whats the deal with after market shifters (auto) whats to gain from using them???? i dont see what the big difference is? anyone care to enlighten me?

 

Well other than they look good, if you plan on racing and shifting the car yourself they come in very handy. They use a ratchet system where you can only increase one gear per movement. For instance, if you are racing and shifting using a stock shifter, the shifter can be pushed from first gear all the way to the dirve postion in one movement which defeats the whole purpose of shifting yourself and reving out the engine. With the B&M you can only increase one gear at a time. So if you start in first gear when you shift to second by pushing upwards on the shifter it will only allow you to put the tranny in second then you can relax the shifter and the next upward movement will put it in third. This allows you to quickly and firmly shift the car without fearing skipping a shift or going a gear to far and losing the rpms. I hope that explains it.

 

do you know if the hurst dual gate for our cars also ratchets?

 

no it is not a ratchet type shifter

 

Hi guys, originally I was leaning toward the Hurst dual gate, but I've read too many complaints about the fit and the fact that it doesn't come with a lot of parts. I know the shifter plated thing has been discussed a lot, but I can't find a definate answer. My question is this: What exactly needs to be done to the stock shift plate? Or does it come with its own plate like the Dual Gate does?

As far as changing gears, do you have to pull that lever each time you want to change a gear (other than banging them in a race)? And if you just want to cruise around on the street w/out shifting, can you just leave it in third gear like you can with the stock shifter, or do you have to constantly be shifting/downshifting? Sorry for the stupid questions.

 

The megashifter install comes with 2 brackets on the console model type. You mount the shifter onto these brackets and then cut out the shifterplate with the template provided. They have a new metal shifter plate that you drill and put screws into the OEM plate. This covers up the hole that was just cut and allows more clearence for the shifter. They come with a boot (don't spray any kind of leather protector on it or it will crack and rip).

As for shifting with the megashifter... you pull up on the reverselockout (little trigger in front of the handle) and you can pull it straight back till it stops... that's OD (on a 700r4, would be 3rd on 350 or 400) it's made so you can't go any lower with the trigger pulled.. bump it forward once you're in neutral. Pull it back one click you end up in OD again... pull the trigger and push it forward twice and you'll end up in Rev.

To downshift from OD just pull back on the stick... only lets you downshift one gear at a time. Once you hit first, you can hammer the stick forward for the next gear, only lets you go forward 1 per time. Once you hit OD the trigger will beable to be pulled up... I use this as a last gear check.

Mainly it works just like OEM shifter with improved shifting (one gear downshift and one gear upshift).

 

O.K., this might be even better than I thought. See, the problem I have now is that my stock shifter plate is cracked and where the screw go through, somebody over-tightened them and those pieces on the edge (all for corners) broke, so it looks pretty bad. Are you telling me I have to re-use this, but it comes with a new plate that goes on top of it, and you will never see it? If this is so, you just made my day, cause I'll be saving a lot of money just by buying this shifter over the hurst, and I won't have to buy a new shift plate.

Is it kind of a pain in the but to always have to be pulling the lever to move from P to overdrive? Or do you just get used to it? So once you pull it back into overdrive, you can not use the lever from there. Thanks man.

 

Do a search on megashifter installs... you will have to cut out the whole area where the OEM shift mounts (idicator plate part too).

You cut out the area where the shifter mounts... drill out 4 holes and bolt a new metal overlay down. It pretty much covers the area from the window switch's to the ash tray part (on a firebird console, Camaros should be just like it).

The lever is just for Park and Reverse... you pull the lever (mine pulls easy) you ripe the shifter back into OD. It's not a big deal... it's a little harder to go from Park to Reverse... but I think it's easier to go from OD to Reverse.

Once in OD you don't use the lever anymore unless you want to go to Neutral or Park (the shifter prevents you going to lower gears with the reverse lockout trigger pulled up.).

Megashifters are also multipurpose shifter... theres a bolt that mounts in the gate path so you can go 2,3, or 4 speed transmissions. That way you can run 350/400, 700s, or powerglides.

 

O.K., here's what I need to know: my stock shifter plate is beat up and like I said falling apart. Will I need to get a new shift plate ($60) first, or will I be able to re-use my old one? I'll do another search.

 

stole this link off another post.

here's one install on a firebird



You can install them without cutting on a firebird (takes some customizing) I bought mine used so I had a bad boot. I didn't want to spend 25 bucks on a new one. I custom installed megashifter and hooked up OEM shifter cable. Then I hand made a new leather boot.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Irocster
O.K., here's what I need to know: my stock shifter plate is beat up and like I said falling apart. Will I need to get a new shift plate ($60) first, or will I be able to re-use my old one? I'll do another search. [/QUOTE
The broken plastic on the screw hole will show(mine does anyway). It covers the existing console, uses the stock screws/screw holes--but it doesn't go clear to the edge of the console. This shifter does take effort to shift from one gear to another--I like it that way. It is however the most common complaint I hear. The only real trick to it is that when you are in ratchet mode the only way to get out of ratchet mode and into R or P is from OD with the 'trigger' pulled. What I've seen people do...they go from OD to N without pulling the lever(using ratchet action) then try to get into R or P--it absolutely can't be done. The trigger won't pull up in N D 3 2 1 at all(with 700r4). You must be in OD to pull the 'trigger' and get over the Reverse lockout.
If you need a different console, find a good used one. I've also considered finding a manual tranny console and using the megashifter with it.

 

But if you use the trigger as a OD check in ratchet mode it's not that big of deal... that's what I do. If I forget what gear I'm in while manually shifting I just try to pull the trigger if it doesn't come up I know I have one more shift to go or more... if it does come up I know it's in OD.

 

Got another ?: As for the corners being broken off of my original shifter plate, I think I can fix that and make it look good, just grind it down with the dremel and give it a smooth look under the b&m shift plate. Can someone plese tell me what the point of re-using the orignal shift plate under the new one is for? I really don't see the point, other than it being a spacer of some sort. Oh, and if I do have to use my shift plate, will I have to use all the junk underneath it (gear indicater stuff)? Thanks a lot guys.

 

Without the original plate the shifter won't have anything to bolt to. The new trim plate bolts on the old plate and that old plate bolts on the console.

The megashifter console model comes with a new indicator slide.


Here to clear up the confusion I stole this from another member on the board. This is what you want to cut out of the original to put the new trim plate on top.

 

here's another pic