Hello. I have a 2004 Z and I did search for this question but didn’t really see anything about it specifically. As it pertains to shifter vs shifter.

I was wondering what the difference is between a C6 shifter and an MGW short throw. As far as, which one shifts better, smoother, comfort etc. as an upgrade to a C5
and are there any pros or cons of one over the other?

Thanks.

 

@Tusc

 

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...w-shifter.html

 

Entirely a question of personal preference.

Lazy easy shifting or long toss no thought shifting... The C6Z bent bar is great.

A more rifle bolt tight box.... MGW.

My mgw experience is all on the older ones from a decade or more ago. Eventually I ought to see how the flat stick works with their own bottomless tub.

Ps... Look into tmodcustoms upgraded tub. You don't know that you need it. But you need it.

 

Awesome. Thanks for the input. I was really looking for a comparison of the two and you hit it on the head for me. Thanks again.

 

To answer the OP's question, an aftermarket shifter that includes the whole shifter; both upper shifter and lower pox portion, there are a lot of differences. Reduction ratio is a big one, aftermarket "short shifters" reduce the distance between the internal pivot points in the shifter to make the throw of the stick shorter. Not to be confused with the height of the stick/ **** which does not effect the throw, it just makes the stick shorter / lower. This also gives you less leverage which can increase the effort required to move the stick. Vibration dampening is another big one, the stock shifter dampens vibration significantly better than any aftermarket shifter does. This is also partly to blame for the vague, mushy feel of the stock shifter.

A paramount consideration IMO is the lower box portion or tub of the shifter. This part is responsible for a majority of the slop and vibration you feel in the shifter. Personally I think the lower box is just as important as the upper shifter assembly as far as determining how your shifter is going to feel / preform. This is why lots of people prefer a factory shifter on my upgraded box. I rebuild the factory boxes and use the same internals I use for my full aftermarket shifter kits, both upper and lower parts. These cars have a lot of vibration in them from the factory, that's just the reality, this is one reason the box is so important. It's also important to recognize that it doesn't matter how good the condition of your car is or how low the miles on it are. Nobody has a factory box that is not worn out and creating slop and vibration, they are just too old now and the factory design is not great to begin with.

As far as aftermarket shifters go, they are almost all very similar, they all have a lot of reduction in travel compared to the stock shifter, this is what makes them so notchy and hard to move through the gears compared to a stock shifter. If your looking for the shortest travel MGW is the way to go IMO, I wouldn't run anything else. If your willing to sacrifice a little travel for a significantly easier shift effort you will probably like the 20% ISO Shifter. All the rest of the aftermarket shifters are between 25-35% reduction meaning 25-35% shorter travel between gears than the stock shifter. I use a little less reduction so the travel is a little longer (20% shorter than stock) but I also use a totally different pivot setup in an effort to reduce friction on the stick as much as possible. The gearboxes in these cars have internals components called detents that are springs basically that guide the stick into the right gear. My goal is to reduce all the rest of the influence on the stick aside from the internals of the gearbox. This means less friction to fight against as you move the stick through the gears. This equates to less notchy feel and less missed shifts in addition to being easier to move through the gears. I also have a 5% reduction version that is exactly the same aside from reduction ratio. 5% reduction which is just a tiny bit shorter throw than a stock shifter, is about as much as I could squeeze in there before it made the shift effort noticeably harder to move, this is about as easy as you can make the shift effort in these cars. It's very similar to the stock shifter on an upgraded box it's just more precise. I don't make a ton of these, but they are great for drivers with bad shoulders , elbows, wrists (I had a bad shoulder for a long time) and chicks dig the 5% option.

At the end of the day shifters are super subjective, I just try to make mine as smooth and easy to run through the gears as possible while dampening vibration to the max. If anyone has any particular questions feel free to ask, I'm happy to answer anything I can.

 

Whatever you do, pick one that replaces the lower box(tub) or upgrades the bushings of the lower box or plan to buy something to replace the lower box bushings. I upgraded just the upper part of my shifter initially, leaving the OEM lower box/tub and the bushings were absolutely smoked. When you increase the overall effort it takes to get into gear with the slop of the lower box/tub, you end up with a crappy feeling shifter where the first 15% (or more?) of your effort is wasted on those bushings flexing.

