stock shifter issues?

[sctdev]

Is it just me, or is the stock shifter "not so good"? I just bought a 2006 and I still shift back to 2nd instead of 4th, 3rd instead of fifth, etc. I've been driving manual transmission vehicles for 25 years, including drag stip passes, and I've never had these kind of issues.

Is the Hurst shifter a lot more precise?


dp

P.S. Yes, I did do a search first, but try searching for shifter ...

 

[mike & juli]

http://forums.viperclub.org/showpost.php?p=2392729&postcount=2

That's why we use the MGW shifter...shorter throw, VERY easy to install...we like it much better than the '05 stock shifter. Just my .02. ~juli

 

[boplaw]

I have both a MGW knob and SVS shifter. Much improved.

www.mgwltd.com and www.svspower.com

 

[Hamrhead]

IMO, it's pretty good. I can find the next gear pretty easily (usually ).

Though I was driving an SRT Ram for 3 years before this, and that stock shifter was s-l-o-p-p-y.

 

[sctdev]

Thanks. I'll get an SVS shifter. The stock one may also improve with a little more use.

 

[Canyon707]

I think the tranny is part of the problem. I remember back when I had my roadrunner you could bang gears like no tomorrow ful throtle shifts smoke in third gear. Now that is waht I call shifting. The viper is not that way at all it seems to always hang just a bit before going into gear. I think thats why you see so many miss shifts. I have the MGW short throw and it is better but, I expected more Comments?????

 

[Viper X]

I'm not crazy about the stock shifter either but comparing a 4 speed to a 6 speed is apples and oranges. If you work on it and keep your hand in the correct position for each shift, shifting becomes much more positive. For the 3 to 4 and 5 to 6 shifts, try holding the shifter on the driver's side with your thumb down as you shift, gently pulling the shifter into gear.

Do just the opposite as you shift down. Opinions vary on this. For the 2 to 3 shift, I hold the shifter below the ball with my thumb up and elbow tucked in tight to my rib cage, then push it into gear. The 4 to 3 shift is the most difficult for most of us, specially when coming down the straight at 140 mph plus, braking hard, shifting down and then turning in at speed. Missing this shift can mean going off track. I have found that holding the bottom half of the shifter ball between my thumb and index finger and gently pushing the shifter from 4 to 3 works well for me.

This should help. With practice, your shifts will improve.

I have the Hurst shifter with MGW shift knob in my GTS - track car and in my SRT-10 (1/2 and 1 mile car) and it works pretty well. The OE transmissions in our cars are pretty strong, but can be a bit difficult to shift quickly, specially when your are excited.

Good luck,

Dan

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

For the 3 to 4 and 5 to 6 shifts, try holding the shifter on the driver's side with your thumb down as you shift, gently pulling the shifter into gear.

That's all it takes. Just flipping your hand on one side of the shift lever or the other depending on the gear.

The tricks to mastering the Viper.

 

[Tim]

I had a 94 RT10 and I had hit 2nd when going to 4 a couple of times and that really gets your attention. As well just plain missing gears. I bought a 2002 RT10 and the same thing. Last year at the VOI in Vegas I bought and installed Hurst shifter and I have not missed a shift since in over 5000 k’s and I drive the car hard. The factory shifter is sloppy and imprecise with little feedback. In short it is junk. The Hurst is firm, precise with a solid feel as I believe it is the same with the other aftermarket shifters. On both cars I tried the short shifter thing and it helped slightly but it is not the same as changing the shifter. Bite the bullet and spring for the Shifter you will be glad that you did.
I tried the “change the hand position” but in the heat the of moment you need be sitting in a natural position, comfortable and focused on the driving and not thinking on how your holding your hand and shifting.
Tim

 

[ILLSMOQ]

..........a different opinion...

mis-shifts were a big problem for me. I changed the engine and transmission mounts over to the woodhouse red poly mounts and never mis-shifted again, also wheel hop was reduced. I have a totally stock shifter.

I've driven a car with the MGW short knob and while the throw is shorter the feel is still sloppy.

The stock mounts let the engine and trans "torque" over,taking the shift gates with them of course so if you shift very quick and a re not carefull you may end up in the wrong gear.

If mis shifts are your issue, I say change the mounts.

 

[Canyon707]

anyone try the B&M shifter???

 

[rcl4668]

Is it just me, or is the stock shifter "not so good"? I just bought a 2006 and I still shift back to 2nd instead of 4th, 3rd instead of fifth, etc. I've been driving manual transmission vehicles for 25 years, including drag stip passes, and I've never had these kind of issues.

Is the Hurst shifter a lot more precise?


dp

P.S. Yes, I did do a search first, but try searching for shifter ...

It's not just you; I had the same sort of issue on my 2006.

 

[Viper X]

I changed the motor mounts on my SRT-10 and it has made things more positive, one of them being shifting.

