brettd

I have everything hooked up and installed but the shift cable linkage is giving me fits. I hood up the shift linkage to the tranny from the bottom of the tranny pan but the shifter is hard to shift. I was wondering if i need to install it above the tranny pan? please help me

brett

Mark A Shields

The shifter will be stiff for a little while. That's what most say. Mine wasn't too bad, I also used the stock cable so that may have helped some.

brettd

my mega shifter was used when i got it

willdog666

mine was stiff too after i installed it. well then the shifter cable broke about 3-4 months later. you might not have this problem, but just incase, where the cable goes through the floor, mine was too tight and it was rubbing the metal in the hole in the floor even with grommet there, that's how tight it was. took a dremel too it, made the hole a little bigger (make sure the edge of the metal is not sharp, bend it if you have too)and replaced cable. no more problems. it is still pretty stiff but it's supposed to be, you'll get used to it though. i also grease my shifter mechanism periodically, that helps too.

SpeedCat86

Are you using the stock (GM) cable or the B&M cable and bracket?

Do you have the B&M instructions? If you don't, they reccomend to loop the cable above the transmission housing (think on-ramp) If you install the cable in a zig-zag (to get from the hole in the floor to the bracket on the trans), it will be harder to shift, and you will break the cable in a month or two.
Also make sure that the cable is properly adjusted at the selector lever on the trans.

The B&M shifter does take a lot more arm to use than the stocker, especially going out of Park. Mine is 3 years old and it still takes a firm hand to move it.

88ROC1LE

iTrader: (4)

since installing my megashifter, my ratchet ratches, my gears are gears, and I gained nearly 2 WHOLE INCHES in arm mass in only 3 WEEKS. Order now and recieve a broke cable absolutley FREE!!!! Remember, not only am I the president(clank) I'm also a client


broken cable will be recieved 3 months after initial order
customer satisfaction not completely 100% guaranteed



Seriously, it stays tough to shift. Same goes for my buddies that have one in their cars.

Mark A Shields

That's why you should use the stock cable.

ronterry

Somebody here lubed his cable up with graphite. I'll be doing this myself soon.


Ron

SpeedCat86

Just to be clear, I said that if you don't install the cable the way the instructions say to, the cable will break in a couple of months. Two years after I installed my shifter, I had a new transmission put in. The guys didn't install the cable the right way and it broke a couple of months later. The replacement cable I installed (also a B&M) has been on for nearly a year with no problems.

I sprayed a s-load of TriFlow (Teflon) lube on the new cable, so it should be good to go.

SpeedCat86

Brett: I just re-read the original post, and I have one more question:

If you are using the B&M cable bracket, there should be some 1/4" spacers that go between the cable bracket and the trans pan. The bracket should not sit on the trans pan itself.
There should also be a new gear selector arm. this is the little arm that sticks out of the transmission and is what the cable moves to select the gears. I understand that the GM arm can be made to work, but it takes some figuring out.

brettd

i did not have any spacers with it so i picked up some washers. and i used the b&M cable looped around the tranny. i havent adjusted it but it is HARD to shift it. I have to bang the gears and i have to really hit the 2 to 1 to get it to shift. will adjusting the cable fix this? and how should i adjust it.

SpeedCat86

Lemme see if I remember how to do this........

You probably want someone to help you do this as it will save a lot of scrambling around under the car. Have them sit in the car and work the shifter while you attend to the cable.

1. attatch the cable to the shifter and the bracket, but not the gear select lever (the little guy on the side of the tranny) If you already put in the cotter pin that holds the cable to the gear select lever, take it out now.

2. Put the shifter in park and manually move the gear select lever to the park position (big shove, loud click) adjust the threaded fitting on the end of the cable until can slide in and out of the hole in the gear select lever.

3. Shift through the gears to First and manually move the gear select lever to the first gear postition. Adjust the cable housing on the bracket untill the fitting slides freely in and out of the hole in the gear select lever.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 untill the fitting is able to slide freely out of the hole in the gear select lever at both positions.

5. It is probably prudent at this point to have your assistant shift through the gears one at a time while you check the operation of the gear select lever. If everything is, as they say, copacetic, then you should be good to go. Attach the fitting to the gear selector lever and install the cotter pin

What you want to do is insure that the fitting on the end of the cable is going to be aligned with the gear selector lever in each gear position. You want to be as close as possible to eliminate binding between the gear select lever and the shift mechanism.



