MGW Shifter for Mach1

[Mikepol2]

Reviving.... anyone else do this, or use Barton or Steeda? Seems like a lot of work, including under-car stuff that I'm not a fan of anymore. I'd want to be sure ahead of time that this was a no-brainer mod for a car that never sees a track. I'm sure at first it's noticeably "better", whatever that means, but after a few months is it really that big of an improvement?

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[murick]

Reviving.... anyone else do this, or use Barton or Steeda? Seems like a lot of work, including under-car stuff that I'm not a fan of anymore. I'd want to be sure ahead of time that this was a no-brainer mod for a car that never sees a track. I'm sure at first it's noticeably "better", whatever that means, but after a few months is it really that big of an improvement?

Do you have a problem with the factory shifter, or do you feel somehow limited? If not, then you are most likely fine...

 

[wingnutt]

Reviving.... anyone else do this, or use Barton or Steeda? Seems like a lot of work, including under-car stuff that I'm not a fan of anymore. I'd want to be sure ahead of time that this was a no-brainer mod for a car that never sees a track. I'm sure at first it's noticeably "better", whatever that means, but after a few months is it really that big of an improvement?

very related, there is another thread here lately that answers some questions…

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/crazy-install-price.206172/#post-4123878

 

[NightmareMoon]

I had a Tremec transmission already out of the car for other reasons, so I put an MGW on, because I’d never tried a good aftermarket shifter and I was curious. What the hell.

Its … different. Its very solid and very mechanical. Notchy doesnt even describe it. Thats either good or not depending on what YOU like in a shifter.

So I agree with @murick if you think the factory shifter has lots of room for improvement, this MGW is a big /change/ in feel. If you think the factory shifter is fine, well, it is.

I think once its broken in and I’m more used to it I’ll probably like it, but I didnt have many problems with other stock shifters in mustangs before.

 

[greasy]

I think the shifter is absolutely worth it! The install is a total PITA doing it on jackstands. If you are worried about it take it to a shop.

 

[IPOGT]

Aside from wanting to have the HP parts in the attic should I ever decide to go HP, car is pretty damn perfect for me just the way it is. The break in on the shifting was interesting in the beginning and for some, I can see why they may think the shifter is a little sketchy until then.

 

[19gtaz]

Aside from wanting to have the HP parts in the attic should I ever decide to go HP, car is pretty damn perfect for me just the way it is. The break in on the shifting was interesting in the beginning and for some, I can see why they may think the shifter is a little sketchy until then.

How long did it take for your shifter to break in?

 

[IPOGT]

About 2200 miles before it started to feel more consistent, and then got a bit better since.

 

[IPOGT]

About 2200 miles before it started to feel more consistent, and then got a bit better since.

Remember, the manual does say to start in second gear in normal street driving.

 

[murick]

I am a bit skeptical about the shifter "breaking-in" idea. I have the factor shifter in the closet, since I swapped it for MGW one at ~4,500 mi and spent some thought on it. Then I drove the MGW shifter for approximately the same milage.

The factory shifter does have (by design) a lot of play in several joints which can make it perceivably more forgiving than for example MGW shifter, which is strictly no-play, bolt precision design. But I do not see any direct opportunity for either design to benefit from "breaking-in".

I guess the factory shifter can get the rear gasket, the central joint, or the front arm mounting point even more loose (if you are pushing it to the extremes) but this does just make the original wobbly design even more wobbly.

On the other hand the MGW shifter has no play anywhere and I do not see how you could induce one even by harsh handling. Even the front arm mount point has much tighter fit.

So while it may feel like breaking-in on the factory shifter, I would rather believe it is just getting worse and for the MGW shifter, if there is any change in action, I would rather believe it is more likely the transmission than the shifter, which is being broken-in.

 

[VictorH]

Maybe you got a "loose" one. I have a bit over 12,000 miles on my MGW shifter. It's certainly less stiff, smoother and easier to shift. I really don't think it's the transmission changing (total miles on my car 15K). My sense is the MGW needs a few thousand shifts to reach a nice broken in state. I drive on track and it's much better now than when it was first installed.

 

[murick]

Maybe you got a "loose" one. I have a bit over 12,000 miles on my MGW shifter. It's certainly less stiff, smoother and easier to shift. I really don't think it's the transmission changing (total miles on my car 15K). My sense is the MGW needs a few thousand shifts to reach a nice broken in state. I drive on track and it's much better now than when it was first installed.

Not sure about which one you considered I got "loose". The factory shifter is loose by design, the MGW shifter is not. When I played with the latter before putting it into a car, I did not see much of an opportunity to loosen it, and this is so far confirmed by the experience. It feels the same as when I put it in the car.

I do believe though that your experience is authentic too, and considering your milage and type of use which is far beyond mine, I might just not have it long enough.

On the other hand I am still convinced that I am more likely to "loosen" the transmission, if we are talking about the perceived "notchiness", or the "neutral bump" which I experience with the MGW shifter, because the shifter alone, out of the box, is as smooth and precise as it gets.

 

[VictorH]

The transmission aspect you write about, I totally agree! The Tremec is a decent transmission but yes it's notchy at times and can be clunky too. I think that's just the nature of this particular transmission. It can't compare to a prior generation BMW 6-speed (do they even sell any manual trans cars now?) or Porsche manual transmissions.
The notchy feeling can be improved with new trans fluid, I've had good luck with BG Syncho-shift II (two changes now) as the stock fluid is a very thin ATF-type fluid.
There is no shifter that will fix the intrinsic nature of a transmission that has some intrinsic clunks and bumps that are just part of whatever design compromises the Tremec engineers made for this trans.

 

[IPOGT]

The transmission aspect you write about, I totally agree! The Tremec is a decent transmission but yes it's notchy at times and can be clunky too. I think that's just the nature of this particular transmission. It can't compare to a prior generation BMW 6-speed (do they even sell any manual trans cars now?) or Porsche manual transmissions.
The notchy feeling can be improved with new trans fluid, I've had good luck with BG Syncho-shift II (two changes now) as the stock fluid is a very thin ATF-type fluid.
There is no shifter that will fix the intrinsic nature of a transmission that has some intrinsic clunks and bumps that are just part of whatever design compromises the Tremec engineers made for this trans.

So used to seeing complaints on the MT-82 that a lot of people experience and probably more are fine with.
The Tremec, very few complaints in comparison.

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