I still believe that if you use good shifting techniques and practice them every time you shift, they will become habit. When you get into a "spirited driving situation", these good shifting habits you've formed will help you do a better job at driving your car, i.e. you'll miss fewer shifts.

Dan

 

[ROCKET62]

In my opinion, there seems to be a great deal of variance with the stock shifters - with some being decent and others being sloppy. All of the aftermarket shifters seem to use stiffer springs so that you get a more positive feeling. In my Gen 1, I missed a number of shifts with the stock shifter and did not miss a single one after going to the B&M.

Also, a pet peeve of mine whenever we get on this subject, which seems to be a frequent topic. When you talk about the "shifter" - that refers to the actual mechanical part that moves the transmission gears. MGW does not make a shifter - they make a shift knob. SVS, B&M, Hurst, and Woodhouse make shifters. If your shifter feels sloppy, simply changing to a shorter shift knob is not going to help that much. For me, the difference was night and day when I switched to a B&M over the stock shifter.

 

[SnakeEye]

Replacing the stock stir stick with a B&M ripper shifter and MGW first strike knob will yield you much quicker shifts with less chance of a miss.

 

[DII]

I had the same issue (I posted a thread in this forum called Mis-Shift).

I have purchased the B&M shifter but have not had time to install it. I can tell you 2 things that really help with shifting this car:

1. Thumb down on 3-4, 5-6 shifts. I would also like to add that if you give it a slight nudge to the right as your headed to 4th, it really helps. Just a VERY slight nudge to ensure its going in the right direction.


2. Relax, and concentrate on what your doing. I think this is the biggest part of driving this car period. With so many other cars (Sports and exotics included), you can jump and and drive with very aggressive inputs, but the car will stay planted. With the Viper you have to smooth your inputs out (throttle, gearchange, clutch, steering), to keep the car planted. I noted that I would mis-shift when I was gunning it, and everything is happening so fast that I end up YANKING the shifter straight down from 3rd, and end up buzzing 2nd. Now when I drive this car, I think about exactly what I'm doing, and I don't get too excited. This allows me to not ****** the wheel, or stomp the throttle or yank the shifter.

Best wishes to you, and be safe!

 

[sctdev]

After gaining some seat time the shifting is better, but still not where it shoud be. Now I can tell easily that I hit 2nd instead of 4th

I've got an SVS shifter sitting in the corner waiting for a break at work so I can get the car on a lift to replace the shifter. At 800 miles it's almost dyno time, too!! Wheee!

 

[Copperhead245]

... Thumb down on 3-4, 5-6 shifts. I would also like to add that if you give it a slight nudge to the right as your headed to 4th, it really helps. Just a VERY slight nudge to ensure its going in the right direction.

I generally agree with DII - relax and concentrate. For me though, its thumb up for 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6 and thumb down 2-3 and 4-5 - maybe because I'm left handed. Going 1-2 and 3-4 its easiest for me to have my thumb up to "pull it" just a bit closer to me, and when my thumb is down I feel I want to push a bit away. Whatever works for you...

I recently installed an SVS short-throw (chose the 2" drop) - it's installed from above - no lift needed (you can do it by yourself). Its not a "miracle" cure, but does make my style more precise.

If you're going to install the SVS yourself, PM me for some tips...

Ron

 

[Canyon707]

Well I finally got my B&M shifter installed. The one thing I did realize was that the instructions were not for an SRT10 but older models. There was a couple of issues I had with the installation.
1 Its hard to fit in a Viper sideways.... The hardest part
2, Drilling out the revits... Make sure you drill straight down in order not to elongate the hole the rivet sits in.
3, I used a Dremal tool to cut my holes and a shop vac at the same time to **** up the dust.
4, The SRT 2003 up console have a total of 8 screws holding it down. 4 are in the console box.
5, Remove the old shifter in the neutral position.
6, To install the new one you need to put it in 90 degrees off and then rotate it to the correct position.
7, Another thing that I thought up was how to remove the 4 bolts from the shifter through the small holes they have you drill without dropping them. I took a ceramic magnet and broke it up with a hammer to fit inside the 13mm socket and removed it. It work great installed the bolts the same way.
I then reinstalled my MGW knob and now its a true short shifter not just a shorter handle....
It takes a few hours to do mainly because its so tight of an area to work in and I might just be a bit over cautious when I work on my car. Its my only girlfriend.

 

[Flyntgr]

The Gen II and III will both use a Hurst shifter, and this added to the short throw MGW is the way I went with my Gen III. I had used an SVS shifter with short throw MGW lever on my Gen II. A friend with dual turbos drove my car with the Hurst and was so impressed with it that he got one for his 1,500 rwhp car. But all that being said, I agree with everyone that the factory six speed Tremek tranny is notchier than any other I've driven, and there just isn't anything that will make that better to my knowledge. Woodhouse makes a good shifter from all accounts, and with a Gen II and III, I would also recommend the Woodhouse motor mounts.
I have a Gen IV coming soon, but no aftermarket parts are being sold yet. I am hoping to get an Autoform roll bar and a six point seat belt. The collision I was in made it abundantly clear that anyone driving a convert on Interstate hwys needs both the cage and the 6 point belt; the consequences are broken bones or worse. You can never tell what some idiot driver will do-except that they will always leave the scene of the accident if they can. I'm blessed to be alive! Happy motoring.