One last question: I assume you are installing this on a TH700-R4 transmission. If you got the shifter from another 4 speed car, ignore this, but if not, check this out> The shifter works for three and four speed transmissions, but comes set up for three speeds. There is a small nut and bolt in the rachet plate that keeps the shifter from reaching the fourth rachet position. Make sure to remove this, or you won't be able to manually get first gear. Count off the postions as you go through the gears, on a TH700, you should have P-R-N-D-3-2-1. Make sure you can rachet three times from the drive position. if you only get two rachets, check for that bolt.

brettd

ok thanks ill try that and i already made sure it was setup for the 4speed = )

brett

TomP

Man, you guys are weak. Can we get a group purchase on a gym subscription for thirdgen.org?

Just joking! I had to get used to the shifter too, when I first got it. My girlfriend still can't shift the car.. which is a nice bonus- she can't take it for a spin.

brettd

= ) weakness is not a factor here as i work out with my bench press. I could move it but it was so tough it took almost all i had to bring it out of park. I think the cable is adjusted wrong (as i have not ever installed a shifter before = ) but i am going to adjust it tommarow

Brett

87SLEEPER

Installing a second hand megashifter in my car right now and ran into this problem. Seems when I purchased all of the peices I never got the replacement shifter linkage arm. I bought shifter online over a year ago so no good trying to track down the piece from original seller. Doubt he had it anyhow. Any ideas. I'd love to make what I have work rather than shell out more cash and wait a week for part.

Thanks Guys

87SLEEPER

This should fit good right? even though its for a 4L60E? Notice it says for PRNDL. Does not list 2nd or OD. Will this be a problem? Thanks


http://bmracing.com/?wpsc-product=br...h-prndl-switch

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/bm...8/media/images

RS Chris

4L60E is just an updated 700R4, that will work just fine. Make sure when you run your cable to put a loop in it on top of the transmission. Not sure if you have instructions or not but that is an important part. It will need some adjustment at first and be kinda tight, (nevermind saw it was secondhand) that is actually good. A lot of poeple complain about being stiff when new but you shouldn't have that problem. Hope you get it in and working right, you'll love it the first time you smack through the gears. I've had one now for about 6-7 yrs. and still enjoy it.

jimmy11b1v

I just ordered a b & m shifter for the boys 89 ta. From what I read in post 7. I don't have to swap out the stock shiter cable ?

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

Stock cable works if you swap the bracket over from your stock shifter to your megashifter. At least that's what I did when I used the megashifter. I cut the OEM bracket off and slotted the bottom then I could adjust it on the megashifter shifter side by moving the bracket around until it shifted correctly and then I bolted it down solid. I didn't have to climb under the car that way and mess with the megashifter cable or cable bracket. At that point you're using the OEM cable, OEM cable bracket on transmission, Modified OEM cable bracket on the new megashifter.

jimmy11b1v

Thanks pal. I just put headers on 2 mos. ago and just don't feel like crawling under again so soon. The megashifter should arrive thur. or fri. install before xmas. Thanks again for the info and MERRY XMAS !

1989Drake

What part did you slot?

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

I cut off the cable mount ear off the b&m shifter base leaving a base without a mounting point. I cut the ear and about 4 inches of material off the OEM shifter baseplate. I slotted the OEM shifter part so I could adjust the cable from inside the car. Once you have it bolted onto of the Megashifter and the cable looks okay for adjustment finish tightening it down and reverify. This way your shifter is mounted solid and the OEM bracket that you modified can move. It would also probably work to tack weld the new ear in place once done. Didn't have any problems with just a single bolt though.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

when installed right the B&M Shifter is glass smooth..go online down load the install info..or just go to there site and look at it.

get the right parts.. and use them.

anybody whos having a hard time working the mega shifter..do the same..

installed alot of B&M Shifters..about every one they sell/make...trust me..
it's not the shifters..

first clue!..(it should never be any harder to shift.. then working the tranny linkage by hand) now add a cable..
and i know the shifters are not that stiff coming out of the box..think about it! and the light will come on!

side note: if it is hard to shift out of the box..before you install it...then you got a Dry/stiff shifter....it should always feel loose..almost flippy floppy easy. with detent stops before install... always add a Light Light Lube to the plate faces..if the shifter looks dry.. then it was put together on a monday or friday....and did not get it...(this is per B&M techs/sales)...lol

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

I will say I bought mine used off the internet so I was missing the cable and transmission mounting parts. That was the reason I reused the stock cable.


Posted from Thirdgen.org App for Android