What is ratchet shift?
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From: lewisporte, newfoundland
What is ratchet shift?
hey, im new to these camaros, im looking at buying this 82:
http://www.nlclassifieds.com/classif...let/458942?c=1
the guy told me it had a ratchet shifter, what does that mean? is it like a slap shift? the add says "4 speed std ratchet shift gearbox" or is it just a 4spd with a fancy shifter?
thanks
http://www.nlclassifieds.com/classif...let/458942?c=1
the guy told me it had a ratchet shifter, what does that mean? is it like a slap shift? the add says "4 speed std ratchet shift gearbox" or is it just a 4spd with a fancy shifter?
thanks
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: What is ratchet shift?
Your factory style shifter is a type of gate shifter but not a true gate shifter. A Gate shifter has a stop between gear selections so that you have to move the shift lever over to get to the next gear.
A typical ratchet shifter, the handle stays in the same position all the time. When you pull back or push forward on the shifter, the transmission will only move one gear position at a time until you let go of the shifter then pull or push it again to the next gear.
The 2 most common ratchet shifters are the Megashifter and the ProRatchet.
The ProRatchet keeps the shift handle in the same position from park all the way down to low gear. GM trannys require pulling the handle back twice to move from park to reverse. Pull back again and it's in neutral. Once more and it's in drive then keep ratcheting back down to low (depending on how many gears you have). Every time you pull or push then release the shifter, the handle always returns to the same neutral position.
The Megashifter is slightly different. You pull the shift handle from park into reverse and that moves the shift handle into the ratchet position. From reverse you do the same thing as the ProRatchet. Every time you pull the handle back or push it forward, you need to let the handle return to the neutral position before making the next shift. The only difference with the MegaShifter is that when you put it back into park, it moves forward from the ratchet position.
Ratchet shifters are good for drag racing. You push or pull the shifter (depending on the valve body) to move up one gear at a time with no chance of moving 2 gears at a time or accidentally moving into neutral. For street use with a full automatic valve body, you'll only be ratcheting from reverse, neutral and drive all the time. A good gate shifter is better for a street car.
As for the ad about the car, best guess is that he has some sort of ratchet shifter with a 700R4 transmission. It adds no performance to the car without knowing if anything has been done to the tranny such as a manual shift kit etc.
A typical ratchet shifter, the handle stays in the same position all the time. When you pull back or push forward on the shifter, the transmission will only move one gear position at a time until you let go of the shifter then pull or push it again to the next gear.
The 2 most common ratchet shifters are the Megashifter and the ProRatchet.
The ProRatchet keeps the shift handle in the same position from park all the way down to low gear. GM trannys require pulling the handle back twice to move from park to reverse. Pull back again and it's in neutral. Once more and it's in drive then keep ratcheting back down to low (depending on how many gears you have). Every time you pull or push then release the shifter, the handle always returns to the same neutral position.
The Megashifter is slightly different. You pull the shift handle from park into reverse and that moves the shift handle into the ratchet position. From reverse you do the same thing as the ProRatchet. Every time you pull the handle back or push it forward, you need to let the handle return to the neutral position before making the next shift. The only difference with the MegaShifter is that when you put it back into park, it moves forward from the ratchet position.
Ratchet shifters are good for drag racing. You push or pull the shifter (depending on the valve body) to move up one gear at a time with no chance of moving 2 gears at a time or accidentally moving into neutral. For street use with a full automatic valve body, you'll only be ratcheting from reverse, neutral and drive all the time. A good gate shifter is better for a street car.
As for the ad about the car, best guess is that he has some sort of ratchet shifter with a 700R4 transmission. It adds no performance to the car without knowing if anything has been done to the tranny such as a manual shift kit etc.
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From: NWOhioToledoArea
Car: 86-FireBird
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Re: What is ratchet shift?
"Re: What is ratchet shift?"
Fun, I got a Hurst V2 matic from a 2nd gen in my dragin wagon and its nice.
It will work both ways, regular and ratchet.
Fun, I got a Hurst V2 matic from a 2nd gen in my dragin wagon and its nice.
