Can we talk shifters and shifting?

[Bartly]

So I've had my GT with the manual for 3 weeks now and am getting pretty good with the shifting. Still working on my 1-2 shift, I get it smooth about half of the time, but that's just my clutch throttle work I need to fine tune some more. But I am sometimes finding it not so easy finding which gear I'm going into. An example is downshifting from into 3rd when entering a turn. I probably just need more time in the car. I haven't had a sports car in forever and just need to get better at a car with so many gears and such a tight (narrow window) shifter. I see there are a couple of aftermarket shifters out there. Do these help with that? Are they just mostly a shorter short shifters and kind of "bling" thing? Or do they help with finding gears more easily, or is that just something that will come more easily with time spent in the car? I don't necessarily want to be able to shift faster (yet), I mainly want it to be easier to find which gear I'm shifting into. Anyone care to comment?

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[stoli]

Seat time. MGW, Steeda, and other shifters are great, but it sounds like you just need some practice if you have issues 'finding' the gears.

 

[Todd15Fastback]

The aftermarket shifters absolutely improve the gate feel of finding the gears. They help 1000% in not missing your shifts.

It is money well spent. The precision is 20 times better than the stock shifter.

 

[Beetlespin]

So I've had my GT with the manual for 3 weeks now and am getting pretty good with the shifting. Still working on my 1-2 shift, I get it smooth about half of the time, but that's just my clutch throttle work I need to fine tune some more. But I am sometimes finding it not so easy finding which gear I'm going into. An example is downshifting from into 3rd when entering a turn. I probably just need more time in the car. I haven't had a sports car in forever and just need to get better at a car with so many gears and such a tight (narrow window) shifter. I see there are a couple of aftermarket shifters out there. Do these help with that? Are they just mostly a shorter short shifters and kind of "bling" thing? Or do they help with finding gears more easily, or is that just something that will come more easily with time spent in the car? I don't necessarily want to be able to shift faster (yet), I mainly want it to be easier to find which gear I'm shifting into. Anyone care to comment?

I have found 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th easy to find since they are on the corners but was having issues with 3rd and 4th. I have found if you put the shifter in neutral 3rd is straight up and 4th is straight down. No more 5th or 6th gear by mistake. 1st to 2nd just takes time getting to know the car better.

 

[Bartly]

Thanks for the replies. Funny went to bed last night really wanting to post a thread on the subject, but was tired so didn't. Then wake up this morning and post up first thing. Then get to reading and two other guys had posted up on almost the same subject. Funny.

 

[Bartly]

The aftermarket shifters absolutely improve the gate feel of finding the gears. They help 1000% in not missing your shifts.

It is money well spent. The precision is 20 times better than the stock shifter.

Does anyone know what is special inside the aftermarket shifters that makes it 1000% better in not missing shifts? So curious on what they do and if they really improve the likelihood of finding the gears I am searching for.

 

[D.Brown]

Does anyone know what is special inside the aftermarket shifters that makes it 1000% better in not missing shifts? So curious on what they do and if they really improve the likelihood of finding the gears I am searching for.

Just take a look at everything that's replacing it and the added rigidity.

http://www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-m...x-race-short-throw-shifter-15-16-gt-555-7317/

 

[Bartly]

Just take a look at everything that's replacing it and the added rigidity.

http://www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-m...x-race-short-throw-shifter-15-16-gt-555-7317/

Just looks like one big sales ad to me. "Eliminates slop and deflection", I don't have a problem with the OEM one on this. "Precision fit bushings for a direct positive feeling shift", would guess there are tons of "precision fit" components in the OEM unit, also would bet the Ford Engineers would say the OEM unit has a "positive feel shift" as well. Can't imagine these aftermarket shifters widened the gates or whatever they are called to help you find gears?

 

[Todd15Fastback]

Just looks like one big sales ad to me. "Eliminates slop and deflection", I don't have a problem with the OEM one on this. "Precision fit bushings for a direct positive feeling shift", would guess there are tons of "precision fit" components in the OEM unit, also would bet the Ford Engineers would say the OEM unit has a "positive feel shift" as well. Can't imagine these aftermarket shifters widened the gates or whatever they are called to help you find gears?

LOL.

It is not a sales pitch. I take it you have never had an aftermarket shifter before? The difference is beyond night and day. It is that simple.

Go sit in and drive another Mustang with a Steeda or MGW aftermarket shifter and then come back and tell us the difference. These shifters sell like hotcakes and for a reason.

They don't widen the gates. The gates are more precise and a ton more precision.

If FORD did everything correctly, there would be zero aftermarket.


This whole post is hilarious coming from someone that is complaining they cannot find the gears? Yet, they are saying an aftermarket shift is not all hot air...

 

[suckerv]

"Can we talk shifters and shifting?"

In two pages, this will turn into a "I'm a better driver than you because I know how to heel/toe" thread :headbonk::eyebulge::lol:

In all seriousness though, to the OP, I really wasn't pleased with how the factory shifter assembly felt. In fact, I would say the bulk of the time I've had my car, I have spent more time tinkering with getting the shifter to feel better than anything else. I finally caved and bought an aftermarket shifter (MGW), and now I wish that was the first thing I did before sinking all this money into shorter shift arms, bushings, trans brackets, etc. Speaking only for MGW's case, they utilize a solid linkage rod as opposed to the factory multi-jointed linkage which FEELS and sounds great, but is very sloppy. The OEM body bracket is also soft and mushy versus aftermarket ones (I've held both in my hands and the difference is astounding). Ford clearly wanted to make a shifter that was more quiet and comfy feeling, but it certainly isn't the most functional thing out there. Just my 2 cents.

In short, it's worth it, and there is for sure a functional difference.

 

[Bartly]

LOL.

It is not a sales pitch. I take it you have never had an aftermarket shifter before? The difference is beyond night and day. It is that simple.

Go sit in and drive another Mustang with a Steeda or MGW aftermarket shifter and then come back and tell us the difference. These shifters sell like hotcakes and for a reason.

They don't widen the gates. The gates are more precise and a ton more precision.

If FORD did everything correctly, there would be zero aftermarket.


This whole post is hilarious coming from someone that is complaining they cannot find the gears? Yet, they are saying an aftermarket shift is not all hot air...

Point taken. Just don't want to fall victim in buying something that I can't be made to understand. I have an aftermarket shift linkage in my other vehicle because it needed it due to it being a lifted jeep. 90% of the guys running one on there jeep love to talk about how much smoother they are than stock, but I notice none of that, only that it functions as well as the OEM one before it ceased to work because of other mods.

 

[D.Brown]

So you've driven a manual previously, but have issues driving a manual in a Mustang? Yet another thread that is mindless. Definitely unsubscribing from this garbage.

 

[Bartly]

Poor little guys can't have a discussion without getting hurt feelings. Come on esplain it to me.

 

[Joe 5.0]

Also debating on buying the MGW shifter setup.

This is my first manual and I'm no expert here, but I'm pretty sure notchiness, being locked out of gear, and grinding isn't normal.

MGW has a great video explaining their shifter and comparing it to the stock one. It is about 20 minutes long and can be found on YouTube.

 

[stoli]

Just looks like one big sales ad to me. "Eliminates slop and deflection", I don't have a problem with the OEM one on this. "Precision fit bushings for a direct positive feeling shift", would guess there are tons of "precision fit" components in the OEM unit, also would bet the Ford Engineers would say the OEM unit has a "positive feel shift" as well. Can't imagine these aftermarket shifters widened the gates or whatever they are called to help you find gears?

The oem shitter is a big limp dick. There's nothing precision about it. You want precision, get an MGW. End of story.

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