34124231user

I have a new Mustang and I installed the Hurst 5-Speed- it seems to take forever for the gears to mesh when changing gears. We're talking about a complete second for an upshift! If this normal? I have no binding, and it shift quickly with the engine turned off, but while driving, no matter how much pressure I apply to the shifter, it only moves so far, then you wait, then it slides into the new gear. Weird or normal??

I have driven a lot of transaxle cars that upshift as fast as you can move the shift lever.

Is the Tremec tranny just slow-shifting in general?

Thanks for any input.

6packsg

No problems with my Hurst short throw shifter since the day I installed it. It almost shifts too quick for me-had to learn to drive all over again. The only thing holding me back now is my ability to engage the clutch (5 years as a paratrooper/green beret did a number on my knees).

TorchRedBeauty

No problems with mine either.

SurfnSoCal

mine either...downshifting in to first if you are going over 20mph or so can take a second.....but upshifting....as quick as you want.

traffic142

my only gripe is shifting into 2nd. It has gotten better as it has become broke in.

pville piper

Not supposed to do that! I did it once in my 97 GT on dry pavement and I thought I was gonna loose the rear end!

emperorjordan

mine is EXACTLY as you describe, and all of them are like this.... I just think some people dont shift hard enough to notice it. But the other ones I have tried to the same thing. It is because the Shifter is bolted to the body of the car, not the tranny, so when the tranny moves under load, the shifter doesnt because its bolted to the body, and so it doesnt line up right. thats why it shifts fine with the car off or still.

34124231user

Well, I suspected that.... I think the more cars you have driven, the more noticeable this thing is. Thanks for your perspective on this.

I have seen stiffer motor mounts and a trans stiffening set-up that has a bar going between the two front lower A-arms, that has two rods that rise up and bolt to the the trans bellhousing- I wonder if that would help?

emperorjordan

I have hard prothane motor mounts, didnt make a shifting difference.

WB2005GT

Don't mean to hijack the thread. I just got my Hurst Shifter, should I use the red bushings that came with it or use the ones from my stock shifter? I have read that alot of people have reused thier stock ones, pros and cons?

azoufan

They are NOT all like that. Mine shifts perfectly, no matter how hard I'm into it. It will engage as quickly as I can get it into gear. Several trips to the strip and under that load it didn't shift or engage any slower than just driving around town normally. Something is definitely not right. Sorry to burst your bubble...

RadBOSS

Notching shifting. My complaint since the get go. Some times I get a smooth shift, others not. I complained early on and the local dealer service manager let me take a new 06 off the lot and test drive it ... same as my 05.

I think the shifter design was a bad decision on Fords part. I have talked to engineering tech's at TREMEC and the word is Ford made them do it this way, rather than a conventional tail shaft mount arrangement. But I hear Corvettes have similar complaint with the same design. This design concept seems to be a new trend because others are following suit. Not sure what the benefit is (maybe less stick vibration), but what ever it is (I'll take the stick vibration any day), the notchy shifting sure cancels it.

The inherent throttle lag does not help the situation because the RPM's don't drop down quick enough on the up shifts, hence everything is really jerky except when you put the hammer down.

If the tunnel mount is the culprit, maybe softer there is better. That shifter rod has to rotate a very precise angle to hit the gates right, a hair off and what you see is what you get.

eat.the.rude

I would recommend using the Hurst supplied red urethane bushings on the front of the shifter (where it attaches to the transmission) and using the factory black rubber bushing for the rear shifter mount. Essentially this makes the connection between the shifter and transmission a bit stiffer and the rear mount of the shifter more compliant. On my car this arrangement "felt better" and transmitted a little less vibration into the car.

65sohc

The remote shifter is Ford's answer to the previous generation's problem of the shifter being too far forward. Ever drive a Cobra with a stock shifter? You need ape arms to reach 3rd gear. The flaw was so obvious one has to wonder how anyone at SVT could have driven the car and thought that that was acceptable. I for one think the current design is quite nice, especially with a Saleen short shift kit.

pville piper

I have heard this said many times before and can't figure out what the heck is going on. It has also been said of 94-2004 year cars as well as the Corba. I had a 97 and drove a Cobra with no problems. But then I think most people try to set the seat back too far. I always like to set my seat so that my knee is slightly bent with the clutch pedal on the floor. When the seat is set like this I never had a problem with reaching any gear. This also put you in the correct position for the steering wheel... Your arms should be slightly bent to properly move the steering wheel during hard cornering. I think most people try to drive a stick with thier arms and legs straight... That is good for a long trip on the interstate but not for performance driving.

34124231user

Use the red ones from Hurst- I have no vibration at all with them. I can't imagine paying all that money for a Hurst and then having to use the factory bushings- you're missing out on the whole package!

Also- don't forget the thread locker on the 2 upper shift handle bolts. I blue-torqued mine without putting any thread locker on them, and after about 500 miles, the they started to back out and the handle almost fell off!

....shifting faster every day!

WB2005GT

Will do. Thanks.

34124231user

I think I've got my shifting problem sorted out. Since this is my first drive by wire engine, I overlooked the obvious:

The reason it takes forever for my car to sync the gears on upshifts is because my tune causes the RPM to hang right where it is, when I release the throttle. This is especially apparent when I shift at high revs. Since the RPM's don't come down during the first 2 seconds, the synchros are in a frenzy trying to get everything synched-up when I upshift.

The car shifts fast (like right through butter) when I am downshifting and I match revs, or if I wait for the engine RPM to drop prior to shifting.

I need a new tune that will not cause the RPM to hang so long when I get off the gas. I have no idea why C&L would have this in their performance tune- it makes no sense at all in a performance car.

This car needs engine braking.

WB2005GT

What is the best material to use between the handle and shaft to cut down on vibration?

34124231user

I have actually seen a kit offered somewhere that has the strip of rubber. If I can find it again, I'll post it here.