better, not shorter shifter?

[Roffle Waffle]

Right now I have a stock shifter with the MGW knob on a 35k mile car. The shifting is a bit difficult and sometimes a bit confusing because the stick doesn't automatically spring back to the center (between 3rd and 4th gear)

Is there a shift kit that makes the shifting more pleasant without cutting down length 30%, thereby increasing effort, and notchyness?

If not, I can adapt and tell myself that its part of a Viper's personality to be a hard shifter.

 

[Roffle Waffle]

or how about using the long stock shift knob on a short shift kit? anyone try it?

 

[RTTTTed]

My 98 GTS came with a MGW knob that was only the knob and NO shaft. Sometimes a little stiff (as you said). When I bought my 01 GTS it has a lot more ponies and way better tires than the runcraps on my 98.

My 01 came with a Hurst shortshifter and stock 6"(?) shifter handle. I immediately installed the short knob on the 'short shifter'. The knob rests perfectly in my hand while resting my forearm on the console - no reaching up. I love the position of the MGW knob but find that it is stiff and although I like it like that it's a good thing that my wife doesn't like to drive the car - she's not strong enough. I also like the stiff ride of my cars and wouldn't trade it for magnetiscope shocks from a ZR1. LOL

It's a "to each his own" situation. I like the positive feel of a stiff shifter and most people don't.

You could do a search on Shifters or call JonB for his knowledge of shifters for a Gen 2, but ... No spring in your 3-4th shift sounds like you should removed your shifter and find the problem first (shifter or transmission).

Ted

 

[Dom426h]

I immediately installed the short knob on the 'short shifter'. The knob rests perfectly in my hand while resting my forearm on the console - no reaching up.

You drive your viper with one hand
One hand at 12oclock? Do you tilt your seat all the way back and get yo lean on to? thats gangsta

Seriously though. In a spirited driving/racing scenarios BOTH hands should be on the wheel as much as possible. Having the shifter lower only disturbs the driver by keeping his hand off the wheel for that much longer reaching all the way down there. This is why when you look at older ferraris and such, the shaft is long and high, so the driver has a shorter distance to move his hand off the wheel to make a shift then return back to the wheel.
In rally racecars they keep the knob mounted as close to te steeringwheel as possible as it is very important to have both hands on the wheel in rough terrain

The only thing to gain with a shifter is shortened throws through an upgraded shifter mechanism. The shortened shaft is just something that one-handed posers came up with a long time ago and it continues to be confused with a short shifter. Also the self centering springs are a big plus of the aftermarket shifters

On my 97, I have a Stock 00-02 knob with a B&M Shifter and i think the 00-02 knob paired with Any aftermarket shifter would make for a more pleasant precise driving experience.

 

[Dom426h]

a few pics for example:

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[Dom426h]

In a spirited driving/racing scenarios BOTH hands should be on the wheel as much as possible.

EDIT: ANY time you are driving BOTH hands should be on the wheel as much as possible

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

You drive your viper with one hand
One hand at 12oclock? Do you tilt your seat all the way back and get yo lean on to? thats gangsta

Seriously though. In a spirited driving/racing scenarios BOTH hands should be on the wheel as much as possible. Having the shifter lower only disturbs the driver by keeping his hand off the wheel for that much longer reaching all the way down there. This is why when you look at older ferraris and such, the shaft is long and high, so the driver has a shorter distance to move his hand off the wheel to make a shift then return back to the wheel.
In rally racecars they keep the knob mounted as close to te steeringwheel as possible as it is very important to have both hands on the wheel in rough terrain

The only thing to gain with a shifter is shortened throws through an upgraded shifter mechanism. The shortened shaft is just something that one-handed posers came up with a long time ago and it continues to be confused with a short shifter. Also the self centering springs are a big plus of the aftermarket shifters

On my 97, I have a Stock 00-02 knob with a B&M Shifter and i think the 00-02 knob paired with Any aftermarket shifter would make for a more pleasant precise driving experience.

WELL SAID, especially the height of the shifter. The Gen 4 comes just right with the height of the shifter for easy and less time to shift when road racing. This is why the engineers made it this way and you dont see Tom Colonel driving the Ring with a mickey mouse aftermarket shifter. It amazes me the many owners who change out to a short shifter height. Guess it looks cool.

 

[plumcrazy]

i wonder how the hand position (height) compares on a viper to those pics shown ?

with the seating position in the viper, your hand is pretty high up on your body compared to those pics i think.

 

[EXHLR8N]

I had Dan Cragen at DC Performance install the Hurst Competition shifter kit on my 2003, which also shortens the shift. It was night and day from stock.

It is easy to find on the track since your elbow naturally finds the console and the shift lever is right there.

Another mod which was tremendous on the track, especially with heel-toe, is a light-weight flywheel.

Just some thoughts ...

 

[FLX109]

I use a shift knob adapter with a 1 7/8" shift knob (1/2-20 thread) and I am only 1/2" shorter than stock on my srt10, works well.

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[Jerry Scott[CO]]

Kip Partridge in Denver can modify a stock shifter to have a stronger spring in the left gate. This helps to avoid the errant 3rd to 2nd shift, when you want 3rd to 4th. His phone is: 303-697-5821.
Jerry

 

[Dom426h]

BigBrakeDave's Website is a good resource for comparing heights of diff shaft/knob combos. The knob itself can lower your setup more than a 00-02stock knob with lower shaft. For example:
the firststrike knob with Stock shaft is about an Inch Lower than
a 00-02Stock knob with the 1"lowered shaft

Short Shifter Rods

 

[RTTTTed]

Although I agree that you should keep both hands on the wheel, when you drive 500 - 1000miles a day that isn't really practical. Sometimes there is no one on the road except yourself and you need to rest your arms. I know that technically you should pull over to the side of the road, rest areas etc. every couple hours, but ... then there's real life.

On the track I'd take the 3" movement of the shifter with a few extra inches of travel to get ready to shift as compared to the extra few inches of travel to move the shifter into the next gear.

Just my opinion of course, my wife would like a longer shifter.

Ted

 

[Roffle Waffle]

BigBrakeDave's Website is a good resource for comparing heights of diff shaft/knob combos. The knob itself can lower your setup more than a 00-02stock knob with lower shaft. For example:
the firststrike knob with Stock shaft is about an Inch Lower than
a 00-02Stock knob with the 1"lowered shaft

Short Shifter Rods

I already have a shorter knob, I'm looking for a better feeling shifting mechanism

 

[ViperTony]

Shifting mechanisms for the Viper include Hurst, B&M. SVS made a nice shifter (I have it) but they went belly up. The other thing to consider is replacing your motor/tranny mounts. My shifter was bobbing all over the place and I missed shifts. Poly mounts took care of that. There's a how to in the Illustrated Upgrades section.

 

[jdeft1]

I really like the B&M shifter in my gen 1.. I really don't recall it being much harder to throw and it offers a degree of confidence that's easy to get used to.

My .02,
=J

 

[Yellow32]

Right now I have a stock shifter with the MGW knob on a 35k mile car. The shifting is a bit difficult and sometimes a bit confusing because the stick doesn't automatically spring back to the center (between 3rd and 4th gear)

Is there a shift kit that makes the shifting more pleasant without cutting down length 30%, thereby increasing effort, and notchyness?

If not, I can adapt and tell myself that its part of a Viper's personality to be a hard shifter.

When's the last time you replaced your engine and tranmission mounts? Never, ah, that's too long, time to call Woodhouse and get their polyurethane mounts, noticeably improved shifiting effort in my '01 ACR w/only 16K miles (at the time).

-J