 

[rcl4668]

The Gen II and III will both use a Hurst shifter, and this added to the short throw MGW is the way I went with my Gen III. I had used an SVS shifter with short throw MGW lever on my Gen II. A friend with dual turbos drove my car with the Hurst and was so impressed with it that he got one for his 1,500 rwhp car. But all that being said, I agree with everyone that the factory six speed Tremek tranny is notchier than any other I've driven, and their just isn't anything that will make that better to my knowledge. Woodhouse makes a good shifter from all accounts, and with a Gen II and III, I would also recommend the Woodhouse motor mounts.
I have a Gen IV coming soon, but no aftermarket parts are being sold yet. I am hoping to get an Autoform roll bar and a six point seat belt. The collision I was in made it abundantly clear that anyone driving a convert on Interstate hwys needs both the cage and the 6 point belt; the consequences are broken bones or worse. You can never tell what some idiot driver will do-except that they will always leave the scene of the accident if they can. I'm blessed to be alive! Happy motoring.

Flyntgr --

I believe Woodhouse sells a shifter kit for the 2003-06 Vipers that actually strengthens the springs to minimize the missed shift issue.

I will also be installing an Autoform rollbar and a set of Teamtech harnesses in my 2008 convertible. Just a word of caution: Using the teamtech harnesses on the street and cinching them down tight as you would on the track will minimize movements by your torso but may exacerbate the whiplash effect experienced by your neck and head. Essentially, the harnesses will not allow your head and torso to move as one unit which could increase trauma to the neck and base of the skull.

The other option of course is to use a helmet with a HANS device. Barring that, I have seen others also recommend using the harnesses but wearing them relatively loosely to allow some movement of the torso with the neck and head in an accident.

/Rich

 

[Canyon707]

no sure if my last post posted so here goes again and sorry if it dups. I ran the shifter today and much much better than the stock one.

 

[MGWLTD]

stay tuned guys as i am about to release our viper short throw shifter. i am running a prototype on my 2006 viper coupe now and it works VERY well. very beefy return springs and a nice solid feel. not notchy at all either!!!


regards
george

MGW LTD., INC. - CNC Machined and Turned Parts. Accessories for the Corvette, Mustang, PT Cruiser, SVT Lightning & F150 and Viper

 

[ROCKET62]

George,

Just in time for a Christmas Group Buy?

Need details and comparisons of course!

 

[DII]

I still have my B&M sitting on the floor, and I drove my car 3 times this weekend (whohoo!!lol). Anyways, I missed no shifts at all using the thumbs down 3-4 method. I was driving in NYC / NJ so I did alot of 3-4shifts!

Relax, thumbs down, no probs

Did I mention that I love this car!!! I swear I accelerate from 50-100mph and it feels like I just took off in a jet. Love the torque

 

[pattymelt3605]

Anyone on here have their stock shifter and knob I can have or buy?

 

[Canyon707]

I still have my B&M sitting on the floor, and I drove my car 3 times this weekend (whohoo!!lol). Anyways, I missed no shifts at all using the thumbs down 3-4 method. I was driving in NYC / NJ so I did alot of 3-4shifts!

Relax, thumbs down, no probs

Did I mention that I love this car!!! I swear I accelerate from 50-100mph and it feels like I just took off in a jet. Love the torque

It's even better installed.

 

[DMan]

I still have my SVS shifter on a shelf ... it's been there exactly a year, I'm a putz. I got the MGW short handle and it's so good I haven't been motivated to install the shifter.

George's stuff is great, been using it on my Cobra's since he's been making it, and both my Gen II and Gen III.

Canyon - thanks for the tips on the install, I'm definitely installing mine soon, around the holidays.

 

[MuscleJunkie]

The shifter (along with the transmission) in my 06 Viper Coupe is leaps and bounds better than the tranny's that were in my 00 Corvette Coupe and 01 Corvette Z06

 

[Canyon707]

I still have my SVS shifter on a shelf ... it's been there exactly a year, I'm a putz. I got the MGW short handle and it's so good I haven't been motivated to install the shifter.

George's stuff is great, been using it on my Cobra's since he's been making it, and both my Gen II and Gen III.

Canyon - thanks for the tips on the install, I'm definitely installing mine soon, around the holidays.

No problem glad to share my experience. like everything I do on my car when I am done I know I can do it faster the next time. It just pays for me to go slow and think it through. I hate doing things twice. good luck