A tale of two shifters...

[Tob]

So here is what showed up at my doorstep, a set of shifter front fork bushings for a 2007-2009 shifter (includes both the KR and Ford Racing shifters as well) and another set for 2011-2014 shifters. The '07-'09 is on the left...

What's important is that in the end, the outside face to face dimensions are the same since the TR6060 ears are the same dimension apart for all years, '07-'14.

I started with the later set and the '13/'14 shifter assembly. You can remove the sleeve and bushing with your fingers...

The 6061 T6 bushings snapped in place perfectly...

Same went for the early bushings in my original 2009 shifter...

Both sets were very "snug"...

Once installed on the transmission, I grabbed the rear of the shifter assembly and tried to move it fore/aft as well as side to side. If there was any deflection my eye didn't see any...

Talk about a shit eating grin. Took me about a minute to swap the requisite factory rubber bushings back in so that I could do the same thing. Wow, they are bad! A simple two frame GIF...

As soon as I have the time these machined bushings will be going on the car!

 

[Randy5.0]

Would it be possible to get a set of those solid bushings for an 11? They are from your machinist?

 

[SuperFly03]

Would it be possible to get a set of those solid bushings for an 11? They are from your machinist?

That's what I'm wondering...

Were they special order from a Tob request or is it somewhere online we can just order?

Either way I'm in... I just want to know who to give my money to.

Bet these will improve even the Barton!

 

[Randy5.0]

That's what I'm wondering...

Were they special order from a Tob request or is it somewhere online we can just order?

Either way I'm in... I just want to know who to give my money to.

Bet these will improve even the Barton!

I believe his machinist made them...... PayPal ready!

 

[Poppacapp]

:banana: epper: :dancenana:

I want!!!! NAOW!!! Tob.. gimme some order info on 11-12 units... me wants... me wants bad.

 

[Poppacapp]

Thinking about it tho.. I have a question on how it would perform with the shifter mounted in the car.. when the engine/tranny torque.. will it bend the shifter where it mounts inside the car? Will the whole shifter move with the motor? Awaiting results.

 

[SuperFly03]

Thinking about it tho.. I have a question on how it would perform with the shifter mounted in the car.. when the engine/tranny torque.. will it bend the shifter where it mounts inside the car? Will the whole shifter move with the motor? Awaiting results.

I'll gladly play guinea pig

Have a long trek from Houston to Bartlesville, OK coming up...

 

[Tob]

Would it be possible to get a set of those solid bushings for an 11? They are from your machinist?

Tom is his name. He does work for Dean at Rehagen Racing as well as working at times as a crew member on their Grand Am and AI cars. These bushings were something Tom and I discussed but I think Dean is considering using them on their race cars - that's why Tom did them. I could find out where they stand and what it would take to make them available here at SVTP.

Thinking about it tho.. I have a question on how it would perform with the shifter mounted in the car.. when the engine/tranny torque.. will it bend the shifter where it mounts inside the car? Will the whole shifter move with the motor? Awaiting results.

You are trying to visualize how they will integrate with the dynamic conditions via loading and unloading engine torque - good brain exercise! Let me put it this way:

- Even with a stiff bushing at the rear of the shifter there is no problem with necessary movement within the rear bushing whether the front shifter forks are "rubbery" or "solid."

- The amount of rotation at the rear of the shifter (where I had my hand in the above photos) is rather minimal.

As to the shifter moving with the motor - nothing has really changed there. The front portion of the shifter assembly attaches to the transmission and the rear portion attaches to the underside of the transmission tunnel. The two work together. Now, a replacement transmission such as the Magnum XL doesn't use a body mount and as such that shifter moves when the engine moves. That make sense?

Something I noticed this morning. I was once again looking through Ford Racing's Boss 302S build photos at their website. Here's a shot of the coyote engine and TR 6060 (very similar to ours) they use. I believe that is simply a Ford Racing remote shifter (same ratio as the KR) that you see. Forward facing shifter handle face and narrow bushing ends confirm it...

I've looked at these photos quite a few times but never noticed this until this morning. Look closely at the bushings Ford Racing specified...

I'll be a son of a bitch. I never noticed the solid front fork bushings before. What Tom machined matches those perfectly. I've ridden in a Boss 302S (Bruce's at Watkins Glen) and as much as it was a monster, Bruce never complained about missed shifts.:coolman:

 

[Randy5.0]

Tom is his name. He does work for Dean at Rehagen Racing as well as working at times as a crew member on their Grand Am and AI cars. These bushings were something Tom and I discussed but I think Dean is considering using them on their race cars - that's why Tom did them. I could find out where they stand and what it would take to make them available here at SVTP.



Thank you, that would be great. I plan on using these if they become available with stiffer motor mounts and taller Hurst handle on the stock shifter. I wish I could get them sooner than later, my car is elevated and the exhaust is out of the way right now.

Randy

 

[Poppacapp]

Bumping this on up again. Awaiting results of the bushing tests. Awaiting order information....awaiting to send mah moneyz to getz mah bushingz. :rockon:

 

[Randy5.0]

X2

 

[Catmonkey]

I have to think a solid bushing is going to cause a lot of rattles in the OEM shifter.

 

[Randy5.0]

I have to think a solid bushing is going to cause a lot of rattles in the OEM shifter.

Its pretty much guaranteed, but if I can shift 1-2 and 4-5 easier it will be worth it to me. I'm also doing a clutch line upgrade and stiffer motor mounts. I have always thought that the torque of these engines rotates the whole drivetrain and binds the shifter which is mounted to the trans tunnel..... just like the 1970 LS-6 454 Chevelles did until they started mounting the shifters on the transmissions..... Crap, I just dated myself.

 

[Poppacapp]

Its pretty much guaranteed, but if I can shift 1-2 and 4-5 easier it will be worth it to me. I'm also doing a clutch line upgrade and stiffer motor mounts. I have always thought that the torque of these engines rotates the whole drivetrain and binds the shifter which is mounted to the trans tunnel..... just like the 1970 LS-6 454 Chevelles did until they started mounting the shifters on the transmissions..... Crap, I just dated myself.

Just unmount it from the tunnel and let the shifter move

 

[Tob]

There may be a couple of vendors here picking these up and making them available.

 

[Randy5.0]

That's good news.

 

[Randy5.0]

bump for updates...

 

[Tob]

I'm working on it!

 

[stkjock]

they have the bushing listed for sale now

GT500 SHIFTER BUSHING UPGRADE (2007-2014)


I guess they could be swapped by just removing the shifter alone?

 

[Tob]

Yes. And it looks like someone did their homework and spent some time perusing this thread as they have the applications listed correctly.

I'll have mine installed shortly.

They are a tight fit. So I can foresee some "finesse" being required in order to locate them within the cast in ears on the TR6060 case.

There's a vendor here working with Dean to make them available as well.