I'm interested in comments from users who have owned both a Pro5.0 and MGW shifter and the pros/cons of each.

Lately my Pro5.0 has gotten on my nerves. A lot of NVH and driving me crazy, cant' seem to get rid of it. What improvements did you note after installing the MGW?

 

Calling Tom281. Come in Tom281... If he doesn't read this thread in the next day or so and post his impression just send him a PM. He ran a Pro 5.0 for maybe a year and has in the last couple of weeks switched to the MWG. He is the only one I know that has used both.
Scott

 

Get a piece of plumbers matt about 1/8" thick and put it on the rear of the shifter where it mounts to the floor pan. I also used a piece between the the shifter handle and the shifter. No more noise.

Even the MGW has matting and sound deadening material. I was going to go with the MGW and was on the list. I decided to stay with the Pro 5.0

 

Well I don't have alot of time at the moment to go into detail, but here are my initial comments......

First of all, I only decided to try the MGW because I bought it used off a forum member who is doing a complete GT500 drivetrain swap. I was completely happy with the Pro50 but figured for the price, I may as well try the MGW.

Sound: the MGW is a hair quieter but it is NOT night and day different...... If you think that making the switch is gonna eliminate any noise coming from the shifter, then save your money.

Throw: the MGW has adjustable throw....from 0 (longest) to 12 (shortest). I currently have mine set at 9 and this is the only setting I have tried. At this setting the throw is much shorter than the Pro HOWEVER it is noticeably harder to shift. Yes the MGW shifts cleanly and smoothly but it does take more effort- this is not a knock on the MGW design I don't think, but is more like a side-effect of the shorter throw.

Design: the Pro50 is one sturdy **** and the MGW is built very well too... but the MGW has much more adjustability as far as shift **** height, angle, etc. Again, I've had mine set the same way since I installed it (**** as low as can go, and centered in the dust boot) and I probably won't change it, but it is nice to have the flexibility.

Overall, the Pro50 was easier between gears, the MGW has shorter throw capability and much more adjustability, and in my mind they both are about the same as far as noise. I bought the Pro new for $245 delivered last year- for that price and factoring the retail price of the MGW I probably would have just kept the Pro if I wouldn't have found the used MGW.

You can PM Anthony05GT (I think that's his username) too, he's had both as well.

 

I've gone through stock, the Hurst, Pro 5.0, and now the MGW.

Pro 5.0:
Mine was VERY hard to get into 5th and reverse. I almost found myself using two hands to get it into reverse one time, but I refused to do it.

Very noisy, transmits a lot NVH into the cabin. Also started squeaking a lot going in between gears. Also more noise going from gear to gear. If you like a bolt action rifle feel/sound while shifting, you might like it.

Neither the Pro 5.0 or MGW have locked me out of 3rd gear, the Hurst did all the time.

MGW, mine is MUCH quiter, not near the gear lash and NVH transmitted into the cabin. After I went with a light weight AL flywheel and Spec Stage 3+ clutch, the gear lash and tranny noise went through the roof. Now with the MGW its almost back down to stock again. But, the MGW kit comes with Dynomat and a multi material foam pad which help out a lot. Adjustability of the MGW is second to none: adjustable throw length, lever position front/back/left/right in console, raise or lower lever, or even orient the ball so that when it is perfectly tight, the shift pattern on the ball is straight with car. I also think the MGW with the Gripper ball and the shift rod is the best looking setup on the market, but that's just looks and my opinion.

I originally had the stiff springs in, which made it a little hard to get into second by really snapping to the center. But I swapped out for the progressive springs, and every gear is easy to get to, and it still snaps over for third nicelly. Another adjustability that the Pro 5.0 doesn't provide.

Much happier with the MGW. Finally found a shifter I can live with. The Pro 5.0 is very sturdy and does the job well, just too squeaky, noisy, vibration, harshness, not enough adjustablility, and didn't look good. But that's just me.

 

Hey Brad, don't you think this Pro 5.0 looks pretty good!

 

the MGW should be easier to shift with the stock bushings, or the new ones that george will have in soon.

