C5 B & M Shifter Review
 

Does anyone run a B&M Shifter in their C5? How do you like it? How much of a shorter throw is it? Any other info is great!

Check out the TPS ATTACK shifter I think you might like it forum vendor here

Pops

I have a B&M in my '02 Z06 and really like it. I haven't measured it, but the overall throw seems to have been reduced from stock by about 35-40%. The B&M adds no superfluous feels, notches, springs, or otherwise, which I find nice. More force is required to shift, of course, since some leverage is lost in the shorter height, but it's far from uncomfortable. Stop-and-go traffic may give you more of a workout, though. There are no rattles or inappropriate vibrations or noises. Their new (?) shifter design provides a little buffer between the physical linkage and the stick via rubber o-rings. This seems to dampen vibrations without inhibiting any feel of the transmission. The gear positions are closer together, of course, so if you have any concerns about getting your desired gear with the stock shifter, a shorter one will exacerbate the problem a bit. I haven't had any issues, but it did take a few minutes to get used to it. The stick has a slight cant rearward but this can be reversed (cant forward), if desired--I suppose the length of one's arm would determine this. It shouldn't take an hour to install and presents no hiccups.
http://www.westcoastcorvette.com/ima...medium/681.jpg

I did not retain the stock knob but replaced it with an MGW "race" knob (somewhat vertically cylindrical) and screwed it down low to keep the shifter short. I prefer this to a spherical knob, but it's slightly less comfortable in an over-the-knob grip, if that's what you prefer. I find it more comfortable in any style grip, though, than the stock knob.
http://www.mgwltd.com/images/mgwcorv...knobblack2.jpg

Under heavy acceleration, my shift speeds are now limited only by my left leg speed, since the shifter throw is now short enough that I can comfortably shift without pausing clutch travel at all. Again, I haven't measured it, but my feel is that I shaved about a quarter second off my shift times.

I've been very pleased with my B&M and recommend it without reservation.

:iagree:

Love mine too. I also found doing the Anti-Venom mod (adding washers to the detent spring at the tranny) helped with the added notchy feel and really smoothed out the action.

Nice review Tuscanycircle. I'm sure that will help someone considering the purchase of that shifter. :rock:

Personally, I hate mine. When I first installe it I didn't mind the notchiness of it because I didnt drive it much. But the shifter doesn't feel very "fluid" rowing through the gears and is extremely aggressive

I'm loving mine. My inpression is about 20% shorter throw and a much more connected feel using the solid mount bushings to replace the stock rubber coupe ones. I also did the Anti-Venom mod a week after the shifter install and was suprised at how much it smoothed out the shift action.

I'm gonna give this a try. Just as you say, I think this would complement a short-throw shifter very well. Thanks! And thanks for your how-to page!

I have to ask what is it that you coinsider shorter throw the distance the shifter moves at the top or the amount it moves at the bottom. This has been a question I have had since I have read about short throw shifters.

Pops

I'd go with the MGW Short Throw Shifter

It is without question the most precise and best designed shifter on the market, and has about a 35% reduction in throw over the stock shifter.

The benefits of that shifter go beyond its shorter throw, the thing is so precise and well made that everything else about my car feels like it needs an upgrade now to keep up lol

It takes a couple days getting use to it, but once you do its amazing

plus, most of the hard core road and autocross racers with the most experience almost all have the MGW.

If your going to switch out the shifter, why pit something second best in when there isn't all that big of a price differance?

I pretty confident saying that no other shifter is in it's league....

I'm not sure if you're addressing the OP or the general audience, but I'll take a crack at answering.

The throw is measured at the top, specifically where you grip the stick. It's the distance your hand travels when shifting. Here's a good illustration.

To the OP, I don't have any info on the B&M, but my research all led to me getting the MGW unit. It is awesome. To get a really good idea of the change in height and throw you get with the MGW check out the post I made this spring after my install...http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...ifference.html

It was for anyone and thank you for your answer and here is why I asked it. I am a Machnist and a Mechanical Engineer of 35 yrs. So what I did is draw this up in Solidworks to try and define and Develop a real to me short throw shifter. While doing this I relized the only way to do this is to Change the fulcrum of the Shifter ie. change where the Shifter pivots. I then relized that by cutting the top of shifter handle all it changes is the travel of the top of the shifter. It didn't make it a true short throw I also was in the middle of changing out my Clutch so I was able to take my tranny a part and look at the shift gate plate in it. I also reliezed that the Anti Venom Mod is a Valid Mod as by adding the shims in the Bolt detent moved it away from the Linkage allowing it to move freely and become less Notchy. So what I have done is made a adjustment in the height of my Shifter and my mounting block to achive a true short throw Based on the Gate plate GM put in our cars Transmission. I also made modifications to my shift lower box to handle the changes made at this time the upper handle moves about a inch from first to second. I also think that with the anti venom mod reduces the shifter ability to align between 3-4 gear not sure just a small theory will need more testing to figure it out.

Pops

I just did the antivenom mod with two washers/gaskets, and I love it! It really takes the edge off the notchiness that tends to be exaggerated by the shorter-than-stock B&M shifter. Much less effort is needed for shifting now, eliminating the only down side to a shorter shifter. Thanks, all!

:iagree: I have it in my 98. Don't care for it.

