fstvette

Jason, Do you have a problem with my stang :boxing It adds color to the forum. Since my vettes look just like everyones here I thought I'd be diffrent. I am working on a new sig just for you :blueangel:

mikey

dropping the exhaust on an LT1 is a 5 minute job.. it's easier than changing a damn tire ..

so anyhow, i've had the b&m ripper on my zf6 '94 and now i have the hurst and the b&m sits in a box.. i have no regrets about switching over to the hurst.

the b&m only had one thing going, the sweetness factor of the extremely short fore/aft throw.. it had no other good features. extremely sloppy, way too much play, rattle rattle rattle, extremely sloppy.. not smooth, and also it wasn't very smooth.

the hurst is very nice, very simple, very solid, precise and accurate.. while the throw fore and aft is a little longer than the b&m, it certainly isn't the rowboat feeling of the stock shifter.

btw, missing the 2-3 shift is usually operator error.. you do not have to apply sideways pressure on the shifter to go from 2-3.. the natural centering forces of the stick will handle that part.. try putting your palm on the bottom/back of the shifter **** and pushing straight up.. don't grab the **** and don't forcefully push sideways.. it'll slide from 2-3 everytime.. even with the stock shifter..
your shift efforts to ensure no misses should emphasize only pushing or pulling on the stick, not grabbing it entirely.. for 1-2, you pull down and towards you .. for 2-3 you push straight up .. for 3-4 you pull straight down and for 4-5 you push up and away from you.. if you're speed shifting from 5-6 there's something wrong with you *lol*

bottom line, buy what ya want, but i highly highly highly highly highly endorse the hurst.

TOEMAN

just got my car back with the hurst shifter installed. liked the tightness and feel. only drove the car once, but noticed shifting from 4 to 5 you can push the shifter too far to the right and miss the shift, is this typical that the shifter does move past the 5th gear slot or is something wrong with installation or shifter?

Yello95

Im goin out on a big limb here :yesnod: ...but I have an original stock shifter...and I like it...no problems shiftin...cant find 5th or 6th on occasion but other than that... :yesnod: :lol: :yesnod: :lol: :D :cheers: :seeya


[Modified by Yello95, 4:25 AM 8/31/2001]

Tony.96LT4

I would say since you've only driven the car once with the Hurst, that could be the cause of the overshift past 5th. The '96 ZF's(not sure about the '95's) had the heavier spring in the reverse position to eliminate the reverse lockout on the shifter itself, so this was not as issue with me. Take the car out and shift that baby! Your muscles and brain are still geared to the stock shifter.

zrchris

Someone had asked about the KW shifter extension kit. It has various advantages and disadvantages. Please read this document to realize the differences between all 3 shifters. The Hurst is the smoothest and least effort shifter of the bunch.
http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gt1479b/C4shift.doc

As far as missing gears, you have to get used to any of the shifters before you can make confident shifts. You are going to try to go to where the previous shifter went, and so have to re-learn a little bit. Toeman- you may have previously depended on leaning against the reverse lockout block when entering the 5-6 gate. That may partly explain why you miss the gate. Also again you are used to the wider spacing between the gates of the stock unit.

Chris


[Modified by zrchris, 5:11 PM 8/31/2001]

Rynda

I have the Ripper in mine. Installed it myself, It is not that difficult. I had more trouble getting the rubber boot around the shift linkage reinstalled than I did dropping the exhaust. The stock shifter throw was ~5 3/16 inch, the Ripper is ~2 1/16 (1st to 2nd...). Yes it is a little notchy, but it ain't no big deal, I actually like it. It is very easy to power shift, since it is harder to overpower the the spring loaded gates, 2nd to 3rd is fantastic. And, you can still use both cup holders when shifting into reverse!
My vote is for the Ripper.

zrchris

The advantages Rynda speaks of are exactly true of the Hurst too, same handle height, same sideways throw and spring load on the gates. The difference is the smoothness and reduced effort of the fore/aft throw, which is about 3.8" gear-to-gear.

Chris

Fang S-289

Got Em now! Thanks Tony

LT4Sam

5 minutes to drop the exhaust? Maybe with air tools on a lift, it takes that much time just to get the jack stands under it.

As for the shifter install....I don't know what all the grief is about, the whole thing was pretty straight forward. The Hurst is in with no problems, although I have to agree that it helps to have two people there. This is a job I would consider doing again, it's not that bad.

As for the Hurst itself....I traded in my uninstalled Ripper based on all the negative press I read on it and hoped I would be happier with the Hurst. While I haven't driven a Ripper equiped car yet I feel like I understand what people were talking about re it's pitfalls. The Hurst shifts nicely, clunks into ever gear but then again it doesn't have the huge rubber doughnut like the stock rod does. The shifts are definately shorter, but I wish they were shorter still.....maybe there's a happy medium between this one and the Ripper? The lateral movement is perfect, that's the best part I believe.

Anyhow, here's hoping that this thing helps during the drags this Saturday.

Thanks,
Sam

TOEMAN

LT4SAM
i feel the same way about the performance of the shifter. i am well satisfied but wish the throws were just a little shorter. but i will survive, just like the rest of the USA.

zrchris

Thanks for the report Sam. We had considered making a shorter shifter, and in fact my prototype was slightly shorter. What we found is that due to variations in transmissions, whether it be condition or just component variation, effort varies between units and some already notice the effort increase with this reduction. While never intolerable, we don't wanna push it. And so to satisfy most everyone we went with this. I will say that at this level another 10% is noticable, but definitely tolerable in most cars. But we're talking about a throw reduction of about 3/16" neutral to gear.

