The Definitive "Hard To Shift" Thread

[EagleStroker]

I had motor mounts and torque limters, still couldn't hit secind at high RPM. I believe a lot of the issue has to do with what clutch/flywheel you're running.

I believe so as well. My only mods pertaining to this thread are Prothane motor mounts, but the aluminum fly and twin disk clutch make it shift like butter in high RPM's

 

[bigray327]

ive seen the term "torque limiters" several times in this thread. what are they and to what do they pertain...ive gathered theyre something to do with stablizing the motor/tranny?

Looks like this... one on each side of the transmission. Keep everything from rotating, and for me, eliminated shifting issues completely.

 

[firestang70]

Running NA and a 100 shot with stock tranny clutch I never had that problem. Now running the Whipple with a Spec 3+ the shifting issue has reared its ugly head. I hope to add the tq limiters soon. On a side note if anyone has a set to sell pm me.
Thanks
Dale

 

[pacettr]

I believe so as well. My only mods pertaining to this thread are Prothane motor mounts, but the aluminum fly and twin disk clutch make it shift like butter in high RPM's

I have an aluminum fly...

 

[NastyStang113]

Looks like this... one on each side of the transmission. Keep everything from rotating, and for me, eliminated shifting issues completely.

By far one of the best mods I've done to my car ... No more missing 3rd power shifting!! I bought the Race version and I'm really thinking about trying to sell it for that version .. Anyone want it?

 

[pacettr]

For those having the problem, what clutch and flywheel combination are you using?

Alum flywheel and McLeod clutch IIRC. Stock PJ setup.




So it makes sense to me how/why the torque limiters work, but it seems that they would solve issues with powershifting, whereas I have to lift and wait a count or two before I can shift. I would think that lifting would almost instantly unload the trans and allow a shift.

Is there a difference or am I missing something?

 

[marcspaz]

I don't "know" what the problem is, but I can share an "I think" and what I did to fix it...

We have a remote shifter and getting the car into gear while the motor/trans is shifting around under the car can get tricky. With the stock shifter, there are rubber bushings and better leverage due to the fulcrum point.

When we put aftermarket shifters in, most of them are short throw, which changes the effective leverage point, as well as making the shift mount stiffer with a polly bushing. Because we lost some play and leverage, the alignment of the linkage becomes more important.

I think that you still need to let the trans settle even when granny shifting because the trans is still shaking back and forth after you unload it.

TQ limiters are engineered to stop the driveline from twisting, allowing all of that lost energy to get applied as usable power at the wheels. A side effect is the trans and remote shifter stay in alignment, making it easier to shift.

So yes, tq limiters are a good idea for both reasons.

I was having a problem where I would grind 2nd most of the time and just flat out miss 3rd. I, however, have not added tq limiters. I was able to fix my shifting problem for free.

I removed the nylon bolt guides on both sides of the shift linkage, left the bolts loose by 1/2 turn, and greased the linkage bolts. I used lock-tight so the bolts don't come off. This built play back into the shift assembly and allows the remote shifter to more easily "find" the moving target.

The Hurst shifter I have now works smoothly, I don't miss shifts, and the known vibration issue has been almost completely eliminated.

I have the stock flywheel and a Spec stage 3 clutch, both power shifting and granny shifting with no issues above 6500 rpms.

 

[Lazy Racer]

I don't "know" what the problem is, but I can share an "I think" and what I did to fix it...

We have a remote shifter and getting the car into gear while the motor/trans is shifting around under the car can get tricky. With the stock shifter, there are rubber bushings and better leverage due to the fulcrum point.

When we put aftermarket shifters in, most of them are short throw, which changes the effective leverage point, as well as making the shift mount stiffer with a polly bushing. Because we lost some play and leverage, the alignment of the linkage becomes more important.

I think that you still need to let the trans settle even when granny shifting because the trans is still shaking back and forth after you unload it.

TQ limiters are engineered to stop the driveline from twisting, allowing all of that lost energy to get applied as usable power at the wheels. A side effect is the trans and remote shifter stay in alignment, making it easier to shift.

So yes, tq limiters are a good idea for both reasons.

I was having a problem where I would grind 2nd most of the time and just flat out miss 3rd. I, however, have not added tq limiters. I was able to fix my shifting problem for free.

I removed the nylon bolt guides on both sides of the shift linkage, left the bolts loose by 1/2 turn, and greased the linkage bolts. I used lock-tight so the bolts don't come off. This built play back into the shift assembly and allows the remote shifter to more easily "find" the moving target.

The Hurst shifter I have now works smoothly, I don't miss shifts, and the known vibration issue has been almost completely eliminated.

I have the stock flywheel and a Spec stage 3 clutch, both power shifting and granny shifting with no issues above 6500 rpms.

Thanks ;-) Got any pics?... are the bolt guides easy to find. I cannot recall what the shifter looks like! For the last three years its been a knob and handle!!

 

[EagleStroker]

I have an aluminum fly...

There are to many variable from car to car, the point is with minimal mods and my Pro 5.0 I'm shifting at 6k+ with no issue

 

[s197shockwave]

I don't "know" what the problem is, but I can share an "I think" and what I did to fix it...

We have a remote shifter and getting the car into gear while the motor/trans is shifting around under the car can get tricky. With the stock shifter, there are rubber bushings and better leverage due to the fulcrum point.

When we put aftermarket shifters in, most of them are short throw, which changes the effective leverage point, as well as making the shift mount stiffer with a polly bushing. Because we lost some play and leverage, the alignment of the linkage becomes more important.

