Today I took the afternoon to do a fix I’ve been thinking through for a month or more. I learned a lot, and this is a novel solution that could be a write-up for people with the 05-06 manual with MML and BL. The problem I encountered with this setup is that the transmission and TCase are so low relative to the tub that the shifter attachment falls right down into the lower rubber shifter boot and rips it to shreds.
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The problem is compounded by the angle change that leans the shifter knob that comes out of the transmission back. Then all the heat starts moving into your cab, which is not fun. What I learned is why the real answer is a TT, but if you don’t have $1600 at the time, here’s a way to fix it so you can stop your feet from feeling like they are in flames :flamethrower2:. If you live in a very cold area, you might not want to do this fix, just enjoy the extra heat!

The 05-06 console is unique. It is not nearly as easy to finagle as earlier model Jeeps. What I needed to accomplish was two things. First, extend the shifter about 1.5”. That will almost get the attachment out of the lower shifter boot. Second, move the center console area back 1”. This is the maximum distance you can move it, since the rear of the console runs into the tub in front of the back seat and your TCase lever and Parking Brake will hit the console too.

1. Remove your shifter bezel by snapping it outward at each of the four corners
2. Unscrew your shifter from the Tranny portion (star pattern bolt about 3/4” long)
3. remove the shifter
4. Remove the 10mm and 8mm bolts holding the lower shifter boot to the tub. Keep it for practicing your template later on. Here’s what it should look like at this point.
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5. You’ll see the black clips at the mounting locations. There’s no need to remove them.
6. Modify your old lower shifter boot by cutting 1 1/8” off the rear corrugated section and the side that hits the TCase mount. Here a pic of the old and new side by side so you can see where I cut (I used tin snips).
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7. Mount the old one in the hole and trim more as needed till you have it 1” back.
8. Mark new holes 1” above your other holes (except the top hole which you can no longer use) and drill them.
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9. Check for figment and trim if necessary.
10. Re-install with 10 and 8mm bolts.
11, stick the transmission portion of the shifter up through the hole. I put some Vaseline there just so it would have a lubricant and wouldn’t damage the rubber, but probably not necessary.

Now we are 1” back!
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12. Extend your shifter knob. The bolt size is M8x1.25. And you’ll need it 2-2.5” long, with a spacer and I needed a few washers to take up the slack. Here’s the stock one beside the new extended one.
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Install that puppy and you should be relatively ready to go. It’s not a perfect solution, the shifter is still too far back, but that’s due to the angle.

In Neutral
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In 2nd
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Back together. Everything worked!
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Now no more heat in the cab! This solution allows me to just move everything back forward when I do the TT. I didn’t have to drill the tub, except the new mount in the cup holder. I just used a self tapping screw.

I hope this helps someone out there!

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When we bought my girlfriends jeep, it has a huge trans drop kit on it and the inner boot was all tore up. I just replaced the rubber for now, and it will get tore up again at some point, but my plan is to talk her into a SYE to take care of it for her, but I know what you mean by heat and exhaust in the cabin. It was a rough few weeks for sure.

Nice Job, looks great!
 
When we bought my girlfriends jeep, it has a huge trans drop kit on it and the inner boot was all tore up. I just replaced the rubber for now, and it will get tore up again at some point, but my plan is to talk her into a SYE to take care of it for her, but I know what you mean by heat and exhaust in the cabin. It was a rough few weeks for sure.

Nice Job, looks great!
If you look at the last pic, you can see another issue too. The tip of the TCase Shifter and E-Brake are almost touching the console. So, you really have only 1" to move it back. If I could bend the shifter coming out of the Transmission or get some other tried and true attachment on the shifter rod that doesn't have that big bulky thing on it, I would be golden. But yeah, the real solution is a TT. I guess I'll have to do that someday. Ah heck! :D On that note, what about a TT without the under armor, at least for a while. Instead, just use a crossmember to hold it up? Would that work. No crazy wheeling until the under armor.
 
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If you look at the last pic, you can see another issue too. The tip of the TCase Shifter and E-Brake are almost touching the console. So, you really have only 1" to move it back. If I could bend the shifter coming out of the Transmission or get some other tried and true attachment on the shifter rod that doesn't have that big bulky thing on it, I would be golden. But yeah, the real solution is a TT. I guess I'll have to do that someday. Ah heck! :D On that note, what about a TT without the under armor, at least for a while. Instead, just use a crossmember to hold it up? Would that work. No crazy wheeling until the under armor.

So It would work, and I don't see a problem with it, but you won't get the skid you may be looking for. Your skid plate might slide over rocks where your cross-member might get hung up, but most 4wd vehicles use cross-members rather than skids anyway. So it isn't the end of the world. Also you may spend close to the same money fabbing a cross-member when you could have just bought a low profile skid already done. I don't really know the cost of one, as I am still running the stock one.
 
So It would work, and I don't see a problem with it, but you won't get the skid you may be looking for. Your skid plate might slide over rocks where your cross-member might get hung up, but most 4wd vehicles use cross-members rather than skids anyway. So it isn't the end of the world. Also you may spend close to the same money fabbing a cross-member when you could have just bought a low profile skid already done. I don't really know the cost of one, as I am still running the stock one.
The UCF Skid Plate system in Aluminum with oil pain skid is like $900
 
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The UCF Skid Plate system in Aluminum with oil pain skid is like $900
I just did a spit take.

yikes. haha ya you could probably fab a cross-member for cheaper. In fact I remember seeing a post where someone posted they bought a jeep, and it came with a cross-member, and the if I remember right the cross-member was flat to the frame. People were kind of freaking out because it wasn't a skid, but the cross-member was flat to the frame. I thought it was well done, but I cannot find the thread now.
 
