Lotus289

iTrader: (1)

Since I'm not about to drop $180 on a Hurst T-5 Short Throw, I decided to make my own. I bought a spare shifter in case the project didn't work out or I just don't like the new one, but so far I like it. I've yet to test drive it though to see how much of a difference it is.

I put the spare shifter in a vice, cut 1-11/16" off the top and re-tapped it for the stock shift ball (16mm x 1.5). Now I need a new shift boot because I hate the way the stock boot goes all the way up to the shift **** now. But 1 project at a time.

Pics:

9WhiteCamaro9

Looks good. I like it. Are you gonna go and order a new shift boot or have one made at a local shop? And I'm with you on not paying $180 on one when you can do it yourself.

ncsu602

iTrader: (10)

I like it! I may do this to the 3 spare handles I've managed to accumulate over the years. I like my Hurst because it's angled toward me but it's still a mile tall. I had a short stick in my LT1 and loved it.

Lotus289

iTrader: (1)

Thanx. I haven't decided what to do about the shift boot yet. I have to look around and see what my options are. However a friend and I were talking tonight and we're thinking about fabbing up a gated shifter plate. I'm not sure how well it would look / work due to the thickness of the stick itself. But it's just an idea right now so we'll see where it goes. For now I'll just stick with the stock boot.


And I did take it for a test drive to night and it made a WORLD of difference. I no longer have to take my arm off the center console lid to shift. It's just a flick of the wrist. Now all I need are my Poly engine and trans mounts to stiffen everything up a bit.

Super-Bat

iTrader: (38)

Any chance you'd be willing to 'mod' the spare and sell it to me??

jason02Z

iTrader: (10)

cool.. looks like you will hit your hand on the console shifting scene its not a short throw...just a short stick. thats why its not 180.00 for it

00FlowCamaro

Agreed, you don't really have a shorter throw with what you did, just a shorter stick, haha.

3YLSYKR

iTrader: (2)

Nice build, creative and works.

Lotus289

iTrader: (1)

I agree it's not a "true" short throw shifter, but it works for what I'm going for. The shifts are definitely shorter. I can tell a HUGE difference when driving. And after a bit of looking around I see that a proper short throw shifter works by moving the fulcrum point up, thus decreasing the travel above for the same amount of travel below. TWM Performance has an excellent diagram that explains this. http://www.twmperformance.com/faq/

If I really wanted to try and make my own true short throw shifter I'd have to space the stock shifter up off the trans, then extend the ball back down to reach the receiver inside. That's a lot more work than I'd feel like putting into it and at that point I would just order a $180 shifter. But for a nice, quick, cheap, and fun fix for my DD, I'm very happy with the results.

mikesarebetter

the way you did it is still going to make your hand travel to shift a shorter distance, so yes, it is a shorter throw. only draw back to yours and a hurst is yours is gonna be physically harder to move because of the lack of leverage, but not by much

SladeX

To be honest, its far from what a short throw shifter does. You could buy a a short handle for $25 from most places that do the same thing and give a direct feel.

A short throw shifter changes the leverage point angle to make it that less movement on the upper part provides the same movement on the linkage. The difference in leverage points of the stock vs the short throw is huge.

TrikeMike

iTrader: (7)

I would rather have the longer handle but a shorter throw. You did nothing to aid the shifts.

Lotus289

iTrader: (1)

I know. I get that what I did doesn't make it a true short throw, but it's better than it was before.


Actually I did. Imagine you had a 3' long Rat Fink shifter in there. Imagine how far you would have to move the top of that to change gear. The lower the stick is above the fulcrum, the less distance it's needs to move to change gear. Therefore I don't have to move the shift **** as far as I used to. Real short throws change the distance from the lower ball (that goes in the trans) to the base plate resulting is less distance traveled by the shift ****.

Again, I get that this isn't a true Short Throw Shifter, but it IS an improvement from stock.

SladeX

I switched to a WS6Store Short stick, the direct bolt on compared to the rubber mount + adapter of a stock piece made a difference, BUT it was not as big of a difference as changing the shifter. Yeah you lowered it a bit and "shortened" the distance, but the overall travel from 1st to 2nd is huge still compared to a short throw.

I then went to a true short throw shifter and haven't looked back. Yeah, its an improvement, but what you gain from a short throw is FAR more substantial. Those who have gone from stocker to short throw (Pro, Hurst, MGW etc) know just how big of a change. It's worth the investment if you like to drive your car a lot.

Super-Bat

iTrader: (38)

There is no "short-stick" for the M5.
If you look at the pics of the shifter, you'll see there's no separating the stick from the base, like the T56 shifter/stick.

z_speedfreak

iTrader: (3)

nice job man!
lol ditto, right now I'm running a hurst stick on a pro 5.0

ncsu602

iTrader: (10)

Ok, so I cut 2" (basically the c section) out of one of the stock ones and welded it back up today at lunch. It looked sweet till I realized the stub that sticks up out of my Hurst is wider than the stock shifter. It won't fit. Looks like I'm gonna hack about 2" out of my Hurst handle tomorrow.

Jimmy P

iTrader: (177)

What he said..I dont know how much you paid for that extra stock shifter, but you could of bought a shorter stick for dirt cheap.

Super-Bat

iTrader: (38)

^For the T56, maybe. Not the T5, which this was done on.

Turnin20s

iTrader: (12)

Why not just get an ebay short throw for the T5. they are around $50 and its actually a short throw, not a short stick.

My buddy with a 95 mustang got a short shifter from american muscle for $65 and its actually really nice. Looks like the ones they sell on ebay. Feels great though

Your hand is gonna hurt after a few hard 2nd gear shifts when you bash your hand against the console.