I had one in my deceased C5 and it was very good, I never missed shifts at the Texas Mile at 7k and even into 5 lots of other miss gears out there. I think being a tad notchy helps in high RPM shifts and I did plenty of those:rock:

I'm pretty sure there are two B&M Shifters available for the c5. One is called the ripper and the other is called something else???

Am I correct? And if so what the difference?

I do like mine, but it can be tricky to get it into 1st on occasion.

I can't find a link to the anti-venom mod. Where can I find that? I'll try it and report back.

The one I have, pictured above, is called "Precision Sport Shifter". I've seen pictures of another, without the vibration-isolating design and with a single straight-through shaft. I think that's the Ripper.

This is a trait inherent in the transmission, having nothing to do with the shifter. Even the owner's manual references it. The most effective recovery is to double-clutch (while in neutral, release and re-depress the clutch, then try again to engage first gear). It's just how the synchros and dog teeth are structured in the transmission, I believe.

This is the link I just used to do mine and found it to be awesome: http://www.toquez06.com/avm.html (Thanks, Mark!) I had some minor difficulty finding the right washer/gasket, but eventually found the Dorman 095-023 matches the Oil-Tite 65277 pictured on Mark's page.

That's incredible, do you have a way to reproduce this if by some chance I or someone else wanted to compensate you for said mod?

Different car but very relevant. Had a 90 Celica and spent months reading about short shifters. Only found one that changed the fulcrum point (ball joint in shifter box) tthus creating an actual short throw shifter rather than a short rod shifter.

Could you take photos or video of the setup, I'd be very interested in seeing the final assembly.

:iagree: Also add Amsoil Torgue Drive Tranny fluid and everthing will be as smooth as butter. DId this with my '98. :cheers:Zuti

I replaced a C6-Z06 shifter, with a B&M, in my car yesterday and so far I love it...:yesnod: The throw is amazingly shorter. It definitely takes some getting used to. It does take more effort, and I've done the anti-venom (1 washer) mod. I can't imagine this shifter without the mod.

But the shifts are much more precise, and did I say the quick...:thumbs:

Anybody interested in a shortened '07 Z06 shifter??? :D

:cheers:

Does it come with the shifter box?

can someone explain the Anti-Venom mod? How it works and what it does? Is there any way that this over time will harm the transmission?

Update: Found it! (see link below)

Do a search on this forum. There's a great write up. I can't look for it now, but if I get time later I'll post the link. It takes about 10 minutes once you get the rear of the car in the air. Basically, you remove the detent from your trans (backs right out with a ratchet and socket, toughest part is finding the detent - it's easy to access and get out once you find it), and add one or two copper washers. This decreases the amount of detent on the detent bolt and makes shifting easier. I started with one and went to two. Check it out, it's a really cheap mod! :cheers: Zuti
Here you go:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ever-need.html

Thanks for that reply. I eventually found Marks page, pretty darned impressive, LOTS of good info. It's efforts like that that make this site worthwhile. Thanks also for the washer part number, I'm definitely going to do that mod.

I don't remember seeing the 1st gear issue in the owners manual, I'll look again. I find that if I go into second gear it pops right into first. That and going into first before coming to a dead stop also helps. It clearly seems to be a synchronizer issue to me.

Sorry, no box...Just the shifter.

It doesn't exactly stand out, but it's there. In my '02 manual on page 2-31, in the Manual Transmission Operation section, it says:
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you’re going less than 40 mph (64 km/h). If you’ve come to a complete stop and it’s hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift lever in NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST (1).

I too find that going into second usually works, but sometimes this isn't sufficient and the double-clutch (to get the synchro spinning again, I think) is needed. Because of this, I've been favoring the double-clutch action instead of relying upon second, but it takes some practice to be as fast as using second.

I'm hoping to make the same swap this weekend. But I want to use 2 washers on the anti-venom mod based on the posts above, and so far I've only been able to get one from NAPA---the only one my store had. Apparently their inventory control leaves a lot to be desired; they've ordered one in from other stores that showed inventory, and twice the other stores have been out of stock too! Must be a lot of anti-venom mods being done out there :D
:cheers:

Give our new shifter a try... the TPS Attack. I'm sure your like it alot. We're running a promotion on it for $129.99 shipped to your door right now and it comes with a straight or angled handle :)

http://www.tpsmotorsports.com/media/...shifter2_1.jpg

http://www.tpsmotorsports.com/media/...sshifter_4.jpg

http://www.tpsmotorsports.com/media/...ifter3_1_2.jpg

UPDATE:
Shifter's been in for 2 weeks now, and thanks to Tuscany I've got plenty of washers. Based on how it feels without the anti-venom mod (Really, Really Good!), I've decided to try only 1 washer--and I'm in no rush to find a hoist. I'm actually glad now that I wasn't able to lift the car and do the mod at the same time as I installed the shifter! As someone else said, the "feel" of a shifter is really a personal thing.
:cheers:

In my experience, the difference in notchiness among zero, one, and two antivenom washers is pretty small. It's noticeable, to be sure, but there's definitely no transition from notchy to slippery. It's merely a change from notchy (zero washers) to slightly less notchy (one washer) to still-notchy-but-requires-less-effort-to-overcome (two washers).

I ran with my shorter shifter but without any antivenom mod for several months and didn't mind at all. Adding the washer certainly helped some, but it's not nearly significant enough to be a make-it-or-break-it kind of factor in choosing a shorter shifter.

Is this similar to others' experiences?