Slapstick action for your stock shifter

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Yep. I tried one in my 68 Cuda and it would hang up about half the time when I tried to get it down in low. I'd have to let off, shift up then try to go back down sometimes took 2-3 times before it'd go down into low. I worked and worked with it, filing and adjusting it and nothing I did seem to make it consistant. Plus I hated the way you had to operate it. 1st to 2nd was normal, just slap it and it would only go to 2nd so that was ok but for 2nd to 3rd you have to hold down on the shifter button or it acts just like a regular shifter and would slide right into neutral. I've seen several posts on it and 9 out of 10 guys I've seen post had the same issues as me. I took it out and installed a B&M Quicksilver in it's place cause I like something that works right. It doesn't look stock but it works.
 
fishy68 said:
Yep. I tried one in my 68 Cuda and it would hang up about half the time when I tried to get it down in low. I'd have to let off, shift up then try to go back down sometimes took 2-3 times before it'd go down into low. I worked and worked with it, filing and adjusting it and nothing I did seem to make it consistant. Plus I hated the way you had to operate it. 1st to 2nd was normal, just slap it and it would only go to 2nd so that was ok but for 2nd to 3rd you have to hold down on the shifter button or it acts just like a regular shifter and would slide right into neutral. I've seen several posts on it and 9 out of 10 guys I've seen post had the same issues as me. I took it out and installed a B&M Quicksilver in it's place cause I like something that works right. It doesn't look stock but it works.
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Thanks for the input!! The way you are describing it, I don't think it has the action that I was hoping for. When shifting from first gear, my stock shifter will sometimes slip past second and go right into third, or slip into neutral when trying to go from second into third. Thats why I wanted to have that "stop" in it like the slapstick shifters have. I love the look of the factory shifter and was hoping that this would be the solution I was looking for.:sad10:
 
Push it forward while shifting and pull back as soon as you here click for a stock shifter you cant just bump it forward and not expect it too skip a gear or go into neutral
 
Captain Canuck said:
Thanks for the input!! The way you are describing it, I don't think it has the action that I was hoping for. When shifting from first gear, my stock shifter will sometimes slip past second and go right into third, or slip into neutral when trying to go from second into third. Thats why I wanted to have that "stop" in it like the slapstick shifters have. I love the look of the factory shifter and was hoping that this would be the solution I was looking for.:sad10:
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I was hoping for the same thing when I bought it. Sure didn't live up to expectations. Whole lot of agravation is what it was for me.
 
74DartSwinger360 said:
Push it forward while shifting and pull back as soon as you here click for a stock shifter you cant just bump it forward and not expect it too skip a gear or go into neutral
Click to expand...

I've been using this method of shifting the stock shifter, and 99 times out of 100 it works great....But sometimes when I get on it hard, the adrenaline gets pumping and while trying to keep her straight, my shifts arent quite as accurate and it skips a gear or slips into neutral. I understand this is how stock shifters function, and that is why I'm exploring different options.
 
fishy68 said:
Yep. I tried one in my 68 Cuda and it would hang up about half the time when I tried to get it down in low. I'd have to let off, shift up then try to go back down sometimes took 2-3 times before it'd go down into low. I worked and worked with it, filing and adjusting it and nothing I did seem to make it consistant. Plus I hated the way you had to operate it. 1st to 2nd was normal, just slap it and it would only go to 2nd so that was ok but for 2nd to 3rd you have to hold down on the shifter button or it acts just like a regular shifter and would slide right into neutral. I've seen several posts on it and 9 out of 10 guys I've seen post had the same issues as me. I took it out and installed a B&M Quicksilver in it's place cause I like something that works right. It doesn't look stock but it works.
Click to expand...

I have it on my duster. I just filed down & rounded the sharp edges and it works great.
 
I know exactly what you mean about the adrenaline overshift Captain', it's not so bad if you overshift 2nd, a calm recovery downshift is no prob and if that fumble causes the loss of a race, you were prob going down any way lol, but hitting neutral can be catastrophic, esp with no rev limiter.....

this is what I did to my stock shifter to create a neutral lock out ghetto style....definitely not slapstick action, but I'll never bang neutral unless I intend it :D



as you can see below, drive and neutral are in the same notch causing the ability to neutral out.....

 
In case anyone is interested in how these shifters work. I have one in my car and like it, but i modified it by rounding the sharp gate edges so it would not stick(as others have had issue with)

Anyhow, i made a video today trying to capture the a/f ratio of my car at wot throttle, it didnt go so well because of zoom capability and lighting of the go-pro, but atleast its a video of the shifter. I never saw one online before i made my purchase.

[ame="http://youtu.be/gQqxoBwt1U0"]302 Found[/ame]
 
Thanks for posting that great idea squeek! That "ghetto-style" modification is a very ingenious, and would definately keep me from a catastrophic over rev as I don't run a rev limiter. All my shifts are manual, as the trans has a manual valve body in it and that little modification could possibly save me thousands of dollars! What did you use to create that extra notch in the shifter gate? Again......Thanks for the input!
 
