Short throw shifter for 6-spd C5

[bumblbe]

Can anyone recommend a good short throw shifter for a 6-spd C5? I tried out a C5 with the Hurst version, but it rattled. What's with that? The factory shift throw on my 2004 seems so long. I appreciate your comments.

 

[DanHammer]

Short Throw shifter

Yes the factory shifter for the C5 is long, I think. My 2001 now has the B&M Ripper Shifter and just an awesome feel when going thru the gear changes ... up or down. I have not encountered any problems with it. The Hurst Billet/Plus Shifter is also a good one I thought ... but when I tried the B&M, I think the throws were much shorter and feel was much more superior, that's why I replaced the Hurst. But the Hurst when installed in mine did not rattle ... maybe the adjustments were not setup correctly. :cool

Good Luck

Dan

 

[bumblbe]

Thanks, Dan. Did you do much shopping to find the best price for the B&M? I also see you've got a yellow coupe. Same here, hence "bumblbe" which is my vanity plate.

 

[Hib Halverson]

You're going to find that most aftermarket shifters which are true replacements, rather than shortened stock levers, do not have the rubber coupler that the stock shifter has and do not use a plastic ball/socket assembly as the stock shifter does. If you have no coupler and a metal ball/socket assy, the unit will transmit noise into the interior.

IMO, amongst the aftermarket shifters, the Hurst is OK, in spite of the rattles. This is because of its adjustability and that it's throw, both fore-aft and cross car, while it is shorter than OE, it is not too short or narrow.

In my experience, the B&M Ripper, while a great shifter for drag racing, kinda sucks in the street--particularly in traffic--becuase the throw is so short that effort is too high during gear selection and, cross-car, it's too close gated.

The shifter I think is the best is the MGW.

One thing many people do not understand about shifters is that for cars which are street driven, you can get to a point where throw is too short and effort is too high. In all out racing applications, this is less of an issue because virtually all shifts are using maximum muscular-strength for the fastest shift possible.

 

[Mike Mercury]

fellow C5 owner to the south of me cut-off his stick shifter shaft 1.25 inches and rethreaded it. He road races and says it's worked out well.


FWIW

 

[yellow_2002_germany]

I tried out a C5 with the Hurst version, but it rattled. What's with that?

A solution I have seen to the rattle problem is installing half a tennis ball over the bottom part of the shift handle before you put the boot back on.

 

[MsSchroder]

Question: In general, is there a trade-off between a shorter throw and ease of shifting? What I mean is, if I get any shorter throw shifter, will I have to exert more effort to shift? And is the shortness of the throw inversely proportional to the effort required? (sorry if this is a dumb question).

(I knew I shouldn't have dropped that Physics class)

 

[yellow_2002_germany]

Question: In general, is there a trade-off between a shorter throw and ease of shifting? What I mean is, if I get any shorter throw shifter, will I have to exert more effort to shift? And is the shortness of the throw inversely proportional to the effort required? (sorry if this is a dumb question).

(I knew I shouldn't have dropped that Physics class)

Yes!!

 

[Hib Halverson]

Question: In general, is there a trade-off between a shorter throw and ease of shifting? What I mean is, if I get any shorter throw shifter, will I have to exert more effort to shift? And is the shortness of the throw inversely proportional to the effort required? (sorry if this is a dumb question).

(I knew I shouldn't have dropped that Physics class)

That's true.

In fact, it's true not "in general" either, it's an absolute.

Shorten the throw and effort goes up proportionately.

 

[P-ColaVette]

"Short" answer...

Hi Tammy

The best way to explain the "short throw" shifter is, it shorten's the distance the shifter must move to engage each gear. The Hurst shifter is adjustable in the "effort" aspect by certain springs, which there are 3 different levels of springs included with each shifter. I have a Hurst shortie in my car, and I have had NO noise issues what-so-ever ! Hope this gives you some understanding,...



Steve.

 

[MsSchroder]

Thanks for all the good info, guys.

Randy, your equation was especially enlightening :L

OK, so I didn't drop calculus but that was waaayy too long ago (20 years! eek!). Does E = energy required, and n = distance?

