blackgt87

I wanted to give an update on the NVH I was getting from my Steeda tri ax shifter.

The instructions tell you to have the reverse lockout tab "not touching or just touching" the gate that it engages. I can tell you for sure that if the tab is touching the gate when the transmission is in first or second you will get some pretty nasty NVH from the shifter. This is a whooshing whirring kinda noise that is much worse in 1st and 2nd. The instructions tell you to push the baseplate over to give that gap, which on my car was impossible since the holes in the baseplate are not oval and the shifter was just too tightly pressed against the gate.

I called steeda and explained this to him and he said the noise was almost certianly coming from that contact, and said I need to make a gap but really didn't say how. I said "so should I take the shifter back off and dremel the end of that tab down?" and he said "yes".

So that's what I did, I just took enough off the tab so that when the car was in first or second you could see light in between the tab and the gate.

Noise gone.

I know at least one other member on this board had an identical problem, but I can't remember what thread we talked about it in. Hopefully he can get that fixed now. Also for others who are going to install the shifter hopefully they can do it once, and not have to take it back apart like I did.

I also had a problem with my shifter after it got hot, it would get really gummy to the point where the spring could not return the shifter to center, or it would do so really slowly. It was annoying to say the least. When I took the shifter off to grind the tab I remembered that I didn't have any high temp grease (like wheel bearing grease) when I put the shifter on the first time. All I had was a can of white lithium grease which I figured was better than nothing. I wondered if that grease was not holding up to the heat very well and getting sticky, so I cleaned the lower ball of the shifter and the plastic cup you transfer over really really well. And I went and bought some Mobil 1 synthetic wheel bearing grease and applied it to the inside and outside of the cup and the ball and even put some more in the pivot of the shifter where it had been greased from the factory.

I drove the car in 80 degree heat for 1/2 hour and the shifter felt perfect, just like it does when its cold. Normally I noticed this after extended freeway driving, which I haven't done yet, but I am pretty sure its gone.

To be fair I swapped to Amsoil MTG at the same time, but I am guessing it was the grease on the shifter getting sticky.

Apologies for the long winded post, I just wanted to share some info I had learned to save some time for other people, as well as making this car the smoothest butteryest most comfortable shifting car ever. Ever.

11SHELBYGT500

NVH?

blackgt87

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise,_..._and_harshness

11SHELBYGT500

Oh you youngsters, I don't use or trust Wiki. LOL

Overboost

I, like you, was having trouble with the gummy/stiff feeling as the shifter warmed up.

montreal ponies

Great write up William, this will help me out some as i am in the process of swapping out the OEM shifter for the Tri-Ax one.
I removed the old shifter and that flimsly shifter bracket. I got a JHR bracket and was wondering if you had that changed as well since i'm having difficulty getting the black bushing to close properly around the shifter lower tail end. Seems like it is well installed and when pushing it against the floor pan and putting as much pressure as possible, i seem to be getting a gap at the top end, it does not sit fluch with the shifter braket. Is this normal !
Haven't had the chance to troubleshoot too much tonight, but if anyone has any input on this, that would be great. Not a cup of tea working under there with driveshaft in the way.

blackgt87

Was? Did you ever get it fixed?

I installed the red one first, then when I pulled the shifter back off to grind the tab, I figured I would switch out for the black one to see if the higher durometer bushing would give a more solid feel. Especially since I wasn't overly impressed with the bushing/bracket anyway. I couldn't get the black one on just as you had described. The driveshaft is too close to allow the bracket to slide over the bushing from the bottom, and the split black bushing never "closed" properly over the shaft on the trans. I was able to force the billet bracket over the red bushing sorta from the back without sliding it straight up from the bottom, so I stuck with the red one.

Overboost

Nope, still acting up. Been in contact with Gus though.

montreal ponies

Thx, i'll get to the bottom of this today. This is weird though, that JHR black bushing fits perfectly when not around the linkage round shaft. Something's cooking under there. Driveshaft is not preventing me from istalling the bracket as i insert the lower portion of the bushing first and then put the top part halfway down and then slide the bracket in the shaft. I'll update later.

Hytek

I'm going to try putting my bracket on today. The JHR is the same as the UPR one, correct? Please post back any tips you find today and I'll do the same.

montreal ponies

yep the UPR bracket is a JHR piece. I'm going in the garage right now and we'll be updating after......a few beers....

Hytek

Just got it on with no problems. When your about to put it on, hold the bracket at an angle towards the drivers side. That will allow the top half of the bushing to slide in place. Then rotate it back upward to line up with the bolts. When it's in, it should almost sit flush. As you tighten it in that should snug it up. Hope this helps!

Hytek

Just took a spin. There's a lot NVH from just adding the bracket. You guys mentioned a red bushing? Does that get rid of that a bit? I didn't get one with mine.

On a positive note, I didn't miss 3rd once lol!

montreal ponies

Finally got mine on properly as well. Now i have the shifter installed temporary as to see how the shifting will be. Didn't go for a test drive yet, but before i do so, i want to know if your reverse lockout ear is touching the boss on the side of the shifter ! Mine is and i wonder what they mean by a slight adjustement left or right as i find it impossible to adjust anything since the base plate of the shifter has no oval holes to slide left or right. Their is just one way to insert the screws. Am i missing something here. Is yours touching ? Also going into reverse is a lot harder i find. Thinking about changing that reverse lockout spring and shims. Did your UPR bracket come with just the black bushing !

montreal ponies

Oh gheezzzz, just taught of it, you're just replacing the bracket aren't you !!! I was under the impression that you were swapping shifter as well.

montreal ponies

Update on that bushing, just checked UPR site where i got my tranny mount from and they clearly state that the mount comes with a polyurethane bushing. We clearly got ( well i did) the black Delrin bushing. The urethane one should be yellow or blue colored as mentionned by other vendors and forum users. I send them an e-mail and will be hopefully hearing from them ASAP.

Hytek

Yeah only did the bracket for now. That should hold me over till spring. Good to hear you got it on ok. Let me know what you hear on the bushing. The noise is annoying, I see why Ford put that flimsy rubber one on in the first place.

montreal ponies

Will do .

blackgt87

I would double check what you did or maybe try a different brand bracket, I have the Steeda bracket its the one that comes with two different bushings (black and red), the red one I used is supposed to have zero increase in NVH, after I got that tab to quit touching I don't have any more NVH than I remember stock.

Hytek

I double checked it and it appears to look ok. I'm going to call UPR in the morning and see if this is normal.