It'd be nice if we could also offer a shorter unit for those that want it, but there's not enough demand- while I've had the same thoughts as you, most say they wouldn't change a thing. And we'd rather make sure everyone can shift with ease and leave the crowbar at home:D

If there's enough feedback desiring a slightly shorter throw, I'll consider making the change to the next batch, but fear some complaints of effort. It's tough to cover the whole field.

I have Hurst C4 shifters immediately available, $120 ea delivered. Email me for details.

Chris


[Modified by zrchris, 11:49 AM 9/20/2001]

LT4Sam

I actually made my review official this morning and it's now posted in the reviews section, that was fast.
http://www.corvetteforum.cc/reviews/...406&TopicID=21

95CYC4

I am keeping the stock shifter in my car since I have no problems shifting. How much shorter is the throw on the other shifters? Is it worth changing it? I am just curious. How are the springs in the other shifters? Is the gate smaller than stock? I like the stock shifter alot, so is there one that keeps the gate the same but changes the throw? Thanks alot for the info. :cheers:

Justin Scherer

Wow... The Hurst leaves you "wanting" for a shorter shift already? Not good!
Remember, the best part about a Ripper is that its short, notchy throw enables you to hang on to the shifter as you are being thrown around the cockpit when you are cornering at high g's. Its another point of control. That is the BIG difference between the Ripper and the stock shifter. Another big plus is the wide gate that enables you to "feel" what gear you are in. After 2 years I have to conclude that the 6-speed is a hard transmission to drive competitively. It takes a lot of skill when you are throwing life saving downshifts at triple digit speeds. Confuse 6th and 4th? Goodnight - Game over.

Here's how my Ripper install went if you are thinking about installing it yourself using cheap car ramps and a Taiwan socket set. Kind of funny too. =====> http://www.snowdirt.com/corvetteshifter.html

Want to see a funny vette/motorcycle crash? ====> http://www.snowdirt.com/cbr600.html

Justin ...............

Hutch

The following is strictly IMHO...

My personal favorite is the Kurt White Short Shifter which I had installed without any permanent modifications to my transmission housing. I also prefer the stock shifter height and reverse lock-out retention which made it a no-brainer. Throw is reduced a little less than half. You can get more info at http://www.whiteracingproducts.com. Kurt is a super nice fella who knows his stuff and prefers to let his product sell itself rather that belittle the competition. I like that attitude as much as I like his products.

For the admittedly short time I tried one, I didn't care for the operation of the B&M Ripper. It had a noticeable vibration and I thought it was noisier, too, if that makes sense, and I didn't like the way the boot fit around the shifter. Perhaps the installation had been cobbled up? Even so, I still liked it more than the stock setup. It has a very short throw but I'm sure you could get used to it as many on here say they have.

I will never buy Chris Rhinehart's (zrchris) Hurst shifter for personal reasons. This is unfortunate, because I'm sure its a good unit.

And Chris, while I'm sure everyone appreciates your online support and your offer of a discounted price on your shifter, you really should contact Troy about requirements for becoming a Supporting Vendor. I'm not the Topic Police, but I don't think its considered kosher to push your product in the open forums.

:flag

RichS

I'm happy with my B&M Ripper. My B&M does not vibrate or rattle. I thought the install was very easy. I feel the same way about when ever a shifter is brought up and all we get is a comercial for Hurst :rolleyes: Every one has there opinion on these shifters. You need to find someone with a short shifter installed and drive one to see which one you like.

zrchris

Rich- you're right, everyone needs to try all options to really know which one is right for them. And yes not everyone will want the Hurst, some will want the stock look of the KW kit or the extreme reduction of B&M. That's cool. I just wanna make sure people know about the shifter I am involved with, and the differences between the brands.

Often people asked where they could buy the Hurst shifter, and so I just went ahead and began stating my offer in my posts. These interested buyers would probably otherwise miss my offer. That apparently offends people who bought competing models. So I won't post my offer again unless someone explicitly posts asking for sales outlets.

Hutch- :confused: I don't know what your problem is, but hey no one's gonna win everyone's support. I try to do my best to point out the technical differences between the shifters so everyone can see beyond the brands and pretty pictures. Far too often people just jump on to what others have done without fairly examining the options. If I come off as too aggressive or make a comment that's out of line, I'm sorry. Some people unfairly put down the Hurst too. I put a lot into this and get wrapped up in it sometimes.

As far as selling the Hurst here, Troy has given me special permission to do so. Other retailers push their stuff here in open forums too. Surely there are more important things you could put your mind to.

I apologize for any offense or "excessive advertising", I will keep that in mind. But I want people to see the whole story too. I'm not gonna just sit back and watch when I can make a difference. Who you buy from is up to you.

Chris


[Modified by zrchris, 11:22 AM 9/21/2001]

Hutch

Chris, I don't have a problem. Perhaps you do. I think its great that you offer support for your product in the Forum. I just think it should be as a Supporting Vendor so there is no confusion by the public as to your motive.

Please re-read my post. Unlike you, I tried to be very civil. If you prefer me to publicly explain WHY I will never buy your product, I'll be happy to share that info with the world right here.

I have never put down your product. I've even recommended it.

I enjoyed reading your shifter comparison. Heavily biased, of course, but well written. I'm glad (but somewhat surprised) to read that you consider Kurt White a good friend.

If you have Troy's OK to market your shifter here, that's fine by me. I still think it is a misutilization of the open forums but that's Troy's call. Just because others abuse it, that doesn't make it right. Whutever...

Tony.96LT4

I have the Hurst in my '96 CE. If you're going to be at the Corvette Challenge at ETown on Sat. maybe we can do a comparison?:D I'll have a white Hardtop on.


:flag