IDK if it's easy to do or not, but why do you wish to downgrade? I love that my trucks (plural) use column shifters. Unless you've got a third pedal there's no way I'd want a console mounted shifter. Plus you're losing a hand rest for when you're towing. I've given GM a ton of props for sticking with the column shifters up until 2022. If they made a kit to put a console shifter in my Lightning there's no way I would run it even if it was free.

Some mods can add valve to a vehicle. For example a clean, issue free Lightning that's had its 4R100 built, running a JDM longblock with a Whipple 2.9L blower is going to be able to pull at least as much as a clean stock truck (maybe not in a trade, but definitely when sold outright by the owner) with similar mileages and condition as these are universally desired mods. A Lightning who's frame has been cut on, running captain chairs instead of the OEM bench, with a solid rear glass in place of the sliding rear glass has lost it valve compared to a clean stock example. If you've got for example a clean RCSB F150 XL and you decide to trade it in, a dealer is going to say, "why does this RCSB XL have a console shifter when it was never an option?" They're going to know it's been modded, and most people buying trucks for trucks don't want to buy modded, especially these kinds of mods. Their not going to trust you mods, and you're certainly not going to get as much on a trade.

Plus a console shifter is just OEM rice. It's trying to mimic a modern manual setups for what they deem as being cosmetically better and more upscale looking at the expense of practically. (and yes I know that console mounted automatic cars are nothing new and are about as old as console mounted manual cars, but that's sporty cars which are impractical to begin with) The column is in reality the most ideal shifter location for an automatic transmission. It's easy to access, out the way, and it leaves space on the center console for other things.

With that all said I say if it's something that you really want to do and you have the funds and know-how to pull it off, and you don't have more important priorities then I suggest that you do it. Mod you vehicle as you see fit. It's your money and your truck so enjoy it. The only time I take issue with mods is when they directly affect other drivers, like if you lift the front of your truck 2.5", then you need to repoint your headlights. Or if you squat your truck, and then lose control while driving like an asshat, and you hit some family driving a sedan, and because your stupid looking truck is sitting with the nose way up in the air causes their car to go up under your truck trapping them and they burn up in some subsequent fire cause by your careless mods and your stupidity, then I have an issue with your modding. Or even like those idiots at Mustang Week in their souped up Mustangs who every year want to leave out that parking lot driving like Jeff Gordon after he just won a race and then wreck into others on the road because they don't respect what they're driving or appreciated how limited their driving skills are then that's a problem as well. You should mod how you want, but be mindful and respectful of other people on the road when doing so.

 

The console/floor shifter is so much easier for manual shifts over the column shift. When I'm towing, it's so easy to rest my hand on the floor shifter and reach to the push buttons for manual shifting. With the column shifter, it was awkward, holding and keeping my arm there while pushing the manual shifting buttons. So much better to be able to relax my hand on a floor shifter when shifting.

I guess it wouldn't be an issue if Ford just put the shift paddles behind the wheel where you could relax your hand on the steering wheel while manual shifting