Manual transmission drivers - does shifting linkage get smoother with use?

[Q1svt]

… For those that might be following along…

Why you might not want to shift fast, hard, etc. Just two words:
Plastic and $$$$$$

shifter assembly
Cable ends
Cable tray/holder
Etc

but heck I am a stockholder and would love for Ford to make a lot on parts sales lol

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[DALOLA]

You can stick with it, when is a longer shift going to benefit, or a shorter one going to hurt? until you can answer how it makes things worse, analogy is bad.

I never suggested it made things worse, just couldn't see the advantage...still can't. It's not like the aftermarket short shifters are free... I guess the real disadvantage is to your wallet.

Again, given the subject vehicle here, I'll take the leverage & ergonomics over a slightly quicker gear change. I think CAI's (for a Bronco) are a waste of money too.

 

[crzyhawk]

You said it would be like putting a long-throw shifter in the Mustang. That's going to give you grief. For the record, I'm not putting a short throw into my Bronco because as you say, it's not necessary, I'm cheap and would rather spend my bronco bucks on things that I will see more benefit from, and honestly, I have no interest in ripping the dash apart to install it. I'm well past the point in my life where I have interest in wrenching on my vehicle. I have felt the need to shift it quickly though, while offroad no less.

If someone were to gift me a B&M and install it for me? Sure, I'd take it and probably enjoy it. $pend my own? Hell no. And you're right on the CAI too. My time in the Mustang taught me that. Look at any of the ads for them, gains seen with a tune. Yeah, the gains are ALL coming from the tune. The stock airbox flows more than the engine needs.

Now the shift knob? That'll eventually go. I don't really like how it feels in the hand, I'll get a classic ball in there eventually.

 

[Marc L]

2024 Big Bend 40k miles. We haven't noticed anything and this is our first American manual transmissions we should be persnickety coming from Japanese cars/suvs.
We've done no special fluid changes or anything but 5k-ish oil changes and 10k-ish tire rotations.

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]

I don't have a short throw shifter in mine, I just have OEM. It's buttery smooth.

Same here with a '23 2-door in almost exclusively City driving.

 

[va011101]

Question: How does that knob compare to the OEM in terms of height? I have been looking for a replacement that is at the same height as the original and it looks like many aftermarket knobs have adapters that raise it up.

I too replaced my OEM knob with an aftermarket Twisted Shifter round one. It's great. I don't have an issue shifting, I just noted that getting into 2nd gear seems to be more slow/clunky than any of the other gears. Even getting into C is smoother. Sounds like it may smooth out a bit over time and changing my trans oil post break-in might also help.

 

[Q1svt]

Question: How does that knob compare to the OEM in terms of height? I have been looking for a replacement that is at the same height as the original and it looks like many aftermarket knobs have adapters that raise it up.

You ask the OP, but here is a standard height ( maybe a 1/4” +)

Twisted Shifter has standard & higher … the adapter is the bigger difference.

 

[Bronco21Maybe]

A Twisted Shifterz is on my to-do list, as well. Their website is confusing, or I would have already ordered one. That, and I can't figure out what color for a Carbonite Gray bronco where everything is black and gray. Thinking about adding some carefully placed accent colors - like red.

 

[Bronco21Maybe]

My manual isn't perfectly smooth, but it's still very nice. Sometimes it clinks around a little shifting from 1-2 and 2-3.

 

[Q1svt]

Their website is confusing,

Yes …. I looked around at a lot of their shifter knobs then called them … worked great

 

[Bronco21Maybe]

Yes …. I looked around at a lot of their shifter knobs then called them … worked great

That's what I am going to do. I want the shorter adapter. Also want to see if they can do a Bronco horse logo. At this point, I don't need the shift pattern on the knob.

 

[KreeHBronco]

Question: How does that knob compare to the OEM in terms of height? I have been looking for a replacement that is at the same height as the original and it looks like many aftermarket knobs have adapters that raise it up.

I didn't measure it, but to me, it looks about the same. Some of the shift knobs use a lock-nut to fix the knob position, but mine came with lock-tight (blue) to set the location. Maybe the ones using the nut are taller.

 

[thesocalexplorer]

Swapped my fluid to Redline MT-LV about a month ago. Made the unit shift so much smoother. That, combined with not limp-wristing the shifts has made shifting much snappier than when I first picked mine up.

 

[Dave2020GT]

Huh? This is one of the smoothest shifting cars I have ever had.

 

[RedBeardoh]

Huh? This is one of the smoothest shifting cars I have ever had.

Same here. I still swapped my fluid out at 5k for OP Racing Synchro Shift II. Feels like it got an even a little smoother and I just feel better not having that super thin OEM fluid in there. But I never had issues with the trans prior either.

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