No Need for Aftermarket Shifter after this Mod !!

Katmandu · Mar 20, 2004

Well, since I'm a cheap SOB and don't have the pennies for an nice Aftermarket shifter, I decided to mod my OEM shifter myself.

The results where nothing less that ASTOUNDING to say the least!

I can now bang gears with confidence and have NO MORE slop or rubbery feeling from the OEM shifter. I have NO shifter noise OR vibration ! The shift gate is Positive and Firm.

This is how I did it....

Removed the shifter boot, bezel and the (2) bolts that hold the shifter
handle.

Next, I simply removed the worn out POS rubber insulators AND the insulator bracket.

See pics below...

I then made a run to my local hardware store and picked up (4) hard round rubber grommets and (4) washers. The rubber grommets were tight enough to install in the (2) bolt holes of the shifter handle.

Next I removed the (2) metal bushings that are located inside the rubber insulator that is attached to the shifter handle.

Since the (2) bushings are now (minus the rubber insulators and bracket) are now much longer than needed, I decided to cut (1) of the bushings in HALF.

I then used the (2) half's of the metal bushing and inserted each of them into the rubber grommets of the shifter handle.

See pics below...

So I must say, this Mod cost a grand total of $1.71 (including tax), and GREATLY improved the shifting FEEL and QUALITY BY FAR !!

Yea, my shifter doesn't have bump stops (yet) or a nice shiny, fat shifter base. But saving $160 for now can NOT be beat !!

Happy Modding!

NKau · Mar 20, 2004

Nice work Did you end up shortening the handle at all, or just made it tighter?

Katmandu · Mar 20, 2004

NKau said:
Nice work Did you end up shortening the handle at all, or just made it tighter?

Thanks!

No, I left the handle alone. The mod made the handle VERY tight!

TheUser · Mar 21, 2004

well I think most buy an aftermarket shifter for the "short throw" rather than the firmness, etc, but good work none-the-less.

HISSIN50 · Mar 21, 2004

nice work, i dont want to rain on the parade, so dont take this as me doing that. just ideas for further modding of your new set up.

BTW, Steeda and others make the bushings that you did. i still did not like the way it was so i had to go aftermarket. but it was a huge improvement in the rubber vibration damper in there originally.

something the aftermarket shifters offer are: shorter throw and most important to me, the positive gear finding from the nice heavy springs in the aftermarket shifters.

like i said, just ideas for ya. i bet your shifter is in better shape than mine was. the thing had no "neutral" finding ability, making third and even 5th a chore to hit.
nice work and im glad to hear you like it.

IMissMy93Fox · Mar 21, 2004

I think I'll still stick with a Pro 5.0 but for $1.71 that's awesome. That's like 1% the cost of an aftermarket one. By the way how long did it take you to do it?

Gearbanger 101 · Mar 21, 2004

Katmandu said:
Well, since I'm a cheap SOB and don't have the pennies for an nice Aftermarket shifter, I decided to mod my OEM shifter myself.

So I must say, this Mod cost a grand total of $1.71 (including tax), and GREATLY improved the shifting FEEL and QUALITY BY FAR !!

Yea, my shifter doesn't have bump stops (yet) or a nice shiny, fat shifter base. But saving $160 for now can NOT be beat !!

Happy Modding!

Good start. I did the same with my shifter, but I also welded in a set of home made adjustable shift stops. The reason that rubber is in there isn't just to dampen the vibration, it's also there to save your shift forks when you miss a gear. Even if you are making the gears, the overtravel from a hard powershift is going to play havoc on those forks. I wouldn't be banging them too hard until I welded in a set of stops if I were you.

Wasim05 · Mar 21, 2004

My stock shifter > your stock shifter. I cut the shifter way short on the shaft that comes up to you. its maybe 3/4" long now. We didnt even use any rubber gromets or whatever, we just tightenting the bolts as good as possible. then laid a bead down the shifter. now this one is tight! i can bang 3rd everytime without missng like a stock shifter.

Ranchero5.0 · Mar 21, 2004

It's easier to just smooth two 3/8" nuts on a bench grinder and put them in the bushed holes. Use washers and metric nuts to lock the bolts. Also make sure you have a cadmium plated stock shifter base, it's close ratio. Black painted ones are much sloppier.