I think that you still need to let the trans settle even when granny shifting because the trans is still shaking back and forth after you unload it.

TQ limiters are engineered to stop the driveline from twisting, allowing all of that lost energy to get applied as usable power at the wheels. A side effect is the trans and remote shifter stay in alignment, making it easier to shift.

So yes, tq limiters are a good idea for both reasons.

I was having a problem where I would grind 2nd most of the time and just flat out miss 3rd. I, however, have not added tq limiters. I was able to fix my shifting problem for free.

I removed the nylon bolt guides on both sides of the shift linkage, left the bolts loose by 1/2 turn, and greased the linkage bolts. I used lock-tight so the bolts don't come off. This built play back into the shift assembly and allows the remote shifter to more easily "find" the moving target.

The Hurst shifter I have now works smoothly, I don't miss shifts, and the known vibration issue has been almost completely eliminated.

I have the stock flywheel and a Spec stage 3 clutch, both power shifting and granny shifting with no issues above 6500 rpms.

really good info. thank you.

I will try and see the outcome.
for now though I will stick to carrying around the latest issue of car&driver magazine so that I can catch up on my favorite articles in between shifts. Also I use the time I have to wait in between shifts to catch up with my wife. We both have very busy work schedules and its difficult to get together and have a meaningful conversation, but now thanks to my s197 shifting issue we have all the time in the world.

 

[marcspaz]

Thanks ;-) Got any pics?... are the bolt guides easy to find. I cannot recall what the shifter looks like! For the last three years its been a knob and handle!!

No pics. I don't know that I ever took any of that project. The nylon inserts will look like white plastic sleeves inside the bolt hole on each bushing. They separate the metal bolt from the metal bushing sleeve.

The idea behind the nylon is to act like a bearing surface and to prevent seizing due to surface rust if the vehicle sits for awhile. If you are going to try this, you must put some heavy grease in the sleeve and on the bolt so you will get longevity out of it.

really good info. thank you.

I will try and see the outcome.
for now though I will stick to carrying around the latest issue of car&driver magazine so that I can catch up on my favorite articles in between shifts. Also I use the time I have to wait in between shifts to catch up with my wife. We both have very busy work schedules and its difficult to get together and have a meaningful conversation, but now thanks to my s197 shifting issue we have all the time in the world.

LOL... I would catch up on sleep between shifts. Sometimes at the tree too!

 

[Lazy Racer]

No pics. I don't know that I ever took any of that project. The nylon inserts will look like white plastic sleeves inside the bolt hole on each bushing. They separate the metal bolt from the metal bushing sleeve.

The idea behind the nylon is to act like a bearing surface and to prevent seizing due to surface rust if the vehicle sits for awhile. If you are going to try this, you must put some heavy grease in the sleeve and on the bolt so you will get longevity out of it.

Fantastic, thanks. I am so desperate to sort this, poor shifting must be worth a good few tenths. I am getting by at the moment by short shifting (5800-6000rpm) with N20. Id like to run up to about 6350 with N20 to see how it runs. At the moment I never seem to be 'in gear' for long enough to really get down the track - if you see what i mean...

 

[bigray327]

We should turn this into the definitive "hard to shit" thread. I ate a bunch of pretzel sticks today and now I'm all corked up.

 

[Boss281]

We should turn this into the definitive "hard to shit" thread. I ate a bunch of pretzel sticks today and now I'm all corked up.

That just made me LMFAO! Thanks!

 

[marcspaz]

We should turn this into the definitive "hard to shit" thread. I ate a bunch of pretzel sticks today and now I'm all corked up.

Try prunes...

Come to think of it, the heavy grease might work well for that too.

 

[habu]

Well this thread makes me feel better.

Mods: Whipple 10lbs, 475, MGW, prothane mounts, Clutchmasters stage 4 clutch, stock fly

I have a hell of a time 1-2nd shifting under WOT, missing 3rd in the 2-3 about 40% of the time.

Thought it was just me and so I made some changes to my driving, but it's still bad enough that I would never try to power shift because I know it's just gonna grind and I don't want to zing the motor.

The torque limiters have been buy (it's not me)/don't buy (it's me) type of mod. Now that it seems that I'm not the complete odd man out in this issue, it looks like it's something I should do.

 

[marcspaz]

For the money, it's a great buy.

 

[superfly s197]

Well this thread makes me feel better.

Mods: Whipple 10lbs, 475, MGW, prothane mounts, Clutchmasters stage 4 clutch, stock fly

I have a hell of a time 1-2nd shifting under WOT, missing 3rd in the 2-3 about 40% of the time.

Thought it was just me and so I made some changes to my driving, but it's still bad enough that I would never try to power shift because I know it's just gonna grind and I don't want to zing the motor.

The torque limiters have been buy (it's not me)/don't buy (it's me) type of mod. Now that it seems that I'm not the complete odd man out in this issue, it looks like it's something I should do.

Nope. Its still you hsnap:

 

[srt2stang725]

anyone have an issue with the tq limiters and breaking the case of the tranny? I remember i saw a thread about that a while ago...I think it was on here....is that just a fluke thing?

 

[94tbird]

anyone have an issue with the tq limiters and breaking the case of the tranny? I remember i saw a thread about that a while ago...I think it was on here....is that just a fluke thing?

that was due to someone waaaaaay overtightening the bolt, although he wont admit fault