BigBird98

I have a 1998 Pontiac Firebird Formula and the 20 year old Pro 5.0 shifter for my T-56 transmission is worn out!
What do you recommend? Brand, model, where to buy, etc.
Summit has a Hurst Billlit/Plus model 3915061 for $310.
I like Hurst shifters but I would prefer to spend a little less.
Suggestions?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

The Billet Plus has treated me well over the years. I purchased it in 1999 and changed the springs this year. It feels just like new and the spring swap took less than 5 minutes to do. (It's designed to be done with the shifter in-place.)

ddnspider

iTrader: (26)

Ive got a couple of stock ones in good shape no issues if you want 1 on the cheap.

LaBLKv6Z

iTrader: (13)

I'm running a Pontiac GTO GMM rip shifter with a fabricated arm to fit my Camaro and love it.

Before that I ran the MGW with no issues until the centering springs wore out.

BALLSS

Hurst Pro Billet

BigBird98

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Billet Plus. I really liked the Hurst shifter that came with my 1966 Olds 442. Far superior to the shifter on the GTO's.

I had no idea that springs could be replaced on any shifter. That's good news! I wonder if the springs on my Pro 5.0 can be swapped. I don't remember who made that shifter but I'm going to do a search and see if I can find out and contact the manufacturer.

BigBird98

Thanks for offering a stock shifter. I'm not interested in the stock shifter that came on F-bodies. Shifts were not crisp like many of the after market shifters. The only thing I did like about the stock shifter was that there was less drive train noise.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Hurst made/makes the Billet Plus, but they also made a factory-option shifter for these cars, which came out late in the 1999 model year production. I believe that factory-option Hurst is the shifter ddnspider is talking about.

The factory-option Hurst is very similar to the Billet Plus, but has a separate base plate instead of an all-in-one billet body. Here's what it looks like next to the stock shifter: https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-tr...ml#post4295370

If you can get this factory-option Hurst with the Hurst shifter handle it came with - go for it. That handle is great. (I added it to my Billet Plus, but they are near impossible to come by, now.)

I assume the factory-option Hurst and Billet Plus feel similarly. The things you will notice most are the shorter stick and the superb Hurst shifter handle/ball. (If you can get it. The shifter pictured in the thread above does not have the special Hurst handle/ball depicted.)

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

BTW - Here are the replacement springs for the Billet Plus: https://www.holley.com/products/driv.../parts/2305000

One of the other nice things about the Billet Plus is that one can adjust the feel of the shifter by removing one of the springs. (There is an inner and an outer spring.) So, there is some adjustability to it.

BigBird98

Yesterday, I ordered a Billet Plus shifter from JEGS. It is scheduled to arrive on Monday! I've downloaded and printed the instruction manual and I'm excited about having a new shifter. I like the way the spring tension can be adjusted and that replacement springs can be installed if necessary in the future. 20 years ago when I bought the Pro 5.0 shifter, there were adjustable stops for forward and backward movement. The instructions said the position of the stops was important to avoid damage to the transmission. Thank goodness there are no stops on the Billet Plus to be worried about.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

The Billet Plus does have those stops on all models and when I purchased mine in 1999, the instructions had me adjust them. However; the current instructions give no mention of them for the F-Body...

Looking at the other Billet Plus models, the T56 instructions for the C6 say that the stops are "optional" because the transmission has internal stops built into the unit. The Ford transmissions require that the stops be adjusted. I'm not sure what our deal is. Maybe we have internal stops in the transmission???

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

I had the factory Hurst and a short stick. It was OK. I switched to a MGW and it's shorter and much tighter. The Tick shifter is supposed to be great as well.

rv12

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the info on MGW. I hasn't heard of them but definitely looking now!

BigBird98

My Billet Plus shifter was delivered by FedEx yesterday. You are absolutely right about the shifter having adjustable stops and that the stop adjustment is Not mentioned in the installation instructions. I don't know if my T56 has internal stops but I am not willing to take a chance so I called JEGS tech support. After ~25 minute wait I talked to Larry. He was able to find instructions on how to adjust the stops to avoid possible transmission damage. I saved the instructions in a MS Word document and will include them in this reply in case others want/need them. Adjust stops on Billet Plus shifter. (Probably the same technique for all shifters)
Partially back out stop bolt. Leave a few threads showing
Firmly push 3rd gear forward and hold
Screw in stop bolt until it makes contact, then release stick to neutral position
Back out bolt One Turn then tighten the jam nut
Repeat for 4th gear.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

That procedure looks familiar to what was in my good-old-days instructions. I did have a short time where I kept the car in a very cold garage and found that I had to back off the stops just a tad bit more because the car wasn't staying in gear under those very cold conditions. (The problem resolved as the car heated up.) So, in the future, if the stick pops out of third or fourth gear when the car is very cold, you may have to tweak things a little.

LilJayV10

iTrader: (39)

I had and did the exact same thing. I'm lovin the MGW.

showdog75

iTrader: (8)

I bought a shifter from American Powertrain(billet) and although I have nothing to compare it to it is a nice smooth shifting piece.

FST SS

I have the Billit Plus with chrome short stick and Hurst T-handle. It's kinda old school and I love it.

2001ws6ft

Don't know if you already bought a shifter. I removed my hurst shifter and put in an mgw shifter. 5th to 6th is an odd shift and since there's no dampening, I can hear the pressure plate and flywheel spinning coming through the shifter. Honestly, I'm almost tempted to go back to the hurst. I'd be willing to sell it to you, but I'm not positive if I want to part with it in case I decide to ditch the mgw shifter. I can't say that mgw is a bad shifter or it didn't improve my shifting from first to fifth, but in all honesty the shifting wasn't THAT much better or quicker. I'd give it a 10% improvement. My feeling is you can't go wrong with a hurst.

2001ws6ft

Did you notice you can hear the transmission more?