Jamie

Michael Yount · Mar 21, 2004

Nice job there - my mods were kind of similar. My brother had put a B&M shifter in mine before I got the car from him. However, the way it positioned the B&M shift handle interfered with my ability to insert/remove CD's when I was in 5th gear. So I made similar mods to yours (cut the metal bushings/put stiff rubber washers around them) and bolted the stock 5.0 shifter to the B&M base. I now have the height and spacing of the stock shifter (no more CD issues) with the short throws and positive stops of the B&M base.

Katmandu · Mar 22, 2004

IMissMy93Fox said:
I think I'll still stick with a Pro 5.0 but for $1.71 that's awesome. That's like 1% the cost of an aftermarket one. By the way how long did it take you to do it?

In actual work time, less than 30 minutes.

Katmandu · Mar 22, 2004

Gearbanger 101 said:
Good start. I did the same with my shifter, but I also welded in a set of home made adjustable shift stops. The reason that rubber is in there isn't just to dampen the vibration, it's also there to save your shift forks when you miss a gear. Even if you are making the gears, the overtravel from a hard powershift is going to play havoc on those forks. I wouldn't be banging them too hard until I welded in a set of stops if I were you.

Good point !

Katmandu · Mar 22, 2004

Ranchero5.0 said:
It's easier to just smooth two 3/8" nuts on a bench grinder.

Not if you don't have a bench grinder!

How ya been Jamie!

Have you stopped by www.385Series.tk lately ??

NeQX · Mar 22, 2004

When I got my stock shifter it was already cut shorter, but when I installed my pro 5.0 difference was night and day, NEVER MISS 3RD, my stop bolts are nice so I can't over throw, and once again appearance is small with nice tights shifts.....you get what you pay for....and 1.71 gets you two grommets and washers....but if you're broke I suppose it is better then stock.

Xanax · Mar 22, 2004

I'm happy you had great results as the POS stock shifter conponates tend
to wear out sometime.Cool mod for being so,cheap!

BlackFox5.0 · Mar 22, 2004

That rubber was there to dampen the force being exerted on the shifter when "banged" into gear. Prolong use as it is now, will ruin your shift forks in the tranny. This is why aftermarket shifters have adjustable stops, to limit the travel.

Just go easy on it, and you'll be ok.

88stangmangt · Mar 22, 2004

nice job!

HISSIN50 · Mar 22, 2004

BlackFox5.0 said:
That rubber was there to dampen the force being exerted on the shifter when "banged" into gear. Prolong use as it is now, will ruin your shift forks in the tranny. This is why aftermarket shifters have adjustable stops, to limit the travel.

Just go easy on it, and you'll be ok.

from what i gather it is there to dampen vibrations from the drivetrain, as people complained about it. just what i read. if ford did the rubber to save shift forks, why did they not use stops rather than bandaid the weakness...(not disagreeing with you, B.F.5.0, just a rant about how it was done).

bit · Mar 22, 2004

BlackFox5.0 said:
That rubber was there to dampen the force being exerted on the shifter when "banged" into gear. Prolong use as it is now, will ruin your shift forks in the tranny. This is why aftermarket shifters have adjustable stops, to limit the travel.

Just go easy on it, and you'll be ok.

It makes the force wet?

Sorry I had to say it. FWI:It damps the force.

Really though the real point of an aftermarket shifter is the shift stops to prevent transmission damage. But I am glad you like the improved feel.

Gearbanger 101 · Mar 22, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
if ford did the rubber to save shift forks, why did they not use stops rather than bandaid the weakness...(not disagreeing with you, B.F.5.0, just a rant about how it was done).

Because it keeps the bean counters happy....designing a shifter with aftermarket stops costs money, but little rubber gromets are nearly free.

No Need for Aftermarket Shifter after this Mod !!

Katmandu

NKau

Katmandu

TheUser

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HISSIN50

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IMissMy93Fox

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Gearbanger 101

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Katmandu

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NeQX

Xanax

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88stangmangt

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HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

bit

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