MGW Race Spec Shifter Review
3/13/16, 10:50 PM
#21
Cobra R Member
Join Date: September 22, 2012
Location: Ontario, California
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 0
Received 17 Likes
on
17 Posts
Originally Posted by Coyote5-0
FYI - added video of NVH to original post.
3/14/16, 09:40 AM
#22
Cobra Member
Too bad there wasn't an aftermarket transparent type center console. That MGW shifter is eye candy.
If you were local to me, I'd let you take mine for a rip and experience the Barton awesomeness. I absolutely love the 2 Post bracket married with the Barton Shifter. It offers a 40% reduction throw over stock and is bang on in every gear.
My buddy with an FRS has trouble shifting my car because of how tight and precise the shifts are over his car.
It sounds louder than it really is. There is a bit of NVH if I rest my hand on the shifter while in gear, otherwise there is no noise. it also doesn't send any vibration feedback while acceleration or deceleration.
I installed the Barton shifter and bracket at the same time. The boot was the only trouble I had with the installation
Congrats on the shifter!
If you were local to me, I'd let you take mine for a rip and experience the Barton awesomeness. I absolutely love the 2 Post bracket married with the Barton Shifter. It offers a 40% reduction throw over stock and is bang on in every gear.
My buddy with an FRS has trouble shifting my car because of how tight and precise the shifts are over his car.
It sounds louder than it really is. There is a bit of NVH if I rest my hand on the shifter while in gear, otherwise there is no noise. it also doesn't send any vibration feedback while acceleration or deceleration.
I installed the Barton shifter and bracket at the same time. The boot was the only trouble I had with the installation
Congrats on the shifter!
3/27/16, 04:51 PM
#23
Installed the MGW Compact Race Spec today. Install is fairly easy (if you have the right tools). The compact version makes it so much easier than previous versions. Entire shifter comes assembled and goes straight in from the top inside the car with the boot already on. No putting half in from the bottom and putting it together then installing the boot after its already in thw car like older versions. Took about 3.5hrs but that was with multiple coffee breaks and video watching.
Not sure what op was experiencing. I did not have to pull down on the trans/driveshaft to remove and install top 10mm bolt. Just supported trans, removed the 4 18mm bolts on the cross member and lowered trans a little.
Shifts are spot on and I wish I did this the day I brought the car home, although probably good I waited being they have the compact version now.
Not sure what op was experiencing. I did not have to pull down on the trans/driveshaft to remove and install top 10mm bolt. Just supported trans, removed the 4 18mm bolts on the cross member and lowered trans a little.
Shifts are spot on and I wish I did this the day I brought the car home, although probably good I waited being they have the compact version now.
Last edited by imeyers302; 3/27/16 at 04:58 PM.
3/28/16, 06:14 AM
#24
Cobra R Member
Join Date: September 22, 2012
Location: Ontario, California
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 0
Received 17 Likes
on
17 Posts
Originally Posted by imeyers302
Installed the MGW Compact Race Spec today. Install is fairly easy (if you have the right tools). The compact version makes it so much easier than previous versions. Entire shifter comes assembled and goes straight in from the top inside the car with the boot already on. No putting half in from the bottom and putting it together then installing the boot after its already in thw car like older versions. Took about 3.5hrs but that was with multiple coffee breaks and video watching.
Not sure what op was experiencing. I did not have to pull down on the trans/driveshaft to remove and install top 10mm bolt. Just supported trans, removed the 4 18mm bolts on the cross member and lowered trans a little.
Shifts are spot on and I wish I did this the day I brought the car home, although probably good I waited being they have the compact version now.
Not sure what op was experiencing. I did not have to pull down on the trans/driveshaft to remove and install top 10mm bolt. Just supported trans, removed the 4 18mm bolts on the cross member and lowered trans a little.
Shifts are spot on and I wish I did this the day I brought the car home, although probably good I waited being they have the compact version now.