Here's a few pictures of a 20 year old bushing with 75k on it

 

I bought my car with a B&M shifter in it, but quickly found a used MGW locally for sale and upgraded. At the same time I had my shifter tub upgraded by @TMODcustoms . About a year later, I found a C6/7 shifter for sale and swapped again.

The MGW feels like a no-nonsense, straight to the point shifter, very deliberate, all in a good way. Throws are short, direct, and I would never have to worry about a missed shift. No slop or side to side movement at all in Neutral. It can take a little muscle to maneuver the stick. On the street, this feels awesome. I used it once on a road track and felt I needed to focus my attention on shifting a bit too much as I muscled around from gear to gear.

The C6/7 shifter once installed is about the same height as the MGW, and the throw by my estimation feels the same as the MGW. The stick moves around smooth as stock. Coming from the MGW to the c6/7 shifter, the shifts are so easy sometimes I need to double check I moved the stick into gear because it's near effortless compared to the MGW. I have yet to do any real competitive driving with this stick.

I have a C5 shifter in a box, but have never used one in the car. I can tell by looking at it, the shaft is so long I bet it'd feel like a rowboat.

But I agree with @Tusc , it's all personal preference. There are some people out there that prefer stock C5 shifter after trying aftermarket ones.

 

I bought a used C6 shifter and TMOD did their magic on the lower box, also delrin mounting bushings. Positive, yet smooth as silk. It now has a truly sophisticated movement that is easy, yet precise.

Cant go wrong with this combo.

 

Thanks to everyone for your input. This is my first Vette so I’m still learning about it. This info is outstanding. So far I’m really enjoying this forum.

I’ve heard all about MGW shifters and then found out about swapping a C6 shifter. I’m not super concerned about the “shortest throw” necessarily. I just can’t stand the stock shifter. It feels notchy and the shifter **** feels like it was designed by a 10 year old.

Again, great info that I will use to make my decision.
I’ve also looked into the TMOD modded box on your website. Looks like a good fit for what I’m looking for. I’ll be making a decision soon, hopefully. Got some other goodies waiting to be put on in the meantime. But shifter will def be next.

 

Notchy cna be two things.

Not sure if anyone mentioned the anti venom mod. Start there for two dollars.

Could also just be your T56. They get that way.

I have liked the twisted shifter round ball *****. I also like the mgw round ****. Either can work on any c5 shift handle. The C6 handles are not threaded. They go on smooth and have a cross bolt attachment at the bottom. Order accordingly. If you go C6 order a new boot, which will be needed. I forget who I ordered through but they were very good about asking me specific questions before processing the order after I mentioned it was for a 6 shifter in a 5

 

Though a used 6 boot should work

If you don't get a boot, that notch on the bottom of the 6 **** is going to cut you up.

Also, ebay sells for forty bucks these nice metal rings for the base of the boot if you end up not liking the plastic type

 

You can use your original boot. You put it on before you put on the ****. Wrap it up over the **** and tighten the **** retainer. While it’s inside out, use a zip tie below the **** to hold the boot in place. To You will need to cut a few stitches near the top of the boot, and then have someone’s wife stitch a knot from underneath. When the shifter in stalled, just fold the boot back down and snap the base ring in.



Anti venom mod…

 

Caution. From experience. If you get the C6 specifically Z06 shifter which bents back towards the driver the 'flip and zip' approach should not be set too far down the boot because the base positions for neutral will be slightly back from center and all of your 2/4/6 gears to the back can draw the boot tight and present a restriction if overdone. Less is more.

 

I installed an MGW in my C5 and kept the factory lower box. Car had about 30k miles on it at the time. Did the anti-venom mod as well. Shifter was super precise and everything else, including my C7 with 5k miles on it, feels sloppy in comparison. However, it was not a lazy man's shifter. I loved it and miss it.

 

Want to feel like you drive an 18-wheeler with LONG sloppy shifter throw? Get the C6 shifter

Want a proper shifter for a sports car? Get MGW or TMOD unit

 

Helps to lock the **** in higher on the shift bar. Better leverage

 

Perhaps we'll have to agree to disagree... In my car running C6/C7 upper shifter and TMOD box with TMOD linkage joint upgrade, I had pretty much no slop in the shifter. Currently running TMOD box with Hurst shifter and there's even less slop: none.