Hurst Shifters
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 575
Likes: 56
From: Placitas, New Mexico
Hurst Shifters
Hi folks. I've purchased a used Hurst shifter for my 2004 C5. Perhaps I'm suffering from "buyers angst" but I'd love to hear from Corvette owners who have installed a Hurst shifter. Does it make a difference? Was it worth it? Thanks much!
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,310
Likes: 99
From: Arlington Texas
I have a hurst in my car. I am very happy with it. Was a huge improvement over the stock shifter. I do not have experience with other shifters. A lot of times people talk about what ever shifter is in their car and that its the best. Maybe there are better ones than the hurst but I am happy with it.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 575
Likes: 56
From: Placitas, New Mexico
I installed my Hurst shifter today. I haven't had much practice disassembling interior panels, but I got through it without breaking anything! The Hurst is much stouter than the stock shifter and offers shift stops and "side to side" tension adjustments. Very nice! After everything was installed and back in place, a test drive was in order. I found that the shifts were very positive - I knew when I was in a gate - but it took a bit more effort to make a shift. No problem with that - good tradeoff for not missing a gear. I probably will do a few more adjustments - it took a bit of searching and extra "pulling" to find 6th gear. All in all, I'm glad that I made the purchase.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Hurst is a little harder to get into first gear, but with the sping loaded gate, all you do is push the shifter forward for the 2nd to 3rd shift and it will always hit 3rd without having to guide it.
Take time to trim the factory rubber boot to fit the base, and it will eliminate any noise and heat. A heavy, solid **** will eliminate most vibration that some people get.
The biggest problem with installing the new shifter is being able to get the factory **** off if your car still has the factory shifter.
Take time to trim the factory rubber boot to fit the base, and it will eliminate any noise and heat. A heavy, solid **** will eliminate most vibration that some people get.
The biggest problem with installing the new shifter is being able to get the factory **** off if your car still has the factory shifter.
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Jul 27, 2013 at 11:22 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,798
Likes: 8
From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
The stiff shifting can be adjusted by removing the small springs. I'm using just the large pair. I think you also back out the gate adjusting screws altogether. They're not needed. I also realigned the center with the 1/8th inch pin. The noise was an issue because of the big hole in the shifter boot. I bought a rubber plug at ace hardware and drilled a 1/2" hole in the center. Slid it down the shaft wide end down then used a zip tie around the boot to secure it to the stopper. No more noise. Mine came attached to a zo6 lower box. It has steel bushings instead of rubber. Much firmer shifts
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 227
Likes: 12
From: Southern NJ
Form reading it seems many of the aftermarket shifters all have this in common. Can't say it's 100%.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,375
Likes: 426
I've had a Hurst for several years. I agree with and have done all the recommended stuff above.
1) Use the Hurst ball-No rattles, not cold or hot and very cool
2) Only use the outside springs
3) Anti-Venom
4) AMSOIL Severe Gear
5) Correct alignment
6) Keep it clean and greased
7) Put back the rubber gasket - cut it or turn it upside down
8) Don't forget to put the decal under your hood
Hurst shifters and Corvettes go together like peas and carrots.
1) Use the Hurst ball-No rattles, not cold or hot and very cool
2) Only use the outside springs
3) Anti-Venom
4) AMSOIL Severe Gear
5) Correct alignment
6) Keep it clean and greased
7) Put back the rubber gasket - cut it or turn it upside down
8) Don't forget to put the decal under your hood
Hurst shifters and Corvettes go together like peas and carrots.
Instructor
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City MO
I've had a Hurst for several years. I agree with and have done all the recommended stuff above.
1) Use the Hurst ball-No rattles, not cold or hot and very cool
2) Only use the outside springs
3) Anti-Venom
4) AMSOIL Severe Gear
5) Correct alignment
6) Keep it clean and greased
7) Put back the rubber gasket - cut it or turn it upside down
8) Don't forget to put the decal under your hood
Hurst shifters and Corvettes go together like peas and carrots.