3/28/16, 06:28 AM
#25
Shelby GT350 Member
Thread Starter
Then you must have installed this on a waaay different Mustang. With the sound factory deadening/heat shield material in the trans tunnel, it was impossible to get that bolt out without pulling down on the trans
3/28/16, 10:13 AM
#26
2014 GT. All I did was lower the trans and I was able to get it out. I did not pull down on it. Same with reinstalling it.
3/28/16, 02:39 PM
#28
2 things I had to do was leave trans lowered to mount shifter and I zip tied the lower part of the boot to the shifter base. Every time i went to put the shifter through the opening the bottom of the boot would come off.
3/28/16, 04:18 PM
#29
Mach 1 Member
Maybe we can get together at Cars & Coffee some time in Indy this summer and do some comparisons between the two setups. I just installed the Barton shifter in my car last weekend. I can honestly say it is the most satisfying mod I have done to my car right after the VMP phase 3 upgrade. The only time I experience NVH is if my hand is resting on the shifter in a way that pushes forward on it while it is on gear. I must admit though it's hard to hear anything over the ROUSH exhaust and my radio. 
I did notice that there is no more grinding when going into reverse, or from 2-3 or 4-5 like there was with the spongy stock shifter. The Barton is nice and tight and "clicks" into each gear. You can move the shifter between gears just moving your fingers with your hand rested on the shifter instead if having to grip the ball and move your entire hand. I thought I'd try the less expensive route first since I had already bought and installed the 2 post bracket a few moths ago trying to tighten up the shifting.
I did notice that there is no more grinding when going into reverse, or from 2-3 or 4-5 like there was with the spongy stock shifter. The Barton is nice and tight and "clicks" into each gear. You can move the shifter between gears just moving your fingers with your hand rested on the shifter instead if having to grip the ball and move your entire hand. I thought I'd try the less expensive route first since I had already bought and installed the 2 post bracket a few moths ago trying to tighten up the shifting.
3/29/16, 05:08 AM
#30
Bullitt Member
Am I the only one that gets the crunch/grind in the 3-4 shift(stock shifter w/barton 2-post bracket)? I don't seem to have much issue with any other gears. I occasionally get he 2-3 under hard accel, but seem to get the 3-4 on a daily basis...maybe I have a bad syncro? Also to get back on topic, I would be very curious to hear the comparison between the Barton and the MGW. The new MGW looks amazing, but I already have the Barton 2-post bracket, so it seems logical to go for the Barton shifter to save a considerable amount of money.
3/29/16, 06:33 AM
#31
Shelby GT350 Member
Thread Starter
Yeah I had a LOT of grinding issues into 2nd and 3rd (especially when cold). Now those are all gone. I do occasionally have some clicky/clunky shifts, but I don't feel a nick or a grind per se. I notice these shifts over the usual butter smooth shifts into 4th, 5th, and 6th. So I think these transmissions are honestly just garbage with ****ty synchros straight from the factory. I don't know if we can necessarily blame the Chinese for the quality of these transmissions. They get the design from Getrag, supplied parts from multiple suppliers I'm sure, and are held to Getrag's quality standards. It's one of Getrag's responsibilities to visit the manufacturing facility and make sure the Chinese are adhering to Getrag's specified clearances, tolerances, QC checks etc. Everyone wants to blame the Chinese, but they just make what they're told to make for how cheap they can make it to Getrag's standards. If I ever start making big power, I'll probably throw a Tremec in there. Mustang cost of ownership I guess 
3/29/16, 08:13 AM
#32
Mach 1 Member
My car sits in the heated/cooled garage at home when I'm not driving it, but I did have some grinding between most gears at different times which was 10x worse if the temperature was below 40 and my car sat out all day at work. Driving home, it would grind into almost every gear until it warmed up. The 2 post bracket helped when the car was warm but I still had occasional grinding when it was cold out. With the Barton shifter and bracket installed I haven't experienced ANY grinding. If I hadn't already bought the bracket, I might have gone MGW, but I'm 100% happy with the Barton (esp. over the stock garbage)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post