MGW Shifter for Mach1

[murick]

No it just works with the MGW shifter if you choose the correct vehicle type ( Vehicle: Ford Mustang '15+ (12x1.25mm) ). I will say all was not lost. The jam nut from MGW is super high quality and it works perfectly with the billetworkz knob. I can post a pic sometime if that would interest you.

Alright, as they say on their page for Mustang '15+

The Short Teardrop is the only shape that will function with the large factory reverse lockout. All other shapes require our ST/RS Reverse Lockout OR Reverse Lockout Adaptor to properly fit and function.

And you wrote you ordered a sphere I was not sure if you did have to buy anything for MGW as well. I guess I will understand how this works once I have it disassembled. If you shoot a pic, just to show how it stacks up on top of the MGW assembly, I will appreciate it .

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[stev3french]

Sure I can do that next time I run out to the garage. Just know you don't need to buy anything extra from Billetworkz outside of the knob itself. No need for any reverse lockout pieces from them. The MGW shifter is just a threaded rod at the top, so all you really need to do is thread on the jam nut and then the ball. The MGW knob and the billetworkz knob are installed the same exact way.

 

[murick]

I have already watched the instructional video from MGW several times and this particular comment still confuses me. Do I need 6 mm socket which is 10 mm deep?

This one was not advertised on the list of tools:

I actually do not have all those tools and want to make sure to get the correct ones. If I had a full set, I would not ask.

 

[Esset]

I have already watched the instructional video from MGW several times and this particular comment still confuses me. Do I need 6 mm socket which is 10 mm deep?

Its deep 10mm 1/4"socket with 1/4" ratchet extension. 6mm is the size of the thread

 

[Rock50]

Installed the MGW work of art in my car and after driving for a day, it is a huge improvement from stock. Shifts are very firm and very precise - rifle bolt action for sure. The crunchiness that I had from first to second, feels very mechanical now, like you are really shifting gears. You do have to put in more effort to shift when compared to stock and I see how some people may shy away from this. Shifting to reverse definitely needs some getting used to, but no more spring with the silly filler and rattling noise.

Some notes from the install.
- After removing the transmission cross member, the transmission barely dropped. I think this is because we only have an exhaust flex joint on the passenger's side and a band clamp on the driver's side. The GT350 had it on both. I had to pry on the exhaust near the transmission to force it lower, to reach the top mount bolt.
- The fit of the MGW arm in the top mount was very tight and I had to force it. The top bolt had full thread and wasn't a partial pin like showed in the install video, but this doesn't really matter, unless it allowed for more clamping with the factory stuff.
- No red loctite on the factory ball. They used some softer yellow metal inside the ball so it must be stretching and holding when tightened on the stick. It was easy to remove. The stock ball is heavier than MGW replacement.
- My factory boot was a two part piece and wasn't mounted properly from the factory and was sideways (see attached). The piece sticking out to the passenger side should have been pointing down to the rear of the car. Potentially it impacted shift feel and noise on stock. Fairly simple to check.
- Installing the provided new boot was a pain in the neck. Total install was around seven hours, solid three of which were spent on the stupid boot. And even then, I cut the top off to make it easier (ordering a new one to try again at a later time).
- I do hear some new very slight noise from the shifter area and thinking a properly installed boot will fix this.

Overall, I think this is a very solid modification and a great product from MGW.

 

[swoop1156]

I agree with all of the above. Love it in my car.

 

[murick]

I already have the shifter and as I am preparing mentally for the job, I would like to ask few questions about some details you mentioned:

- After removing the transmission cross member, the transmission barely dropped. I think this is because we only have an exhaust flex joint on the passenger's side and a band clamp on the driver's side. The GT350 had it on both. I had to pry on the exhaust near the transmission to force it lower, to reach the top mount bolt.

So, if I understand it correctly, you say that the transmission after removing/loosing the gearbox bracket gets stuck on the exhaust piping? And you let the trans rest on it during the disassembly, or did you somehow loose the exhaust as well? In the video they warned against letting the trans just hanging there and used another jack to support it, but they clearly had much more leeway there.

- The fit of the MGW arm in the top mount was very tight and I had to force it. The top bolt had full thread and wasn't a partial pin like showed in the install video, but this doesn't really matter, unless it allowed for more clamping with the factory stuff.

By "top mount" you mean the front joint? (showed at 9:34 in the instruction video) And the "top bolt" is the 10 mm bolt driven through the joint?

- Installing the provided new boot was a pain in the neck. Total install was around seven hours, solid three of which were spent on the stupid boot. And even then, I cut the top off to make it easier (ordering a new one to try again at a later time).

Could you elaborate a bit on what was the problem? I assume by "boot" you mean the rubber cone, or the "leather" sleeve, or the whole assembly?

 

[stev3french]

I also had an issue with the exhaust and getting the transmission to lower. My issue was that the exhaust was so strong it was holding the engine up (and in part the trans) and I needed to loosen the clamps at the midpoint of the exhaust and disconnect it to allow the trans to lower with ease. Just make sure you have something holding the trans because it really drops once you disconnect the exhaust by the resonator (or H pipe in my case)

 

[Rock50]

So, if I understand it correctly, you say that the transmission after removing/loosing the gearbox bracket gets stuck on the exhaust piping?

