People seem to blame the shifter a lot.
03-28-2010, 08:34 AM
#1
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People seem to blame the shifter a lot. In my opinion, and I've been through a T56 puke, a lot of drivers seem to blame the shifter as the reason for why their shifts are sloppy.
Maybe I am looking for someone else to agree with me on this theory.
I have the stock Hurst Shifter with the gold base. I installed an LS1 Speed Short stick shortly after I bought the car in 2003. That helped a lot. However roughly three years later, my trans decided to puke after an eight month sit, when I got back from Afghanistan. Bent main shaft, I lost a couple gears, grinding and the tail-shaft bushing was puking oil all over my Y pipe. Yeah, it was embarrassing.
I ordered a 4b from T56 Rebuilds and a McLeod Single and MC. Did the install and swap in about 5 hours. That made a world of difference and I can't really justify buying a shifter now as everything is as tight as it should be. The shifter centers going from second to third, so it walks you right into third. So the springs and detents are working properly on the shift 'map' in the trans.
The trans is still tight and I do have a notchy feel to the shifter and a nice hard click when it goes into gear.
I know this is the more expensive option when compared to a shifter, but mostly I blame the worn out, STOCK internal transmissions. Based on what Amber told me from T56 Rebuilds, Tremec/GM sets their tolerances to .004" from the factory. Then if you add in gear wear, trans wear, and heat that tolerance will become larger and will produce a sloppy feel to the trans. Amber told me that they set their tolerances to .000" THEN when you add in gear wear, trans wear and heat expansion, the tolerance is slightly more, but not sloppy. Hence the 500-1000 mile brake in. -Much like an engine.
Am I crazy or just reading too much into this, or spot on? And I do understand that the cheap-o stock shifters are probably mediocre at best. I've also found a couple people that have had the shifter base bolts walk loose, or the teflon shift 'cup' has worn out. -Slop.
Anyway, that is my theory. A trans rebuild was all I needed. And I could no longer drive the car the way it was anyway..
Not trying to get people to spend $1k on a rebuild, but it is SO worth it! 
Maybe I am looking for someone else to agree with me on this theory.
I have the stock Hurst Shifter with the gold base. I installed an LS1 Speed Short stick shortly after I bought the car in 2003. That helped a lot. However roughly three years later, my trans decided to puke after an eight month sit, when I got back from Afghanistan. Bent main shaft, I lost a couple gears, grinding and the tail-shaft bushing was puking oil all over my Y pipe. Yeah, it was embarrassing.
I ordered a 4b from T56 Rebuilds and a McLeod Single and MC. Did the install and swap in about 5 hours. That made a world of difference and I can't really justify buying a shifter now as everything is as tight as it should be. The shifter centers going from second to third, so it walks you right into third. So the springs and detents are working properly on the shift 'map' in the trans.
The trans is still tight and I do have a notchy feel to the shifter and a nice hard click when it goes into gear.
I know this is the more expensive option when compared to a shifter, but mostly I blame the worn out, STOCK internal transmissions. Based on what Amber told me from T56 Rebuilds, Tremec/GM sets their tolerances to .004" from the factory. Then if you add in gear wear, trans wear, and heat that tolerance will become larger and will produce a sloppy feel to the trans. Amber told me that they set their tolerances to .000" THEN when you add in gear wear, trans wear and heat expansion, the tolerance is slightly more, but not sloppy. Hence the 500-1000 mile brake in. -Much like an engine.
Am I crazy or just reading too much into this, or spot on? And I do understand that the cheap-o stock shifters are probably mediocre at best. I've also found a couple people that have had the shifter base bolts walk loose, or the teflon shift 'cup' has worn out. -Slop.
Anyway, that is my theory. A trans rebuild was all I needed. And I could no longer drive the car the way it was anyway..
Not trying to get people to spend $1k on a rebuild, but it is SO worth it! 
03-28-2010, 11:06 AM
#2
On The Tree
My car I bought new and was tried of missing 3rd gear.
So I bought the PRO 5.0 shifter with a Lou Short Stick.
I was happy with the results. Never had a problem missing 3rd.
Shifts were knotchy.
Then I drove my brothers 2009 Corvette.....
The Corvette shifts SO much smoother it made me rethink my Pro 5.0.
So I reinstalled the factory hurst shifter but used my Lou's Short Stick with it.
I like this setup.
The factory shift handle that comes with the hurst has that rubber insulator and that was jacking up my shifts!!
But still my shifts feel nothing like my brothers Vette.
So I bought the PRO 5.0 shifter with a Lou Short Stick.
I was happy with the results. Never had a problem missing 3rd.
Shifts were knotchy.
Then I drove my brothers 2009 Corvette.....
The Corvette shifts SO much smoother it made me rethink my Pro 5.0.
So I reinstalled the factory hurst shifter but used my Lou's Short Stick with it.
I like this setup.
The factory shift handle that comes with the hurst has that rubber insulator and that was jacking up my shifts!!
But still my shifts feel nothing like my brothers Vette.
03-28-2010, 11:59 AM
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^If any of your friends have a built T56 F-Body, drive that and see how it compares. That rubber isolator and the stock shift stick does need to go, that's for sure! What shifter did you have though? I think the stocker is just a sheet metal unit and the Hurst is the machined gold base. I haven't looked at mine in a while, so I'm not sure how the rest of it looks. The car may need a trans oil change soon though. Forgot when the last time I changed it was. Maybe early last year.
Last edited by bayer-z28; 03-28-2010 at 12:04 PM.
03-28-2010, 03:28 PM
#4
For what its worth, I just swapped my hurst for an MGW today, and I have probably the sloppiest transmission in an f-body. It has racked up almost 400,000 miles in 3 different cars with no rebuild. The hurst was pretty beat. Its a night and day difference between the way the car shifts. I'm waiting for the chance to pull my trans and send it off to get rebuilt.
