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C6 shifter upgrade

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Old Apr 2, 2018 | 11:27 AM
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Default C6 shifter upgrade

Is the standard C6 shifter the same as the C6Z06? Also did it change throughout the model years?
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Old Apr 2, 2018 | 01:01 PM
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Only difference is solid bushing in the C6z06. Plain C6 has the rubber bushings.
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Old Apr 2, 2018 | 06:16 PM
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Where is everyone getting the C6z shifters? Also will a shifter out of ZR1 be the same as the Z06?
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Old Apr 3, 2018 | 02:11 AM
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I bought mine from TPS MAK, a vendor on this forum. Works great, I recommend. I cut mine down and threaded it for a C5 ****. I had a **** I wanted to keep.
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Old Apr 22, 2018 | 09:26 PM
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Can you use the C6 shift lever with a C5Z06 rebuilt lower box?
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Old Apr 24, 2018 | 06:32 AM
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Anyone?
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Old Apr 24, 2018 | 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by billy mild
Can you use the C6 shift lever with a C5Z06 rebuilt lower box?
YES!! Recommend carefully checking the bushings in your OEM box to make sure that they are worn out!! They get very sloppy and make shifting sloppy.

There is a vendor on here that rebuilds the lowers with better quality products.

Bill
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Old Apr 24, 2018 | 11:38 AM
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I upgraded to a C6ZR-1 shiftbox and lever. I still feel the shifting action is not great. I was inquiring about getting my lowerbox rebuilt. Instead of taking my shifter box back out of the car I asked about sending in my C5Z06 shifterbox and then using my C6 shift lever with that.
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Old Apr 24, 2018 | 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by billy mild
I upgraded to a C6ZR-1 shiftbox and lever. I still feel the shifting action is not great. I was inquiring about getting my lowerbox rebuilt. Instead of taking my shifter box back out of the car I asked about sending in my C5Z06 shifterbox and then using my C6 shift lever with that.
All of the C5 & C6 lower boxes are the same.. The C5 ZO6 boxes had solid metal bushings. I don't know if any of the C6s had metal bushings..

Have you changed the Trans ATF Gear fluid?? That can make a big difference in shift feel and performance. If you have never changed it, try that.

Bill

Bill

Last edited by Bill Curlee; Apr 24, 2018 at 02:38 PM.
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Old May 15, 2018 | 02:57 PM
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I've worked on a number of C5, C6, and C7 manual shifter boxes including the Z06.

The Z06 for a number of years had solid mounts but due to complaints about loud buzzing and vibration, GM switched over the base shifter box around 2008 with the rubber mounts.

The Z06 with solid mounts (no rubber bushing) and thicker flange mounts.

Over time and due to heat in the trans tunnel all the rubber bushings dry out and start to fall apart. GM does not sell just the rubber bushings. You can buy after market rubber bushings off an eBay vendor and from a few forum vendors for about $20. These are available from West Coast Corvette.

ZIP sells molded polyurethane bushings which are slightly harder for a little more. I personally like the the rubber bushings from the eBay vendor because they have more vibration damping than the polyurethane and are closer to stock.

I would stay clear of the solid Z06 shifter boxes because they will vibrate more and could have that obnoxious buzzing.

Here is a video that talks about the different shifter boxes.


Last edited by RussM05; May 15, 2018 at 03:52 PM.
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Old May 15, 2018 | 03:34 PM
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I was under the impression that the 2008-2013 Corvettes with the manual transmission used a new short throw shifter similar to the Z06 shifter. Had the rubber mount bushings, but, the lever arm was moved to accommodate the short shift pattern.
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Old May 15, 2018 | 03:50 PM
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Sorry, I can not confirm that any of stock boxes had shorter throws. I believe they are all the same except the C5 had a bend in the lever.

I installed MGW shifters on my C6 and C7. The MGW is much different. Its much tighter and shorter that stock.
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Old May 16, 2018 | 09:41 PM
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I have changed my fluid in the transmission. I used Valvoline Maxlife ATF. Almost no difference in feeling .I thought about trying amsoil torquedrive .
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