So, maybe I don't need a new trans...
Noticed in the last week the locks cycling as I drove, last Monday the truck wouldn't respond to my aftermarket alarm and being an old installer I realized the oem actuators "fell asleep" (I remember it being an issue in the bay years ago when the NBS first came out)....still having a stumble from a dead stop, but was occurring in all gears so I knew it wasn't gear related/was something else. No codes thrown on a cheap handheld or through Torque app.
So, I realized while on my second 3hr drive this week that the trans would shift fine for awhile and the locks would cycle and go back to the crappy stumble. Checked all fuses, all good...removed TCB and ECM fuse under hood for few minutes, reinstalled, and tightened down ground cable at battery. Seems to have worked for now.
May need to finally get a post mount battery and do the big 3....cheaper than a new trans
Cliffs notes: bad battery ground, ****** shifts due to BCM resetting due to said ground cable, truck shifted perfect last 50 miles of the trip and on side roads from a stop....keep fingers crossed.