i used the napa washers, the dorman ones i ordered were fibre ones, napa were brass
Want Smoother Shifts? Try This!
- Thread starter ROADSTR6
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Agreed. I'm heading to Napa when I get off work to pick mine up too. They said they had different thicknesses also. I'm going to try and find one .1" and one .15". I'll try the bigger one first.
-Jonny
this mod is still def one of my favs that i have done so far...the pulley swap still gets my vote for #1 tho.
*SiGh* if i could only get a KB or whipple
*SiGh* if i could only get a KB or whipple
Here's some basic "technical" information on the T-56...
The "bolt" that everyone is removing is referred to as the Shift Detent Assembly by Tremec. It is there to essentially keep the shift rail in each gear by "clicking" against what is called the Front Offset Lever. The "notchiness" of the T-56 is basically there (actually, among several reasons) because it has "two" shifters: the one we use and another that is adjacent to the Shift Detent, again, the "Front Offset Lever". Well, that is a simple way to put it anyway!
There is an inspection plate above the Detent Bolt that can be removed, and in it's place, a new shifter can be fit in (with some modification) for use in street rods, trucks, etc. If anyone has a T-56 out, you can remove the plate and work the shifter to see the Front Offset Lever (which is pinned to the 1-2 & 3-4 shift rail) in action up against the Shift Detent. You can also do an internet search on "T56 shifter relocation" and find many good pictures on the whole assembly.
Anyway, here is a pic from the service manual that shows where the "bolt" notches in (my red arrow):
By shimming the bolt out, the force against the Offset Lever is obviously reduced. You can also shim it out too far and then you would risk having no "force" to hold that Offset Lever in it's place while in each gear. A slight reduction is fine since many of you guys are taking some of the pressure off and removing some of the force needed to change each gear!
Once the "bolt" is back in, here's another image from the service manual that shows how it fits in against the Front Offset Lever. Also, for those that have asked, the torque spec is 30#/ft for it:
Personally, I have not done the mod since I changed out the internal springs on my B&M Ripper and the shift force was reduced just fine in that regard. Enjoy otherwise!
The "bolt" that everyone is removing is referred to as the Shift Detent Assembly by Tremec. It is there to essentially keep the shift rail in each gear by "clicking" against what is called the Front Offset Lever. The "notchiness" of the T-56 is basically there (actually, among several reasons) because it has "two" shifters: the one we use and another that is adjacent to the Shift Detent, again, the "Front Offset Lever". Well, that is a simple way to put it anyway!
There is an inspection plate above the Detent Bolt that can be removed, and in it's place, a new shifter can be fit in (with some modification) for use in street rods, trucks, etc. If anyone has a T-56 out, you can remove the plate and work the shifter to see the Front Offset Lever (which is pinned to the 1-2 & 3-4 shift rail) in action up against the Shift Detent. You can also do an internet search on "T56 shifter relocation" and find many good pictures on the whole assembly.
Anyway, here is a pic from the service manual that shows where the "bolt" notches in (my red arrow):
By shimming the bolt out, the force against the Offset Lever is obviously reduced. You can also shim it out too far and then you would risk having no "force" to hold that Offset Lever in it's place while in each gear. A slight reduction is fine since many of you guys are taking some of the pressure off and removing some of the force needed to change each gear!
Once the "bolt" is back in, here's another image from the service manual that shows how it fits in against the Front Offset Lever. Also, for those that have asked, the torque spec is 30#/ft for it:
Personally, I have not done the mod since I changed out the internal springs on my B&M Ripper and the shift force was reduced just fine in that regard. Enjoy otherwise!
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Great info, jr!
Good notes JR. Some of that was posted earlier in the thread. In particular the caution about shimming too much.
Can't believe 22K views now, and a ton of very happy owners who have done this mod.
Can't believe 22K views now, and a ton of very happy owners who have done this mod.
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I did it this weekend and experienced a noticable improvement. I also have the Penzoil Synchromesh in the trany. Went from a UPR shifter to a Hurst and the shifting is butter!! Not a bad way to spend $2.50!!
Also, I jacked up the passenger side of the car, put a stand under the car for safety, slid under and was able to get on the nut with a 24mm 1/2 short socket with a reducer and 3/8 swivel on 18"s of extension after unbolting the crossmemeber. I wouldn't have had to unbolt anything with a 1/2 swivel. Boy did Ford put a lot of plastic sealer on mine! It took some pressure to get the bolt pushed down to where the threads would bite. Lovin it!
Also, I jacked up the passenger side of the car, put a stand under the car for safety, slid under and was able to get on the nut with a 24mm 1/2 short socket with a reducer and 3/8 swivel on 18"s of extension after unbolting the crossmemeber. I wouldn't have had to unbolt anything with a 1/2 swivel. Boy did Ford put a lot of plastic sealer on mine! It took some pressure to get the bolt pushed down to where the threads would bite. Lovin it!
Yeah, just wanted to throw in a little more information from the "inside" of the T-56 (especially the torque spec)!!
Glad it worked out with the Hurst Jonny!!
Those washers are pretty soft right? I would think torque would make a pretty big difference in the result. Anyone using a specific torque? For the record I know with the transmission installed its probably not possible to torque to a specification.
You are correct that you can't torque the bolt with the trans, and exhaust in place. In fact, it is pretty damn hard to even get the bolt back in - period! That is unless you have very small, child-like hands, and forearms. Honestly, the malleable nature of the copper helps them to conform, and seal better, but I doubt that you could compress them to any degree that would make a measurable difference even if you could put a big torque wrench on them. Just put them in, and tighten as much as you can in that awkward position, and call it a day.
Fair enough I'll probably give it a shot this weekend. When I do it ill post back. Don't really feel like trying 1 washer though because if it sucks i don't want to do the job again. I'm lazy and I don't want to beef up my childlike forearms haha!
I have to add my few times driving with this mod to this thread.
While the shifts are easier to go in and out of gear, I did have my car slip out of gear twice on me. Just crusing along at a slow speed in 3rd gear and it would just slide out.
Needless to say I will be taking them out.
Edit: I tried 2 washers like most were running BTW.
While the shifts are easier to go in and out of gear, I did have my car slip out of gear twice on me. Just crusing along at a slow speed in 3rd gear and it would just slide out.
Needless to say I will be taking them out.
Edit: I tried 2 washers like most were running BTW.
RUH RO!
That would not be good for my application. Maybe I'll try one washer when I try this mod.
I said the same thing Jimmy.
To be honest, I am pulling both of them out and going back to stock.
I can't have the car slipping out of gear or even have a chance of that happening.
You sure it's the washers and not your aftermarket shifter? some people have the stops in place preventing the shifter from fully engaging a gear properly. I just question it because I've run 2 washers for over 4k miles now and I really rip on my car and enjoy it and I've never had a single issue.
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