[Z06] Thoughts on B&M ripper?
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9
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From: Mechanicsville Virginia
Thoughts on B&M ripper?
I'm getting ready to buy the B&M ripper shifter and install it in my 04 Z06. Can anyone give me feedback on how they like it or dislike it? Are there better ones out there?
Racer
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 434
Likes: 1
From: Clermont FL
Do a search on "ripper" and you will find a lot of threads. I have had a ripper for three years and am totally satisfied. You have to get accustomed to the stiff shift for a while. There are others like Hurst which are fine too.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,799
Likes: 10
From: Houston Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by Z06-JIM
I've had my B & M Shifter for a couple of years and love it. I didn't really notice that much difference in it being any harder or stiffer to shift.
I've had mine for about 4 years in several different C5's. At first it seemed pretty stiff. Either it's loosened up or I'm just used to it now, but it shifts fairly easily. I haven't missed a shift with it or had the shifter pop out of gear since using it.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,639
Likes: 39
From: Winston-Salem North Carolina
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
1 month old
installed mine about a month ago, love the tight shifting over stock and the click-click sound, noise and vibration are a little above stock, buy eaisly got used to it, good luck 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,141
Likes: 0
From: Huntington IN
I can't offer any first hand comments on the B & M, but here is something for you to considered-A BPP Shifter:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=917281
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=917281
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 720
Likes: 0
From: TEWKSBURY MA
I put B&M in my 04 Z and love it. I like how it has a rubber boot over the shifter to keep noise down. When I looked at others I didnt think they came with that could be wrong. I bought a used breathless shifter first. I drove down the end of the street and came back and removed it . It made a lot of noise and didint like the way it felt. Thats just my 2 cents. B&M 
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 884
Likes: 1
From: McKinney TX
Have B&M and like it alot. Only bish I have is the notchiness of the shifts. I don't think it's symptomatic of the shifter per say but more of the design and the linkage on the vettes. Either way, MUCH improved over stock and would never go back. Never missed a gear before or after, only now I know it's in gear versus the guess with the play in the stocker.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,408
Likes: 0
I haven't put it on my Corvette yet, but my SR20DET powered Nissan 240SX had one and it felt amazing. The throws were literally about 2.5 inches from gear to gear. Absolutely sold me on their quality and performance. Inspection of the Corvette vesion (which now sits in my room waiting for a nice day) shows the usual quality that B&M has.
Instructor
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 155
Likes: 2
From: Lenexa KS
It's very tight...the few people that have gotten to drive my Z always make a comment on it. Love it or hate it you will get used to it quickly. Reverse is still a pain sometimes. I put a Kirban in for a day or 2 and went back to the B&M. If you want to quiet any aftermarket shifter down then install a plunger end over the shaft.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 22,582
Likes: 251
From: Denison, TX
2022 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
CI 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'16
Originally Posted by MZ'S03Z06
I'm getting ready to buy the B&M ripper shifter and install it in my 04 Z06. Can anyone give me feedback on how they like it or dislike it? Are there better ones out there?
Racer
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 324
Likes: 0
From: Knoxville, Tennessee
My ripping experience:
03 Z06 4k miles, the stock shifter makes it way to easy to miss 3rd gear and from some of the other posts this can be hazardous to your motor's health. Not something I care to do.
Installed B&M last weekend, love the way it works, hated the noise it generated. But I fixed the noise. It is really the stock shift **** that causes the noise but before replacing it I pulled up the boot and used some self adhesive wide weatherstrip, soft foam, to wrap the bottom and base around it. I also packed in some other foam around it. I then split a piece of 3/8th" rubber fuel line and wrapped around the shaft then cut and pushed a length of water pipe insulation over it and reinstalled the boot. This eliminated at least 50% of the noise with the stock ****. This morning fedex delivered a 2.25" billiard ball material shift **** from West Coast Vette and I installed it. WOW !!!!! The shifter looks great, shifts great, and is now even quieter than with the stock assembly. I couldn't be more pleased! This is so the way to go with these cars. GM made a big error on this one. As far as shifter ***** go, I think anything with a little weight that is not hollow is definately the trick....Happy Motoring
03 Z06 4k miles, the stock shifter makes it way to easy to miss 3rd gear and from some of the other posts this can be hazardous to your motor's health. Not something I care to do.
Installed B&M last weekend, love the way it works, hated the noise it generated. But I fixed the noise. It is really the stock shift **** that causes the noise but before replacing it I pulled up the boot and used some self adhesive wide weatherstrip, soft foam, to wrap the bottom and base around it. I also packed in some other foam around it. I then split a piece of 3/8th" rubber fuel line and wrapped around the shaft then cut and pushed a length of water pipe insulation over it and reinstalled the boot. This eliminated at least 50% of the noise with the stock ****. This morning fedex delivered a 2.25" billiard ball material shift **** from West Coast Vette and I installed it. WOW !!!!! The shifter looks great, shifts great, and is now even quieter than with the stock assembly. I couldn't be more pleased! This is so the way to go with these cars. GM made a big error on this one. As far as shifter ***** go, I think anything with a little weight that is not hollow is definately the trick....Happy Motoring
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 20,933
Likes: 905
From: salem OR
I put in a Hurst billet plus with a Billet ****, very tight, and positive.
then put a piece of dynomat over the rubber,i under the boot and around the shifter,
it's the way to go and Quieter than stock,Car just got a little quicker.
I'm sure the B&m' ripper is
equal to the hurst billet.
hate the stock zo-6 shifter same as a camaro.
then put a piece of dynomat over the rubber,i under the boot and around the shifter,
it's the way to go and Quieter than stock,Car just got a little quicker.
I'm sure the B&m' ripper is
equal to the hurst billet.
hate the stock zo-6 shifter same as a camaro.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
While I own and love my Hurst, I will say this - any aftermarket shifter is better than the OEM. I'm sure the Ripper is a fine piece of engineering, designed for a single purpose and most likely at or near the top in this category of aftermarket parts.
Tom
Tom
Drifting
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 0
From: Near Philly PA
I prefered the Ripper to stock, but not to the Mallett.
The Kirban was brutal. The Ripper was better than the Kirban, but still super-stiff. The Mallett is as precise as the Ripper, but without the added noise and effort. In my eyes, that's the best of all worlds.
The Mallett is also much more expensive than anything else out there -- but it makes the car the most fun to drive, IMO.
I think that most people pick a shifter and "go with it" (especially if it's better than stock). Most people haven't tried the Mallett due to its cost, but I think it's the best.
Good luck!
-Kirk
The Kirban was brutal. The Ripper was better than the Kirban, but still super-stiff. The Mallett is as precise as the Ripper, but without the added noise and effort. In my eyes, that's the best of all worlds.
The Mallett is also much more expensive than anything else out there -- but it makes the car the most fun to drive, IMO.
I think that most people pick a shifter and "go with it" (especially if it's better than stock). Most people haven't tried the Mallett due to its cost, but I think it's the best.
Good luck!
-Kirk
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Manhattan New York
I've Had The Ripper 2 1/2 Years. I Love It. It's Harder To Shift, But Gives The Entire Car A Racecar Feel. Good Luck. It Also Looks Like You Could Shift A Peterbuilt With It. It Is Very Strong.
