I ran a search and much to my surprise I couldn't find any shifter recommendations for manual transmissions. Mostly just for automatics. (WTF?) I've used the SLP short throw shifter before but apparently they aren't made anymore or no one carries them. I'd like something new and not bought off Ebay.

I'm looking to replace the piece of crap aftermarket shifter of unknown origin in my car that has all the **** threads stripped out on it from the crappiest looking **** you ever did see. My car is a 1992 Formula with a T5 in it. I'd like a short throw shifter that doesn't require me to modify the stock shift plate to use it. I'd also like to retain the use of the the stock shift boot and ****. Or better yet, I'd like a shifter that can do all that and allow me to make use of this ****. It needs to work with the T5 transmission but compatibility with the TKO 600 or T56 would be nice down the road as I will need to replace the T5 I've got now.

The shifter on my car is too short and the shaft isn't replaceable. This causes it to pull the boot down and look "sunken" in and I'm not a fan of it. Also the base is too thick and the shaft is too long for the stock or SLP shift ***** to screw onto it even if the threads were intact. The shift **** that used to be on it used some crappy set screws that were obviously coming loose and were re-tightened often. There are hardly any threads left on it.

 

I say build your own. there are plenty of parts to be found online and some nice ***** (lol) get a new shaft and cut it down until it feels natural.

(man i feel dirty)

 

An interesting suggestion, but no. I've thought about it and frankly I'd rather buy one. There is more to it than just the thickness of the shaft, its length and the **** on the end.

Damn this does sound dirty.

 

nothing beats the look of a white hurst ****. as for the shaft. may need to find a donor car.

 

I prefer the leather wrapped SLP **** myself. It reminds me of the one I had in my Firehawk. I'm looking to retain more of a stock appearance than I'd get with some perfectly round shift **** which I don't think would fit my hands as well as the leather one would. In any case I've thought about getting a stock T5 shifter from the junk yard and cutting the shaft on it down and rewelding it so I could retain the factory threads. However I don't think that will improve how it shifts a lot. I've been looking at the B&M Ripper, the Pro 5.0 etc. I'd like people that have them to chime in about those if they could.

 

I had one of the rippers in my 92 with the T5.

Overall:

I found it to be too tall for my taste, and the threads were not right for my sidewinder shifter ****. I cut it down an inch and welded a bolt with the correct threads on it and ground the weld down smooth. The bolt never let loose under the worst shifts. It hid pretty well under the boot.

Shifting:

The shifts were completely solid, no flex into the shifter rod. A short that doesn't scrunch up the shift pattern too badly. After getting the hang of the shifter, rarely skipped 3rd into 5th

Cost:

250 was about what I thought it went for, but my car came with that when I bought it.

It's a decent shifter in all, but I always wanted to try the pro 5.0

 

How tall was the Ripper in your car compared to say the stock shifter? I know the stock shifter is EXCESSIVELY tall. Did the stock boot work on it and look OK? Or was it so short (either before or after you were done with it) that the boot sunk into the console? That's the look I've got now and it sucks. The shifter is actually slightly too short where it is now. It sat higher with the crap APC shift **** that was on it when I got it. That thing was beat up and loose as hell. It went into the trash.

Great feedback though. This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

 

I've only seen the stock shifter in other cars. It's not as tall as the stock shifter, but not sunken down either, guesstimating maybe couple inches shorter than stock before I modified it. Hid well under the stock boot, all except about an inch because of the way the shifter was designed, If you want I can run out to the garage quick take a measurement or two and snap a pic

 

That would be awesome.

 

7/8" diameter rod, shifter from base is 8 in after me modifying it. Maybe 9 to 9 1/2 before mod.

 

Thank you. That helps me quite a bit.

 

The shifter boot sets where the larger diameter starts so it doesn't sink down too much, was looking for a pic of when the car was together, but can't locate one, best I could do is mock up what it would look like

 

No problem, glad to help

 

I just wonder how tall it is from the base of the transmission tunnel to the top of where the **** would be. Also how far above the console it goes. However your measurements will allow me to do this. When I get time I'll measure from the base of my transmission tunnel.

 

I've had the B&M Ripper and the Pro 5.0. Both are great shifters.
I currently have the Pro 5.0 with the Lou's Short Stick with the 45* bend.

 

B&M here. Never missed a shift with it. Smooth and precise. Accepts OE ****. No fitment problem. Pic in my bGarage.

JamesC

 

Thanks guys. That helps a lot.

 

hi , i am looking to replace my stock T5 shifter...it's ok ...but feels sluggish...i hear terrible things about these stock shifters...what's a good replacement? ...no racing shifters...just something with a little more precision....i saw a copper bushing for T5 shifters that installs where the ball of the shifter is...they say the plastic bushing stinks ,,,just replacing it that copper one will improve the shifts and keep it more precise...any truth to any of this?....thankyou.

 

The Pro 5.0 and the B&M usually get a nod. I've never heard of the bushing you mention. Do you have more info or a link perhaps?

JamesC

 

hi , it's on ebay and the seller is the gear box....
Bronze Shifter Bushing Shift Cup Isolator T56 T5 3550





check it out...this is supposed to improve the stock shifters....

 

I think it is the cup the ball of the shifter sits in.

 

exactly, the listing says it firms up the stock shifter and reduces the play of the stock shifters,,i would get one and try it out...but i wonder if it's just better to change the shifter for a better and more precise one altogether...what do you think?

 

I don't have a stock shifter so I need a new one anyway.

 

Humm, well, according to the manual, the piece is called a Sleeve, Shft Lvr Dmpr. I believe it's made of nylon. How much more sound and/or vibration the bronze piece would introduce into the cabin, I'm unsure. At any rate, it simply sits in the Lever, Offset Shift. How it could affect much, I'm also unsure.

I'm interested because when my car's cold, a bit of a 'buzz' comes from that very area.

JamesC

 

i will get one, with a new shifter...on ebay they have these pr0 comp 5.0 shifters for about $125 ...are these the ones ? any good?...i find my stock shifter very clumbsy....

 

I finally got around to finishing up the install and driving the car with the new shifter. It makes a WORLD of difference to say the least. The shifts are so much firmer and the throw is indeed shorter. Though I had no doubts on that last part. Plus with the shift boot and **** the installation looks like the factory one albeit shorter.

Definitely enjoying the the B&M Ripper Shifter.

 

hi , can you give me a part number or link so i can see which one you mean?..ebay?...thankyou.

 

I got mine from Hawk's: http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/ca...t-5ort-56.aspx

 

Brass or bronze has a minor ability to compress. The stock nylon/plastic/whatever bushings have less of that issue.

When a stock one cracks, shifting sucks.

That said, you can get stock ones for a few bucks. The bronze ones are $25. Up to you.