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I got the MGW with the lower box and had it installed. When I picked up the car, the shifting seemed too hard - it required too much force. I had the shop raise the stick 1 inch. Bingo! Just the right amount of force, and considerably smoother than factory.
I wouldn't say that it transformed the car, but to me the factory shifter felt like shifting a truck. Now it feels like a sports car.
Folks here seem to like the C6 shifter too.
just an FYI - while I'm sure raising it will change the pressure/feel of the shifts, I am positive that my MGW "broke in" a bit after about 1000 miles or so. Initially it REALLY wouldn't wiggle much at all in neutral without noticeable force/effort - now I can move it around a little w/ the top of my hand similar to a stock shifter in any car, but w/ much less range of motion...but again, initially there was pretty much NO PLAY whatsoever.
Also - initial impressions post-install it seemed like every gear shift would "automatically" snick into place except 4th to 5th which require a more exaggerated deliberate "up & over" motion that I initially had to remind myself of when getting used to it (didn't like that) & when the install was fresh it also would occasionally want to go into 4th instead of 6th (obviously the higher the speed the easier it was to go into 6th)
Now both of these characteristics are pretty much diminished or gone entirely, and the MGW feels like it belongs w/ the car from the factory. It reminds me of the shifter in my old '05 accord 5 speed to be honest....and IMO Honda makes the best shifters in the business from the factory, & its not even close.
I have a Hurst shifter in my '99 FRC and the effort seemed very high and it was notchy as all heck. I did the anti-venom mod (1 washer) and it made a world of difference! When was the last time you changed the transmission fluid?
The best factory shifter out there is a Mazda Miata/FC RX-7 closely followed by the Honda S2000.
The OP says he's already did the AV mod. When I got mine, it was real tough to shift. I ended up changing the fluid to the Amsoil Torque Drive. Just swapping the oil made a HUGE improvement! Now it shifts like new. I also have the Hurst Core Shifter, which I like alot, fwiw.
I just swapped my transmission fluid for Valvoline ATF Max life, which is synthetic and if didn't make that much of a difference. I also have the anti venom mod. That helped a little bit but I feel the gears are a bit vague feeling.
You have to be careful. Due to different synchro materials used through the years, the early T56 required one type of ATF fluid, while the later T56 used a different type of fluid. Check with the manual for your car on the requirement for the transmission fluid and then make sure you are using the correct compatible fluid.
Sorry to necro my own thread mods, but I installed an mgw shifter and it made a HUGE difference. The b&m ripper my car had on it when I got it was rat aids, either the lower box or the shifter internals were fried on the ripper. I was considering getting rid of the car due to how much work I had to do to shift it. Everyone who drove my car before the mgw said it was really stiff/tight. Now it is a blast to drive and I never get locked out of 1st gear because of how stiff it is.
If you woukd like to remove the slip in your shifter without increasing the pressure required to get it into gear, check out my lower box upgrade. If you have any questions I'm happy to answer anything I can.
Here are the three different Torque Tube Bushing options.
If you woukd like to remove the slip in your shifter without increasing the pressure required to get it into gear, check out my lower box upgrade. If you have any questions I'm happy to answer anything I can.
Here are the three different Torque Tube Bushing options.
Get a C6 shifter with this guy's box. I haven't got the box yet, but I've heard the C6 shifter with this guy's box is the perfect match.
Thanks bud! The first part of the trick for the feeling you guys are after is not reducing the leverage you have to get into gear, or not too much at least. The Z06 top assembly is shorter, so it does reduce the leverage, but not as much as typical short shifter. Short shifters reduce this leverage by varying amounts, more than just the Z top assembly. Less leverage makes it harder to get into gear.
Secondly you have to get rid of the slop in the lower box. The factory box has lots of problems that all add up to exactly what you don't want, that's what I get rid of. There's more info in my thread, if you have any questions feel free to ask.