 

[jcs712]

Hi Tammy

The best way to explain the "short throw" shifter is, it shorten's the distance the shifter must move to engage each gear. The Hurst shifter is adjustable in the "effort" aspect by certain springs, which there are 3 different levels of springs included with each shifter. I have a Hurst shortie in my car, and I have had NO noise issues what-so-ever ! Hope this gives you some understanding,...



Steve.

I agree. I have the Hurst shifter in my 03 and do not have any noise. I love it. There are ways to overcome the rattling. The first is to take out the stops in the shifter. They are not needed since the C5 tranny has built in stops. This seems to be the source of rattles for most folks I have heard from. Another is to use a heavier shift knob which will dampen any noise and vibration. The springs included with the Hurst are used for the side to side motion only, not up and down through the gears. The shifts take a bit more effort but are shorter and crisper than stock. There are always trade-offs. If you get the Hurst, go with the lightest springs. It will seem very loose until it is installed, then the side to side effort is much greater. Have Fun.

 

[Richard Marvin]

Short throw

Can anyone recommend a good short throw shifter for a 6-spd C5? I tried out a C5 with the Hurst version, but it rattled. What's with that? The factory shift throw on my 2004 seems so long. I appreciate your comments.

I also have a short throw on my ZO6 It's a Hurts and your right about the rattle. How do you rid this from the rattleconfused

 

[Richard Marvin]

Short throw

Can anyone recommend a good short throw shifter for a 6-spd C5? I tried out a C5 with the Hurst version, but it rattled. What's with that? The factory shift throw on my 2004 seems so long. I appreciate your comments.

I also have a short throw on my ZO6 It's a Hurts and your right about the rattle. How do you rid this from the rattleconfused I should have read the rest of the threads and my question would of have been answered. Thanks to all

 

[BigJimZ16]

I agree. I have the Hurst shifter in my 03 and do not have any noise. I love it. There are ways to overcome the rattling. The first is to take out the stops in the shifter. They are not needed since the C5 tranny has built in stops. This seems to be the source of rattles for most folks I have heard from. Another is to use a heavier shift knob which will dampen any noise and vibration. The springs included with the Hurst are used for the side to side motion only, not up and down through the gears. The shifts take a bit more effort but are shorter and crisper than stock. There are always trade-offs. If you get the Hurst, go with the lightest springs. It will seem very loose until it is installed, then the side to side effort is much greater. Have Fun.

I also have the Hurst on my Z16, absolutely love it! I also have a large round ball and removed the stops per the write up I found about the internal stops. Never had rattle number one!!

 

[Richard Marvin]

Short trow shifter

A solution I have seen to the rattle problem is installing half a tennis ball over the bottom part of the shift handle before you put the boot back on.

If I don't take care of the rattle I have in my Hurst short throw will it hurt anything because, it doesn't rattle all of the time.
:W

 

[Richard Marvin]

Short throw Hurst Shifter

A solution I have seen to the rattle problem is installing half a tennis ball over the bottom part of the shift handle before you put the boot back on.

I have a question-----If I continue to drive my C5 ZO6 with this rattle will I hurt my transmission or should I take care of the problem now

 

[kpic]

Question: In general, is there a trade-off between a shorter throw and ease of shifting? What I mean is, if I get any shorter throw shifter, will I have to exert more effort to shift? And is the shortness of the throw inversely proportional to the effort required? (sorry if this is a dumb question).

(I knew I shouldn't have dropped that Physics class)

A longer lever multiplies force and a shorter lever moves less distance.

 

[vettenuts]

I tried the Hurst and I thought it just ruined the car. Between the noise and the shift effort it was obnoxious. I then installed the C6 shifter from GM. It was exactly what I wanted. Shorter than the C5 shifter, no noise, and it shifts nice and smooth.

 

[Hib Halverson]

This is, like...a super old thread which came to life, again. I found out people were posting here because I got a "like notice" from the CAC about a like that "BigJimZ06" posted to the first post in this thread which I made 11 years ago.

Eleven years is a long time and the only thing that never stops is the march of technology.

While in 2004, I thought the MGW was the best thing going in shifters for C5/6/7 that's not the case today.

I think the shifter made by Driveline Components, Inc. is the best shifter on the market for the C5. For more information, contact Red Roberts at Driveline Components by either email, at podj@socal.rr.com or by calling 7148510829.

Here's some math art of the shifter mechanism. Not shown is the shift lever which is specific to the C5.



Hope that helps.