 

Yep, looks good with the Hurst goodies!

 

Rename this thread World War 3. LOL

 

The stock bushings or the new bushings coming soon will help with the effort required to change gears... having the stick as short as it will go and the throw set at 9 turns is also contributing to your difficulty. Try 7 or 8 turns and it will be better, but still a short throw.

The fact that the MGW comes complete with sound & heat insulation, all the adjustability, complete hardware and manufacturing quality & material is what puts it at the top of the list in my book... the price is only $16.00 to $20.00 over a Steeda Tri-ax or Pro 5.0 at retail price.

No comparison as far as I'm concerned... Just My Opinion..

Bobby M

 

The MGW looks good with Hurst goodies too!

LOL ignore the hair ties. Those are my knocks in the wood...

 

LOL, is that the same things as a notch on your bedpost?

 

Thanks for the comments - great feedback.

And, since Pro5.0 NVH was mentioned...I already have plumbers pad in the places mentioned - I did that when I first installed it a year ago. I didn't even try the 5.0 with out it.

My shifter arm is a tuning fork in 5th gear, it just resonates at a frequency in tune with the tranny. If you cup your hand over the shift ****, you can actually amplify the sound coming into your ear.

I think the plumbers pad helps some but there's still some vibes passing metal to metal through the attachment bolts. I'm going to try experimenting with different bolts to see if I can get rid of that noise.

 

Hatchman - did you have plumbers pad on yours too?

 

Are you sure the shift stop bolts are adjusted properly? Did you reuse the bushing from the factory setup on the arm that connects to the tranny housing?

That's weird that you have that much noise..... mine honestly was nothing like that, and I didn't add anything in the way of sound deadening.

 

I have the bolts all the way in, I'm not using them, and I am using the stock black bushing on the support arm into the tranny. Maybe my tranny is just crap

 

I added some later on, helped a little, but had to make sure the bolts where tightened just right or it would squeak.

You should get the MGW. My Pro 5.0 was driving me nuts. So bad, I hardly drove the car because it was annoying, and that's sad to say. I love my MGW!

 

I find the noise in 5th also. I think it has to do with extra force being applied in 5th and reverse. I also don't think the sound is coming from or begin transferred to the handle itself, but touching and putting just a slight bit of pressure on it actually transmits more noise in the car.

The plumbers mat did not work well for me. In order to not destroy the stuff, I didn't torque the rear nuts too tight, which then caused some vibration after a week or so of driving as I believe they just started to loosen a bit. I went back to my toilet bowl washers and torqued the rear nuts tight and no vibrations and less sound transfer.

The first time I installed my Steeda (same as Pro 5.0 but no brass bushings) it vibrated and made a TON of noise. Not useable, IMO. You have to be carefull of boot alignment and shifter alignment. Keep everything loose until it is all together, then tighten the tranny arm, rear nuts and then the shifter nut.

Those of you without noise problems, just put some pressure on the shifter while driving like you want to pop it in neutral and listen to that noise transfer. WHOA. If there is any pressure on your shift lever while driving, the NVH is...wow. I think that is what some people are experiencing all the time.

Dynomat helped some too. 5th gear noise at 80+ mph is my only complaint.

Tom's response is exactly what I would expect from the MGW replacement from a Pro 5.0 or Tri Ax. It makes sense.

Trying to align an external mounted shifter that then bolts to the body.... it just can never be perfect. If someone had a completely external mounted shifter, I would try it.

I never tried the MGW but because I did have some major NVH with my Tri AX and now do not, I thought it was worth posting my findings. Price being the same or close, I would go with the MGW for the adustability.

 

I'm very happy with my Pro 5.0. I place 1/8" Rubber matting material at the connect point of the Billet arm and shifter body and also between the shifter handle and shifter body. I have no noise or vibration. It was very hard to shift into reverse or 5th but about a month ago it broke in or something cuz it became only half as hard to shift into those gears which makes this shifter perfect for me.

I've never tryed the MGW shifter and I'm sure it is a great piece but I'm happy with what I got and can't see how it could be improve on.
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