Jim_H

I'm looking to add some mods to my car for HPDEs and was considering an MGW, not that I dislike the stock shifter so much. Thoughts? good, bad or indifferent?

travisnd

Yes.... it's the only one that I know of where you can get a longer shaft so that the **** is in the same position as OEM. You get shorter throws via the raised fulcrum point. You can get a version with a shorter shaft too for even shorter throws, but I wanted the **** close the the steering wheel and didn't want an overly short throw.

I wasn't planning on putting a shifter in my race car, but after stuffing it into 2nd while trying to pull 4th coming out of Hog's Pen at VIR at speed on what would have been a record lap, I decided to get one. The shifts are far more positive than stock and the centering force helps prevent pulling the wrong gear. That said, it's not overbearing like the Hurst I had a few years back.

Plus, I've never seen a product with so much attention to detail and documentation. You get an install DVD, instructions, loc-tite, thread lube/grease, and a t-handle hex in the proper size for installing it with the supplied hardware. Also it has more R&D into noise/vibration suppression than any other piece on the market. Not that it really matters in a track car, but it's nice to see what went into it.

Here are a few pics of it installed with a Hardbar delrin ****. I modified the stock inner shift boot to fit over the boot that comes on the MGW. This is the longer shifter shaft so that the **** is at the same height as the stock piece.

2000BSME

excellent post travis. I was going to buy one until I found the b&m used for $160. From everything that I've read, MGW was the single most liked shifter, and b&m was the 2nd. I figured that there couldn't be that much difference ($100 extra for a new MGW) to justify the price difference, so now I have the b&m. I now think I may end up with a MGW after it all anyway.

varkwso

I have "prototyped" a lot of MGW gear since he is local to me (great guy by the way) and he does lots of research/testing before putting anything on the market.

MGW will always be best quality.

KNSBrakes

It is well worth it - but get the longer one

waddisme

Had mine for 4 months now and 3 track days and have not even come close to missiing a shift. It is precise. I have the shorter shaft and it is too much effort for dd but tolerable. Changing to longer shaft to make wife happy (please limit comments to one liners).

Jim_H

Thanks for the great replies. I have a C6 and I'd like to use the MGW Race ****. Are you all suggesting I get the C5 height shaft?

Thanks

Scooter70

I have the MGW Race **** in my car and I really like it. I haven't had a chance to use it on the track yet but it feels nice and solid on the street. It's really a personal preference as to whether you like the longer delrin **** pictured above or the slightly shorter MGW one. The MGW one wider which I think makes it easier to grab and shift. (Insert another d*ck joke here.)

Jim_H

I just got off the phone with MGW and they now have a new model that has a height adjustable shaft, so one shaft you can set at either height.

travisnd

Cool deal. I know on the one I have the shaft is threaded such that I can raise it up more than it is then lock it in place with the jamb nut. I have it in the lowest setting. I did order the one with the longer shaft through and my invoice said the same.

Wonder what I got? In it's current configuration it's a smidge shorter than the OEM one with the same ****, but I like it and don't need to change anything.

damenh85

I've had the MGW for right around a year now with about 5k miles of street driving and around 10 track days. It is one of my favorite mods to date (though I'll admit I don't have a ton) and I couldn't be happier. Here is a detailed write-up I did when I installed it with measurements, pictures, and short videos showing the throw reduction:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-z...surements.html

Bill Dearborn

I can't say anything about the MGW but I did have a BPP unit on my C5 for a year and went back to stock because the stock shifter was easier to use. On my 08Z I can't imagine the shifting being any easier than the stock unit. I use my finger tips and the heel of my hand to shift and I haven't missed a shift in years. All the tracks I drive on are 3rd and 4th gear tracks so the shifting is just pulling with the fingers or pushing with the heel of the hand.

I couldn't use a handle like Travis has since I couldn't put my finger tips in front of it to pull. I believe those kind of handles lead to missed shifts since the driver adds/restricts sideways motion in the shifter due to the way the shifter has to be held.

Bill

travisnd

Actually I grip it overhanded some of the time.... I do both depending on the circumstances. I had a C6Z shifter in my old Z06 for a few years after ditching the Hurst and put in in my old C5 vert for the time I owned it too. Best all around shifter by far.

As fast as these cars are getting it's the G-loads that are causing my misshifts... coming through Hog's Pen at VIR at speed is pushing everything hard left and I have to make the 3/4 shift before I'm on the front stragiht... if I'm taking the turn correctly and into the throttle as soon as possible... thus it was making it hard for me to hold the car on line with my left hand and try to make the shift.... easy to pull it too far left into 2nd.

And this is all with my custom-fit Ultrashield holding me into place 99% of the time the stock shifter is fine, but all it takes is one botched shift to ruin a good TT lap.

Jim_H

I heard that a lot of the good shifting characteristics of the 08Z are due to the TR6060 trans more so than the shifter.

crimlwC6

Do it. I put one in two months ago in an 08 base.

Bill Dearborn

Correct. All of the shifters are nothing more than a stick through a hole with the aftermarket ones moving the fulcrum point up, shortening the shifter and adding springs in the housing to increase centering force. The biggest bang for the buck is improving shift effort and feel inside the transmission.

Bill

Team Lazy

I used to have the same problem with a certain corner in a specific car with a T56. An instructor advised me to get the shift done just before I got into it ( an accelerating left sweeper ), let the big HP/TQ do its thing, and I never looked back. The lone short shift never hurt my times at all. Great confidence booster actually, as I never worried coming into that corner again.

Just a thought.

travisnd

That would never work at VIR coming out of Hog's Pen onto the front straight. You'd give up so much exit speed which sets up the entire front straight. Just have to deal with it and make it work.... or you could bump your rev limiter to 7k and use it in that one spot for a few hundred more rpms.