It will work both ways, regular and ratchet.
Last edited by Gumby; Aug 10, 2010 at 01:22 AM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: lewisporte, newfoundland
Re: What is ratchet shift?
Your factory style shifter is a type of gate shifter but not a true gate shifter. A Gate shifter has a stop between gear selections so that you have to move the shift lever over to get to the next gear.
A typical ratchet shifter, the handle stays in the same position all the time. When you pull back or push forward on the shifter, the transmission will only move one gear position at a time until you let go of the shifter then pull or push it again to the next gear.
The 2 most common ratchet shifters are the Megashifter and the ProRatchet.
The ProRatchet keeps the shift handle in the same position from park all the way down to low gear. GM trannys require pulling the handle back twice to move from park to reverse. Pull back again and it's in neutral. Once more and it's in drive then keep ratcheting back down to low (depending on how many gears you have). Every time you pull or push then release the shifter, the handle always returns to the same neutral position.
The Megashifter is slightly different. You pull the shift handle from park into reverse and that moves the shift handle into the ratchet position. From reverse you do the same thing as the ProRatchet. Every time you pull the handle back or push it forward, you need to let the handle return to the neutral position before making the next shift. The only difference with the MegaShifter is that when you put it back into park, it moves forward from the ratchet position.
Ratchet shifters are good for drag racing. You push or pull the shifter (depending on the valve body) to move up one gear at a time with no chance of moving 2 gears at a time or accidentally moving into neutral. For street use with a full automatic valve body, you'll only be ratcheting from reverse, neutral and drive all the time. A good gate shifter is better for a street car.
As for the ad about the car, best guess is that he has some sort of ratchet shifter with a 700R4 transmission. It adds no performance to the car without knowing if anything has been done to the tranny such as a manual shift kit etc.
A typical ratchet shifter, the handle stays in the same position all the time. When you pull back or push forward on the shifter, the transmission will only move one gear position at a time until you let go of the shifter then pull or push it again to the next gear.
The 2 most common ratchet shifters are the Megashifter and the ProRatchet.
The ProRatchet keeps the shift handle in the same position from park all the way down to low gear. GM trannys require pulling the handle back twice to move from park to reverse. Pull back again and it's in neutral. Once more and it's in drive then keep ratcheting back down to low (depending on how many gears you have). Every time you pull or push then release the shifter, the handle always returns to the same neutral position.
The Megashifter is slightly different. You pull the shift handle from park into reverse and that moves the shift handle into the ratchet position. From reverse you do the same thing as the ProRatchet. Every time you pull the handle back or push it forward, you need to let the handle return to the neutral position before making the next shift. The only difference with the MegaShifter is that when you put it back into park, it moves forward from the ratchet position.
Ratchet shifters are good for drag racing. You push or pull the shifter (depending on the valve body) to move up one gear at a time with no chance of moving 2 gears at a time or accidentally moving into neutral. For street use with a full automatic valve body, you'll only be ratcheting from reverse, neutral and drive all the time. A good gate shifter is better for a street car.
As for the ad about the car, best guess is that he has some sort of ratchet shifter with a 700R4 transmission. It adds no performance to the car without knowing if anything has been done to the tranny such as a manual shift kit etc.
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: lewisporte, newfoundland
Re: What is ratchet shift?
ok i was just talking to the owner again tonight, he told me the trans is really rare? he said reverse is left and back (i guess where 2nd would be on a normal 5spd) and then its just normal shifting to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th. and its got a clutch.
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Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 17,262
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: What is ratchet shift?
Then it's a manual transmission.
The part about having a ratchet shifter for a 4 speed is BS then. He may have a short throw shifter or the tranny may have a close ratio gear set but it doesn't have a "ratchet shifter".
I have no idea what GM transmission uses that shift pattern
The part about having a ratchet shifter for a 4 speed is BS then. He may have a short throw shifter or the tranny may have a close ratio gear set but it doesn't have a "ratchet shifter".
I have no idea what GM transmission uses that shift pattern
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