I always wanted a slapstick column shifted automatic. I read about one in a gImpala several years ago in PHR.
 
Thats a great video Magnum!! Your shifter gate looks to be functioning with no issues! Did you just use a file on the corners to smooth them out a bit? I also noticed in the vid that you had to depress the shifter button to shift from second into third...Even with the button depressed, It won't slip into neutral?
 
I had one also. Put it in an extra shifter I had. No matter what I did with it.
I couldn't make it work right. Sold it off to someone on here. Hope he has
better luck with it.
 
Captain Canuck said:
Thats a great video Magnum!! Your shifter gate looks to be functioning with no issues! Did you just use a file on the corners to smooth them out a bit? I also noticed in the vid that you had to depress the shifter button to shift from second into third...Even with the button depressed, It won't slip into neutral?
Click to expand...

Yeah i used a small round file and rounded the edges of every corner, it takes a little time, but it did the trick. It seemed to me that the round edges would help the transition between the gears. versus the edge that might hang up if the shifter mechanism is adjusted wrong or if casting variations between the shifters is too large.

The shifter has an interesting operation and part of me wonders if the "jamming up" is from people not being use to the way it works. As it is a little different from what you might be use to

From park: Button is not fully released, you can just pull down all the way down to reverse, neutral, drive. At drive the button will full release. Press it down to go to 2nd, press again to 1st gear.

From 1st, button is not full released, push to 2nd, button will release and it will stop on the gate a 2nd. Then hold the button and shift to drive. With the button held, it will not be able to go past drive(3). From drive, you can go to neutral by just pushing the handle into N without pressing the button. From neutral you need to press the button and from reverse you need the button.

It takes a little getting use to, but as you see in the video, once you have it down, you wont even think about it. And really, is that any more awkward than how some ratchet shifters operate?

I havent bought the "shift-r-arm" thing, because i'm mixed on that part. I feel like the 2-3 shift would be easier to miss without a button to firmly press vs. pushing down on the handle itself.
 
I had the same problems with mine as Fishy did. He even sent me another one but I still had trouble. When your racing I know a person is all keyed up but I had to many shifts where second gear was missed and it went to 3rd.
 
magnumdust said:
Yeah i used a small round file and rounded the edges of every corner, it takes a little time, but it did the trick. It seemed to me that the round edges would help the transition between the gears. versus the edge that might hang up if the shifter mechanism is adjusted wrong or if casting variations between the shifters is too large.

The shifter has an interesting operation and part of me wonders if the "jamming up" is from people not being use to the way it works. As it is a little different from what you might be use to

From park: Button is not fully released, you can just pull down all the way down to reverse, neutral, drive. At drive the button will full release. Press it down to go to 2nd, press again to 1st gear.

From 1st, button is not full released, push to 2nd, button will release and it will stop on the gate a 2nd. Then hold the button and shift to drive. With the button held, it will not be able to go past drive(3). From drive, you can go to neutral by just pushing the handle into N without pressing the button. From neutral you need to press the button and from reverse you need the button.

It takes a little getting use to, but as you see in the video, once you have it down, you wont even think about it. And really, is that any more awkward than how some ratchet shifters operate?

I havent bought the "shift-r-arm" thing, because i'm mixed on that part. I feel like the 2-3 shift would be easier to miss without a button to firmly press vs. pushing down on the handle itself.
Click to expand...

I'm not Richard Petty but I have been driving for 32 yrs. and have operated numerous other shifters without any hitch and absolutely do understand how this shifter was supposed to work. With mine, no matter what I tried I couldn't get it to go down in low half the time without 2 or 3 tries. Once in low gear upshifts worked ok. I wasn't racing so I wasn't getting in a hurry trying to jam it in low. Just trying to downshift normally. Glad yours worked out but just cause it did doesn't mean everybody else that has trouble is doing something wrong.
 
squeek360 said:
I know exactly what you mean about the adrenaline overshift Captain', it's not so bad if you overshift 2nd, a calm recovery downshift is no prob and if that fumble causes the loss of a race, you were prob going down any way lol, but hitting neutral can be catastrophic, esp with no rev limiter.....

this is what I did to my stock shifter to create a neutral lock out ghetto style....definitely not slapstick action, but I'll never bang neutral unless I intend it :D



as you can see below, drive and neutral are in the same notch causing the ability to neutral out.....

Click to expand...

I'm going to put this on the to do list. Thanks for the tip!
 
Captain Canuck said:
Thanks for posting that great idea squeek! That "ghetto-style" modification is a very ingenious, and would definately keep me from a catastrophic over rev as I don't run a rev limiter. All my shifts are manual, as the trans has a manual valve body in it and that little modification could possibly save me thousands of dollars! What did you use to create that extra notch in the shifter gate? Again......Thanks for the input!
Click to expand...

I used a cone shaped carbide bit I had lying around....but I imagine a decent file would do the trick quite nicely.

on another note, I'm wondering if some of the issues people are having with the shift r gate is perhaps due to the shifter button height adjustment? just a thought.
 
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