You have to be careful. Due to different synchro materials used through the years, the early T56 required one type of ATF fluid, while the later T56 used a different type of fluid. Check with the manual for your car on the requirement for the transmission fluid and then make sure you are using the correct compatible fluid.
All my manual (1998) says is Dex III. Later knowledge said not to put synthetic in the early trannies. I am running Valvoline Dex/Merc, which is non synthetic and compatible with the now obsolete Dex III spec.
The biggest improvement in shifting came after I changed the fluid at about 70k - manual says lifetime fill, ha!
I am running a cut down C5 shift assembly, bolted up pretty hard but not solid, to the torque tube - I used aftermarket bolts and big washers and upped the torque some. Works fine - and cheap. Only "expensive" part was the $30 shift ****.
Get a C6 shifter with this guy's box. I haven't got the box yet, but I've heard the C6 shifter with this guy's box is the perfect match.
LMAO.. When I read the OP opening statement, I immediately thought that he needed a new and improved lower box.
Here are some facts.
YES, the older 1997-2000 MN6 transmissions require a Dex III or equivalent ATF. The AMSOIL Torque Drive is an EXCELLENT ATF and is Dex III compatible. The AMSOIL TD ATF can be used successfully in early and late model MN6 &MN12 Transmissions
There two types of Corvette (C5 or C6) shifters.
OEM & Aftermarket OEM style shifter: The shifter upper portion on either shifter has NO centering springs. All C5 and C6 OEM shifters are this type.
NOTE! The Shifter (upper unit and lower box) has ZERO, NADA, NILCH, NONE, NO GATES. All the shift gate feel and shifter handle centering is accomplished INSIDE the transmission.
AFTERMARKET SHIFTER (with centering springs).
Some aftermarket shifters have centering springs inside the upper portion of the shifter. The centering springs add additional handle centering force to the shifter. Some people like the additional centering force and some hate it.
I happen to like it!
I have a Kirban Shifter on a Stock lower box. I will soon be getting the TMODcustoms lower box.
STOCK C5 Shifter (no springs or gates in upper unit or the box)
Aftermarket Kirban Shifter: (additional centering springs inside the upper unit) It also has shift stops. Not needed but I use them.
Stock C5 vs Aftermarket Kirban:
billy mild
The C6 shifter for the C6 Coupe, Vert, ZO6, Grand Sport and ZR-1 should all be the same C6 Shifter. The ONLY Corvette shifter that was different than stock was the C5 ZO6,,, and the ONLY difference in that shifter was the lower box mounting bushings. They were metal bushings vs rubber bushings.
Here is a picture of the metal bushings on the lower box:
Stock 2002 ZO6 shifter and lower box:
Bill
Last edited by Bill Curlee; 06-15-2018 at 02:44 PM.
...the very early C6 Z06 shifters were also solid mounted. User complaints of noise and vibration caused them to change to the same as the other models.
And Dex III was the spec for all C5 manual trannies.
Just came back from my test drive after installing the TMODCustoms lower box in my '99 FRC.
All I can say is absolutely freaking wonderful!!
My car has AMSOIL TD fluid in the factory stock T56, a Hurst shifter, the Anti Venom mod one (1) washer and now with the Tom's lower shifter box. I went with the polyurethane mount bushings option and the shifter is quieter with less vibration than the stock lower shifter box rubber bushings. I replaced the pivot ball cup bushing and the Hurst gasket with a new ones. I also dial down the side to side bias helper springs in the Hurst to match the reduced effort in the lower shifter box.
I simply could not believe that a C5 T56 could feel this good when shifting. No it's not quite as light and smooth as say an S2000 or a Miata/RX7, but it's pretty darn close!
Simply put every single C5/C6 owner with a T56 or TR6060 trany (not already running the MGW shifter with their lower box) needs to put the TMODCutoms lower shifter box as the #1 priority on their "need to do modification" list. It is simply that amazing of a change. This is the way the lower shifter box should have come from the factory, PERIOD!
04-06-2018, 09:58 AM
That is what I use in my '99 FRC T56.