I just did a spit take.

yikes. haha ya you could probably fab a cross-member for cheaper. In fact I remember seeing a post where someone posted they bought a jeep, and it came with a cross-member, and the if I remember right the cross-member was flat to the frame. People were kind of freaking out because it wasn't a skid, but the cross-member was flat to the frame. I thought it was well done, but I cannot find the thread now.
$199 Genright Crossmember, and then everything is flat and readily accessible

https://genright.com/products/universal-transmission-crossmember-kit.html
 
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I bet you could do a cross member mount like what Poly or Genright makes and still be able to bolt up your factory skid for protection until you can get a slimmer skid on.
 
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Oh yeah I like that, but it looks like there is some welding involved, and also will the mounts on the frame hit the muffler? You will have to make some careful measurements.
Yeah, I'd have to raise the muffler and wrap it in some thermal stuff to keep it from wearing out the urethane bushings. I've got a friend who welds, probably wouldn't take much for him. Measure twice, cut once. Maybe measure three or four times for this one! Then I could get the SYE/DC (550) and Rear Uppers (200), plus the crossmember (250), what, maybe $1000 in all?
 
One pitfall I see to that cross member is you're pretty much going to be flat with the frame rails. Going completely flat is not for the weak hearted. You could be creative and make some angled pieces of DOM to drop the cross member down a bit, then just go with a Barnes 2" skid. Just my way of getting away from having to clearance the tub tunnel to make shit fit.
 
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One pitfall I see to that cross member is you're pretty much going to be flat with the frame rails. Going completely flat is not for the weak hearted. You could be creative and make some angled pieces of DOM to drop the cross member down a bit, then just go with a Barnes 2" skid. Just my way of getting away from having to clearance the tub tunnel to make shit fit.
As far as I can see on the Genright crossmember, it's meant to be welded higher up on the inside of the frame so that as the tubing drops and comes across it's flush with the bottom of the frame. My thought was just to lower the welding point on the inside of the frame. Think that may work?
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One pitfall I see to that cross member is you're pretty much going to be flat with the frame rails. Going completely flat is not for the weak hearted. You could be creative and make some angled pieces of DOM to drop the cross member down a bit, then just go with a Barnes 2" skid. Just my way of getting away from having to clearance the tub tunnel to make shit fit.
Although, if he did have clearance for everything it would be better to be flat with the frame? Less chance of getting hung up. I mean if he was going with a tummy tuck to begin with wouldn't that make sense? This is beyond my expertise so that is why I am asking.
 
Although, if he did have clearance for everything it would be better to be flat with the frame? Less chance of getting hung up. I mean if he was going with a tummy tuck to begin with wouldn't that make sense? This is beyond my expertise so that is why I am asking.
I’ll leave that one for @bobthetj03, but my frail understanding is that I may have problems with the transmission tunnel. Now, if I went with a 2” BL, I bet I could alleviate that problem! LOL
 
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I’ll leave that one for @bobthetj03, but my frail understanding is that I may have problems with the transmission tunnel. Now, if I went with a 2” BL, I bet I could alleviate that problem! LOL
If you were planning a full tummy tuck anyway, what is the specs for that? I mean say you bought a custom flat skid plate, what are the pre-reqs for that. I think if you do that or have done that and that mount as room for your muffler, you should be good to go. But I may be missing something.

The lower the cross-member the more chance of hanging it up on something, I would think.
 
Alright you two, do this. crawl under your jeep next time you have it on jack stands for room. Unbolt the 4 nuts retaining the trans mount to the skid plate. Take a floor jack and start jacking the drive train up until shit starts hitting other shit. Measure how far up you can go until said shit is about to hit other said shit. that's how far up you can tuck without trans tunnel modifications. Cat hanger will also need modified, and a smaller muffler needed. Also, pay close attention to how close the exhaust pipe gets on the passenger side control arm as you raise the drive train. Also would suggest wrapping the entire exhaust, at least as far back as the muffler with header wrap, cause that shit is gonna get a lot noisier in the cabin.
 
Alright you two, do this. crawl under your jeep next time you have it on jack stands for room. Unbolt the 4 nuts retaining the trans mount to the skid plate. Take a floor jack and start jacking the drive train up until shit starts hitting other shit. Measure how far up you can go until said shit is about to hit other said shit. that's how far up you can tuck without trans tunnel modifications. Cat hanger will also need modified, and a smaller muffler needed. Also, pay close attention to how close the exhaust pipe gets on the passenger side control arm as you raise the drive train. Also would suggest wrapping the entire exhaust, at least as far back as the muffler with header wrap, cause that shit is gonna get a lot noisier in the cabin.
Hehe, just day dreaming about this stuff is fun! Look at this pic I took yesterday. Wish it was as clear as IRL. The angle of the transmission back is a pretty good angle. There is lots of room at the TCase, it diminishes as you go up to the transmission, but I was still shocked at how much room was there. Then there was the exhaust over there with about 1 1/2 " to the tub and 1 1/2" from the TCase skid. In any case, I thought it was a cool view...
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Yep, cool view and eye opening indeed! Some places you have a bunch of room, other places, not so much.
 
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I've been doing a lot of thinking about this because it's my next big mod. I just have to keep er road friendly, so totally flat is probably off the table for me. If I can gain 2-3" of clearance with a tuck, and still keep everything happy, I'll consider that a win for me.
 
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