Ford Mustang Forum banner

Steeda Shifter Quiet As Stock?

2K views 29 replies 15 participants last post by  WhiteBird00 
#1 ·
I installed an MGW shifter several weeks ago and never liked it from day one. It is much noisier than stock despite all the things they include for noise reduction. It also has a centering spring that is so strong it makes 1-2 and 5-6 shifts something to think about so as not to end up in 4th.

I finally got annoyed enough to go back to the same shop and have the stock shifter reinstalled. I love the quiet (basically silent) shifting but now I miss the shorter throw.

Steeda promotes their shifter as having no increase in NVH (but so does MGW). Can someone here who has the Steeda shifter (without the bracket and bushing) tell me how it compares to stock in terms of noise?

I'm not into performance driving - my ideal shifter would be the stock one with a shorter throw but no more noise and no extra strength centering spring. Will the Steeda give me that? I'm getting a little tired of spending a lot of money for shifter, installation and then removal so I'd really like a definitive answer before I order. Or maybe Steeda might offer a money back guarantee like Barton?
 
#4 ·
well the reason the Steeda doesnt offer higher shift reduction is it uses a single pivot point, meaning you can only go so far on the reduction before side to side movement gets reduced so much its difficult to drive, the Barton uses a dual trunion (dual pivot point) meaning they can offer the higher forward/back reduction and not effect the side to side movement. all I can say is, if you werent happy with the MGW, Im about 200% positive you wont like the Steeda, but to each their own I guess......
 
#5 ·
I liked the shorter throw of the MGW but not the noise or the strong centering spring. The Barton has 40% reduction in throw which is way more than I want and I've read that it causes a noticeable increase in noise over stock. I am aware of the dual trunion and the other quality features of the Barton but all that doesn't matter a bit if it doesn't offer the type of shifting I'm looking for.
 
#21 ·
As for the MGW, you can reduce the centering spring pressure by removing the lower cap on the centering spring, leave the upper cap. I did, it's perfect. As for noise, SOMETHING must be wrong in the installation. Is the shifter hitting the sheet metal hole in the floor? I have one with the whiteline tranny bushing my setup is QUIETER than stock for sure!
 
#9 ·
This was not the "snick" of precision machined parts - it was more like the "clunk" you hear when you put an automatic in gear with the engine idling too fast. It was loud enough that my wife asked what was broken... while she was standing outside the car!

In addition, the overall noise from under the car made it seem like I had put on an aftermarket exhaust. That part I ended up getting used to but the clunk when shifting just got me more annoyed every time.

Going back to stock has been so much more quiet that I can't believe I put up with it for as long as I did.
 
#7 ·
When I was down in Florida two years age I stopped by Steeda to check out the shop. I bought their shifter and even had them install it. I am happy in every way. I don't notice any increase in noise, am also happy with the shorter throw. If I hold the shifter some noise is transmitted, otherwise it is as quiet as stock IMHO.
 
#8 ·
Idk what to tell you, other than the positive gear engadgement sound when going into gear, my Barton is quiet
 
#12 ·
Any chance you'd want to sell the MGW that came off?
 
#13 ·
I already have someone interested despite the fact that it is not complete - there are missing parts like fasteners. In fact, all I have is the shifter, the bracket/bushing, the lower box, the spring and the interior sound deadening mat. It appears that the tech must have left the heat shield installed underneath when reinstalling the factory shifter.
 
#16 ·
So many things are confusing about this...

I am sorry you were not happy at all with the MGW but I am telling you after personally designing this shifter, machining them in house, and personally installing over 400 of them!! that you MUST have had a bad install job.

The shifter is MOST cases is as quiet as stock and in some cases quieter!! if the installer did not watch the video properly then I am afraid the results are not going to be right.,


also...

- how could the heat shield be left on when you took the MGW out. that's impossible because the heat shield affixes to the MGW. it cannot connect to the oem.

- if something is knocking in gear then something is hitting. it just doesn't happen.

- if you get too much exhaust noise then the boot is not sealed properly. it should not be that loud or annoying.

I guess if you already sold it then you are just going to be missing out on the REAL MGW experience because frankly you didn't get it.,


please have whoever bought the shifter to contact me directly and I can get him or her the missing pieces and also inspect to make sure the kit was not damaged by your installer.

We are just in augusta Georgia...about a 3-4 hour road trip. I welcome you to drive up any day and I will personally install the shifter correctly for FREE if you change your mind!!


George MGW 706-793-1770
 
#14 ·
MGW's are known to be clunky for the first 500 miles or so. At first I wasn't too thrilled about mine, but the more I drove it, the better it felt. Now mine is broken in with 800 miles on it and I couldn't ask for a better shifter. My shifter is extremely quiet - no noise at all. I didn't even use the Dynomat the MGW included.
 
