typesredline

Today has been great. I have been looking forward to put on the steeda shift bracket and this morning before the kids awoke was that time. I also needed to change the engine oil.

So I jacked up the front on both sides behind the front wheels and began to change the oil.

Holy crap! The easiest car I've ever change oil on. Everything is right there and simple to get too. I put a bag around the filter and since it's almost vertical anyway, made zero mess. Drained it all out and put in some fresh delicious Pennzoil Ultra Platnium 5w30. It's the new formula too made with "natural gas". Sounds cool anyway.

Drained my Bob's Oil Separator that I installed ~150 miles ago. Got about 1TBSP.

Then came time for the bracket.

Yesterday I went to Lowes and got an additional 6" 3/8th extension and a swivel. Already have another 6" extension and the 10mm deep socket.

Turns out I didn't need the swivel, it's a straight shot up. But I did need an additional 3" extension. The two 6" ones would have gotten the job done, but the extra 3" allowed me to get under the boss h pipe get a full rotation. The nuts right out. Then I pulled the drivers side off the bolt and then pulled it off the the shifter. The passenger side has an extra clamp thing on the bracket. But I just wiggled and pulled and it came out.

One big thing I noticed is that without the bracket bolted, the shifter drops down about 3" or so. If you push it back up, there is plenty of clearance above the drive shaft.

I chose to use the red insert, so it has to slide on over the end. I first just sprayed the inside hole and outside of it with some WD-40. It slipped right on. Then I took the bracket and held it at an angle (if looking at the car from the drivers side, the bottom of the bracket would be pointing at 4 or 5 o'clock. It slid right on. I was really amazed at how easy this install was. I slid the bracket further back (toward engine) for the holes to line up and put the nuts back on. The hardest part was honestly inching my 6'1, 240lbs fatness out from under her.

***REVIEW***

Wow! It feels amazing. I felt that the stock bracket was a bit more substantial than people make it sound and than how it looks. But it is indeed very soft rubber. It is now crisp and smooth. The first thing I noticed is that it now "pops" into gear. Also, all of the mush that you feel at the end of each shift is gone. I tried some redline 2nd to 3rd shifts, and where I rarely missed them, it is now very sharp. I have massive confidence now and can easily finesse the shifts.

There is however occasionally what seems like very minor notchiness. It is possible this always existed, but I just couldn't feel it bc of all of the padding and cushioning from the stock bushing. Either way, it's no big deal. Very minor, not always there, and more mechanical in a good way at that.

Now I've looked into shift bracket reviews on every mustang forum, sales site, you name it. I've found that regarding NVH, they are very inconsistent. Plus subjective.

I can tell you that I am big time OCD and notice things that NO ONE else would. I also drive a fully built 300fwhp all motor RSX daily. She vibrates and is loud. The shifter is smooth (go Honda!) but shakes and is noisy. So I know what I am NOT looking for. Other than exhaust I want to keep the mustang more quiet and....sophisticated.

I sat in complete silence other than the motor running and also while driving both with windows up and down. With the red bushing, there is ZERO vibration stopped or going. The only harshness I would say would maybe be that you can feel the notchiness more. But again no big deal. There is, in my analysis, even with the red bushing, some slight noise. Not while sitting or driving, no whine or tranny sound. But while shifting. You simply hear it "click" more. I again attribute this to the fact that there is no longer the soft rubber cushion. I'll admit that ideally I'd want complete 100% of the time silence. But this is sooooo minor. It's not loud, just more noticeable.

I am very glad I went with Steeda which gives the red bushing option. And I am equally glad I went with the red. I think that with the black bushing and/or any of the other brands, the increased "noise" (while shifting) would be worse and there would potentially be some vibration.