 it just blinks at me, so I have to take the truck back out of neutral, rock the truck back and forth put it back in neutral and try again, which is real convenient when I need to free a burried trailer on the jobsite. My wife's 97 Tahoe Diesel jambed itself into 4 lo and then our 2003 Yukon lost 4x4 and had to go the dealer, both were push button. The Yukon got a new encoder motor under warranty, the Tahoe was out of warranty and cost me $956.77 parts and labor to replace a fried TCCM and jambed encoder motor and that was back in 2001 so I can only imagine how much it would cost today. I've had 6 IFS GM full size trucks, 2 manual shift and 4 push button. I've never had a front actuator fail but, so far I'm 3 for 4 on push button t-case problems. BTW, the 9 trucks/jeeps I've owned that were manual shift/manual hub never gave me any problems, ever.;)