#15 ·
I am very happy with the Steeda shifter on my 5.0 and don't really notice much noise at all. I have the shifter, base and shift knob and really enjoy how it shifts.
 
#17 ·
oh and one more thing...

the installer if he watched the video should also have offered to remove one of the centering spring endcaps to reduce the effort of spring in the shifter for you. it makes a difference.

we purposely build the springs strong because...

- most of our customers DO RACE the cars.

- the springs WILL lose about 10-15 percent of their rate after 500 miles which is industry norm for compression springs so we make them higher than the set rate.

- taking out that cap reduces the effort a good bit and is easy to do.

George
 
#20 ·
George,

I am increasingly certain that your diagnosis of improper installation is the cause of my issues. I took it to a local performance shop that specializes in Mustangs and had installed my gear upgrade. But although they had installed your shifters before, I don't think they had ever done one on an MT82 and I'm fairly sure they never watched the video.

The heat shield is missing so it's quite possible that it was never installed the first time around. I can't think of any other reason they would have left it out of the returned parts. Perhaps that would have contributed to the general noise from underneath?

I have spoken with you before and I know that you make quality products and stand behind them. It's obvious when you look at the shifter that it is a quality piece. I've always been impressed with your customer service and I truly appreciate your kind offer of installation. But at this point I've already spent over five hours (including travel time) and $300 on installation and removal. I think I'll just live with the stock shifter despite the longer throw.

Many thanks for your consideration.
 
#23 ·
I've had Steeda Tri Ax shifter for about 3 years and 24,000 miles with no noticeable noise. Haven't had any others to compare. I'm happy with the Steeda.
 
#24 ·
I've had Steeda Tri Ax shifter for about 3 years and 24,000 miles with no noticeable noise. Haven't had any others to compare. I'm happy with the Steeda.

Have you ever had a problem with the shifter during the heat? For me mainly in the summer the spring doesn't rebound to its normal position sometimes and it is very easy to shift into reverse instead of going into 1st gear. I have to pull up on the shifter to make sure I go into 1st gear.
 
#25 ·
Here's an update...

George at MGW generously offered to inspect the shifter I had installed and removed to ensure the person I was selling it to was getting everything they needed and it was undamaged. That is really going above and beyond in customer service to ensure customers (even second hand) have a good experience with their product. Frankly, I'm in awe.

It turns out that the "performance" shop that did the installation did it so badly that they crushed the bushings and that was what was causing all the noise and harshness. I am currently in discussions with the shop to see about getting my installation costs refunded.

In the meantime, I also had a conversation with some nice people from Steeda who convinced me that their shifter was worth a try. I had a different shop do the installation this time. Driving away after the installation, I noticed an immediate difference that brought a grin to my face. This shifter was exactly what I was looking for! It has a nice throw that is shorter than stock but not too extreme. It has very precise movement and best of all, it is just as quiet as the stock shifter! There is a slight click as it is pulled into each gear that is more felt than heard and is a reassuring confirmation that you are in the gear. The reverse lockout is positive without requiring too much effort (I had expected I would want to switch to the included lighter spring but decided it wasn't necessary once I tried it).

I am not a performance driver anymore. These days my Mustang is my daily driver and weekend cruiser. So my needs in a short throw shifter are somewhat different than those of most enthusiasts. I wanted a shifter with a somewhat shorter throw than stock but still long enough for my relaxed shifting style. But most of all, the shifter had to be as quiet as stock. The Steeda shifter has turned out to be exactly what I wanted.
 
#26 ·
They are both good shifters - glad to hear all worked out. Definitely get your $$ refunded - don't be afraid to push them either - either they refund it all or you will post their name & pics of their incompetence on a prominent mustang forum - this will light a fire under their significant parts. Hope your enjoying the weather down their eh? soon to be snowing up here.
 
#30 ·
Hope your enjoying the weather down their eh? soon to be snowing up here.
Just got back from a whirlwind tour of Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal visiting family. A week ago last Friday they had their hottest day of the year (32C) and nobody seemed to have air conditioning. Probably won't be back there until April so hopefully the snow will be gone by then.
 
#28 ·
No, I did not use the rear bracket or bushing, just the shifter. I was trying to do everything I could to keep down any added noise or vibration and discussions had indicated that the stiffer bracket/bushings were one source of that.
 
#29 ·
It sounds like I'm after a similar result as you, but with the addition of an energy suspension shifter bushing and the stock bracket. I have that bushing in now and have been pleased with the results. I can fire off pretty good shifts this way and the addition of the shifter would take it to the next level. I would just like a little shorter throw.


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top