Passed through tech no problem yesterday then went back to the pits. Tried to put the shifter into neutral so I could get reverse with the trans brake button and my B&M shifter cable completely seized on me. Had to push the car back to my spot then disconnected it on the shifter side and the shifter moved smooth as butter. Re hooked the cable to the shifter and disconnected it on the trans side. The trans lever moved back and forth easily, so the shifter cable was disconnected on both ends and a pair of vice grips was used to see if it would free up. No luck there, pulled it out of the car thinking maybe it was looped too tightly(last thing to check) and it still wouldn't move at all with the cable perfectly straight. 13 passes on the brand new setup and it freezes on me. So I don't have any data on the tires(295/55 drag radials I wanted to try out) and wasted a day at the track rental we had. Before this the shifter moved easily and wasn't rubbing on anything or getting burnt by exhaust, still looks brand new just failed on me. Well that's racing.

check your grounds.

Thats a B&M shifter cable for ya! I have had the exact thing happen twice on two different cars. I would not use one of those cables if they were given to me for free. I have been using custom made cable ever since, from the motorcycle shop. You show them the length and end you want on it and they make it up. Never fails. You cannot go to the T-shirt shops you have to go to one of those real scary lookin downtown motorcycle shops.

My grounds? it's a th400 trans, the shifter was stuck in 3rd gear. The cable seized, couldn't move the shifter.....

He is thinking that something was trying to ground through your shifter cable and welded the cable to the metal sleevin in the jacket of the shifter cable. It happens quite often actually. Another reason motorcycle cables are a win as most of them are lined with PTFE.

Oh gotcha. I have 2 different ground cables on the motor, both 4 gauge one coming off the cylinder head, one coming off a motor mount(bolt through block) going to the frame.

shifter cables dont normally fail. least ive never had one fail....
one of the things that will kill one is not enough engine ground. when you start the car it tries to ground through your shifter cable/shifter. pretty common. especially if its a new cable with very few road miles on it....

So your thinking is two 4 gauge grounds coming off a cylinder head and the engine block, plus solid motor mounts isn't enough grounds? The cables are bolted to 1/2" bolts welded to the front frame horns as well. Nothing electrical is grounded through the engine besides the starter, all other electronics have their own ground distribution block inside the passenger floorboard, except ignition and magnafuel fuel pump going directly to the battery separately.

no, your grounds should be fine. you posted while i was typing.

I have a spare shifter cable but never take it with me. No matter now many spare parts you take with you to the track, there's always something else you'll need.

It's amazing some of the things I've had with me that someone comes up and asks for. I think the weirdest thing was a long alternator mount bolt that someone needed and I just happened to have one in my toolbox.

I had better luck with the cheap B and M cables over the racing ones.

hmmm maybe I'll try that, I had bought the HD version too

i have a hurst and haven't had issues yet. sorry i didn't call back steve, we were out late last night and i ended up going to sleep.

I tend to use the Morse/Teleflex 3300 series universal cables. - The original cable on the SCS/Cheetah is really beefy though.


I've had some really dumb stuff totally foobar a day of racing.

called my local speed that i have an account with, he said 4 or 5 have failed this season and been warrantied out. he is ordering me some other revised cable part number and said no issues with it.

China strikes again?

quite possibly, and to think years ago I had a megashifter that said MADE IN USA and that cable lasted me probably 8 years until I sold the whole th350 trans & shifter combo to another local racer who is still using the same cable. Now I buy a pistol grip shifter for big $$$ and get 13 passes out of it before the cable fails....just my luck.

i believe quality items made in the USA will have a market again in the near future. not sure how much longer it will be, but it will happen someday. people will be willing to pay more for something that will last twice as long as a chinamade product.

Lets hope soon.

Well there ya go---
13.......

Superstition...or...coincidence??...

Hope it's fixed so you can relay tire info.
Good luck!!!

what tire info?

295/55 drag radial

oh you mean from another site....ok I didn't post anything up about it on here I don't believe.

ehhhh got my new cable today, totally different supplier, the outer sheath is probably 1/2 the size of the original that came with this pistol grip shifter. The coloring on the brass/gold pieces on the ends are also a duller finish, overall a different look for the whole thing. Would you believe that because there is a new part supplier for the cable that B&M still hasn't approved my warranty/exchange and is giving the speed shop the run around. I finally got fed up and just bought it and told him to try to get me a refund at best. Can't believe B&M won't honor their obvious defective cables, otherwise why would the design even be changed