1) Use the Hurst ball-No rattles, not cold or hot and very cool
2) Only use the outside springs
3) Anti-Venom
4) AMSOIL Severe Gear
5) Correct alignment
6) Keep it clean and greased
7) Put back the rubber gasket - cut it or turn it upside down
8) Don't forget to put the decal under your hood
Hurst shifters and Corvettes go together like peas and carrots.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,798
Likes: 8
From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
You can't blame notchiness on the shifter. Out of the car it flops around. There are no gates in a Hurst shifter, or stock shifter, all any corvette shifter does is move a rod that goes back to the rear mounted transmission, like old vw's. The gates and notchiness are in the tranny. The anti venom mod reduces the pressure on the detent ball giving you easier shifts.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
From what I'm reading they're about the same. Notchy unless you do the anti venom mod.
2nd to 3rd straight forward. It took me a few tries to make that happen with ease as I wasn't used to it.
What I don't like about an MGW is going from 3rd to 2nd. Better be careful or you won't get it in gear.
I need to do the anti venom mod and maybe I would like it better. It's not bad, but not up to my standards either. Better than stock I'm sure but I have nothing to compare it to as mine came with the MGW.
2nd to 3rd straight forward. It took me a few tries to make that happen with ease as I wasn't used to it.
What I don't like about an MGW is going from 3rd to 2nd. Better be careful or you won't get it in gear.
I need to do the anti venom mod and maybe I would like it better. It's not bad, but not up to my standards either. Better than stock I'm sure but I have nothing to compare it to as mine came with the MGW.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,892
Likes: 47
From: Helotes TEXAS
From what I'm reading they're about the same. Notchy unless you do the anti venom mod.
2nd to 3rd straight forward. It took me a few tries to make that happen with ease as I wasn't used to it.
What I don't like about an MGW is going from 3rd to 2nd. Better be careful or you won't get it in gear.
I need to do the anti venom mod and maybe I would like it better. It's not bad, but not up to my standards either. Better than stock I'm sure but I have nothing to compare it to as mine came with the MGW.
2nd to 3rd straight forward. It took me a few tries to make that happen with ease as I wasn't used to it.
What I don't like about an MGW is going from 3rd to 2nd. Better be careful or you won't get it in gear.
I need to do the anti venom mod and maybe I would like it better. It's not bad, but not up to my standards either. Better than stock I'm sure but I have nothing to compare it to as mine came with the MGW.
Just my.02...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,266
Likes: 5
From: Germantown, TN
Had the Hurst for 9 + years & have never had an issue. I don't mind the little extra effort to go through the gears & the Anti-Venom mod takes care of this if it is an issue for you.
Overall a great product that improved driveability in the car (vs the sloppy stock shifter).
Overall a great product that improved driveability in the car (vs the sloppy stock shifter).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
I had the Hurst billet shifter in my 2004 Z06 for almost 10 years, and just changed it to go to a custom shifter with the Hurst bolt on stick and no extra spring loading.
I measured the throws, and it is the same as the Hurst short throw shifter and the C6 stock shifter.
I had driven the old HURST shifter for so long, I have gotten used to it, but I must say the new shifter is a lot easier to get into 1st and reverse, though I agree that most of the shifting problems are a characteristic of the transmission and not the shifter...
It looks taller because the stick is exposed and not covered by the boot, but the main reason I changed was because I liked the retro look of the rectangular stick..
Hurst billet shifter with stock boot...
I measured the throws, and it is the same as the Hurst short throw shifter and the C6 stock shifter.
I had driven the old HURST shifter for so long, I have gotten used to it, but I must say the new shifter is a lot easier to get into 1st and reverse, though I agree that most of the shifting problems are a characteristic of the transmission and not the shifter...
It looks taller because the stick is exposed and not covered by the boot, but the main reason I changed was because I liked the retro look of the rectangular stick..
Hurst billet shifter with stock boot...
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Aug 29, 2013 at 09:30 PM.