Like stev3french said. Headers hold the exhaust to engine and tranny is attached to engine, of course. Remove the cross member and the entire thing still hangs together. I kept a jack underneath the tranny just in case, but needed to put a stick between the top of exhaust and body to pry on the exhaust and move everything down with it, including transmission. I headed the warning in the video too, but it won't drop because of the exhaust.

By "top mount" you mean the front joint?

Correct.

Could you elaborate a bit on what was the problem?

Rubber cone. It must form a tight seal around the shifter body and the car body so nothing gets inside the shifter. On the shifter body, there is a groove specifically for this. Once you slide it down over the blue shifter stick, George said to work your thumb between and stretch out around the shifter like a bicycle tire, starting from the back. As soon as I moved to another corner, the one I just got done with slipped up, over and over. If you think you are done, I would check from the bottom of the car to make sure. I think not many check it and it is not seated properly. If I was you, I'd try to fit that rubber boot over the shifter body before sliding the shifter assembly into the car. Maybe even try getting it down with the boot on and adjusting the reverse lockout with it on.

Another thing to add about the two pins that attach to the back of the shifter. Video says it is optional to attach them before sliding down into the car for install. I put mine on beforehand. This is where moving the transmission down far enough comes in as the driveshaft will be in the way and you won't be able to slide it down with the pins on. I recommend putting the bracket on with the pins beforehand as the screws have some thread lock stuff and go in very very tightly and are difficult to tighten with the short Allen wrench.

 

[murick]

Like stev3french said. Headers hold the exhaust to engine and tranny is attached to engine, of course. Remove the cross member and the entire thing still hangs together. I kept a jack underneath the tranny just in case, but needed to put a stick between the top of exhaust and body to pry on the exhaust and move everything down with it, including transmission. I headed the warning in the video too, but it won't drop because of the exhaust.

Correct.

Rubber cone. It must form a tight seal around the shifter body and the car body so nothing gets inside the shifter. On the shifter body, there is a groove specifically for this. Once you slide it down over the blue shifter stick, George said to work your thumb between and stretch out around the shifter like a bicycle tire, starting from the back. As soon as I moved to another corner, the one I just got done with slipped up, over and over. If you think you are done, I would check from the bottom of the car to make sure. I think not many check it and it is not seated properly. If I was you, I'd try to fit that rubber boot over the shifter body before sliding the shifter assembly into the car. Maybe even try getting it down with the boot on and adjusting the reverse lockout with it on.

Another thing to add about the two pins that attach to the back of the shifter. Video says it is optional to attach them before sliding down into the car for install. I put mine on beforehand. This is where moving the transmission down far enough comes in as the driveshaft will be in the way and you won't be able to slide it down with the pins on. I recommend putting the bracket on with the pins beforehand as the screws have some thread lock stuff and go in very very tightly and are difficult to tighten with the short Allen wrench.

Great! Just one or two more things

In the package there is a rubber gasket marked "optional" which seems to fit between the rear bracket (which holds the two pins in the back) and the chassis, but it was not mentioned in the video. Did you put it in there? Is it supposed to damp the vibration? Or am I placing it wrong?

The other more generic question. The video mentions using the thread locker on almost every bolt in there. Did you do it, and did you torque the bolts to some particular value (e.g. the recommended torque values according to SAE spec.), or you went with your gut.

 

[Rock50]

I struggled with the decision on the rubber gasket as well. Decided to put it in as that bracket now just mainly keeps the shifter from dropping on the driveshaft. Originally it is just metal to metal contact (bracket to tunnel) and the gasket should now prevent any tiny vibrations.

I didn't put any loctite on any new bolts that had that glue type stuff already on them and did on the rest. Except for the four big bolts that hold the two blue arms to the black transmission bracket. I thought I'll be able to loosen them to 75% like in the video, install everything in place and then put the loctite on, but by then, they are very hard to reach from the bottom and I didn't want to disassemble. I would put it on before you start mounting to the transmission. Like in the video, make everything tight but no need to go super hard. Everything will have either plastic locking washers, have lock washers or the blue loctite to keep it from loosening.

As in the video, only torque number is for the transmission bracket. I didn't measure, but did not do those super tight either.

 

[murick]

Going over this thread now, I realized how much I forgot (though I believed I had not) and that I should have read it again right before the install. I did it two days ago and now it seems I basically relived the same experience as @Rock50 except mine was twice as long . (But I loctited everything, so it may count.)

The original assembly of the boot looked like this on mine:

Did not inspire confidence.

Concerning the shifting knob, I finally went with the MGW white ball, and noticed that it produces white noise (harmonics) when I am touching it. It is not loud, but easily discernible. It does not matter whether I squeeze the ball, rest my hand on it, or just touch it on side. As soon I a make contact the noise starts, and as soon as I remove my hand it stops.

According to George from MGW this could be a product of the ball design (hollow plastic). I need (yet) to check the OEM ball, but I am starting strongly considering the billetworkz sphere knob basically to overcome two side effects, the neutral bump and the harmonics.

 

[IPOGT]

I think you need to stop playing with your balls.

 

[swoop1156]

I couldn't believe the difference in the MGW that was installed maybe at 200 miles on my car and shifting the stock one at the Track Attack.

 

[Egparson202]

Please elaborate.

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