Hi from Colorado! Three months of ownership down. Just completed a shifter swap!

[Scotch1974]

Here is my TrialMaster and new shifter swap ( Spring lift and 315 /17 tires. )

 

[outono]

Been following along on FB. Love it!

Was it a straight swap or did you have to make some modifications?

How much did the Supra shifter cost?

 

[Scotch1974]

Thanks! I will try to add a post on installation.

 

[DaBull]

Here is my TrialMaster and new shifter swap ( Spring lift and 315 /17 tires. )

Hi Scotch1974, Looks very nice.

Does it shift as seamless as the original Grenadier shifter?

I have a 2020 New Defender with an 8 speed ZF auto trans and the shifter for it does not function as nicely
as the Grenadier's shifter. The ZF transmissions on both are perfect, however the way the shifter on the
Grenadier works is seamless compared to how the shifter functions on the 2020 New Defender.
DaBull

 

[Krabby]

Thanks! I will try to add a post on installation.

Please let us know how this was done!

 

[Scotch1974]

Hi Scotch1974, Looks very nice.

Does it shift as seamless as the original Grenadier shifter?

I have a 2020 New Defender with an 8 speed ZF auto trans and the shifter for it does not function as nicely
as the Grenadier's shifter. The ZF transmissions on both are perfect, however the way the shifter on the
Grenadier works is seamless compared to how the shifter functions on the 2020 New Defender.
DaBull

It does. It is the same mechanism but with the Supra handle replacing the Grenadier handle.

 

[Scotch1974]

I purchased the Supra handle off of eBay. Technically the entire Supra unit is plug and play but the bezel is different. Other wise you could just swap them out and go. That said, I took the Supra handle off its shifter post and repeated the process for the Grenny handle and then installed the Supra handle on the Grenny sifter post, taking care to not brake the ribbon cable clip. All this can be done in the car, but I took mine out so as to have better access to the ribbon cable. Please let us know how this was done!

 

[Scotch1974]

A few more pics. I was able to just connect the stock Supra setup and drive the Grenny. But as I said earlier, you have to take the handle off anyway to access the bezel. I chose to leave the OEM Grenny base on and install the Supra handle instead of switching over the bezel to the Supra unit.

 

[Scotch1974]

Been following along on FB. Love it!

Was it a straight swap or did you have to make some modifications?

How much did the Supra shifter cost?

84 bucks. No cutting or modification. I did disconnect the battery as a precaution, but I am not sure it was necessary.

 

[BD1]

Excellent! The unsymmetrical BMW shifter has always bothered me. This looks so much better!

And looks like a pretty easy change.

Thanks for sharing @Scotch1974

 

[Scotch1974]

One other note. The OEM shifter plastic cover on the shifter is glued on with two sided 3m foam tape. You will need to be extra careful prying it off. I used a heat gun on low and plastic panel trim tools.

 

[trobex]

Well done on both fronts! What I like with LHD variants is the manual mode is towards the driver and not offset.

 

[SkiBum1]

A few more pics. I was able to just connect the stock Supra setup and drive the Grenny. But as I said earlier, you have to take the handle off anyway to access the bezel. I chose to leave the OEM Grenny base on and install the Supra handle instead of switching over the bezel to the Supra unit.

That looks like a complex job actually. Weren’t you a bit hesitant thinking you might muck it all up?

 

[Scotch1974]

That looks like a complex job actually. Weren’t you a bit hesitant thinking you might muck it all up?

At first, but I did a little research and became more comfortable with it. Its really not that bad.

 

[BD1]

@Scotch1974 I just ordered one from eBay and have been studying your pictures and instructions.

"I purchased the Supra handle off of eBay. Technically the entire Supra unit is plug and play but the bezel is different. Other wise you could just swap them out and go. That said, I took the Supra handle off its shifter post and repeated the process for the Grenny handle and then installed the Supra handle on the Grenny sifter post, taking care to not brake the ribbon cable clip. All this can be done in the car, but I took mine out so as to have better access to the ribbon cable. "

A few questions if you don't mind:

- do you switch the circuit boards I see in the pictures. i.e. put the Grenadier board in the Toyota lever?
- how hard is it to remove the plates to actually get to the shift lever?
- any special tools?
- any other tips or links online that you think will be helpful?

Thanks!

 

[Scotch1974]

So the handles are a universal base with the same ribbon cable, The steel mounting shafts are also the same for both handles. You literally just have to take them apart to get the bezel and the handle off. I used a small plastic trim tool, a heat gun and a precision screwdriver with star bits. (Heat gun is for the two sided tape on the Grenny cover) The Supra handle just snaps apart. There are 4 screws once the cover is off. Three are obvious and the fourth is under a rubber spacer. From there you lift the ribbon clip. It flips up and the ribbon cable slides out. Then unscrew the screw that keeps the handle mounted on the shaft and gently slide the handle up being careful to not damage the ribbon cable. Then you are done removing the supra shifter handle. Here are some pictures.

 

[BD1]

So the handles are a universal base with the same ribbon cable, The steel mounting shafts are also the same for both handles. You literally just have to take them apart to get the bezel and the handle off. I used a small plastic trim tool, a heat gun and a precision screwdriver with star bits. (Heat gun is for the two sided tape on the Grenny cover) The Supra handle just snaps apart. There are 4 screws once the cover is off. Three are obvious and the fourth is under a rubber spacer. From there you lift the ribbon clip. It flips up and the ribbon cable slides out. Then unscrew the screw that keeps the handle mounted on the shaft and gently slide the handle up being careful to not damage the ribbon cable. Then you are done removing the supra shifter handle. Here are some pictures.

This is very helpful!

Last question. Any tips for taking off the panel that that shifter is on? Just remove all the exposed screws?

 

[Scotch1974]

This is very helpful!

Last question. Any tips for taking off the panel that that shifter is on? Just remove all the exposed screws?


View attachment 7863489

Yes. I took the whole panel off. 4 screws. That said, if you do the switch in the car, you dont have to remove anything but the handle. I took mine out so I could do the swap at my desk.

 

[BD1]

Thanks for answering all my questions!

 

[Jiman01]

So the handles are a universal base with the same ribbon cable, The steel mounting shafts are also the same for both handles. You literally just have to take them apart to get the bezel and the handle off. I used a small plastic trim tool, a heat gun and a precision screwdriver with star bits. (Heat gun is for the two sided tape on the Grenny cover) The Supra handle just snaps apart. There are 4 screws once the cover is off. Three are obvious and the fourth is under a rubber spacer. From there you lift the ribbon clip. It flips up and the ribbon cable slides out. Then unscrew the screw that keeps the handle mounted on the shaft and gently slide the handle up being careful to not damage the ribbon cable. Then you are done removing the supra shifter handle. Here are some pictures.

Maybe a dumb question but in IMG 226 and 230 where you show the shaft with handle removed…is the white piece that looks like a flag hovering above the shaft, the ribbon clip after it’s removed from the circuit board?

Thanks for posting and sharing your experiences.