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2008 Mustang GT Hurst Shifter Noise

7K views 20 replies 5 participants last post by  Earl_the_Pearl 
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#1 ·
I have a 2008 Ford Mustang GT in which myself and a friend installed a Hurst Billet Competition Short Throw Shifter. From everything that I read and from what I could see it appeared pretty easy and sure enough it was and there were no issues. I know from seeing many other posts that they are noiser then the stock shifter as the bushings are much harder and the shifter lever is metal. I do not have a problem with any gear selection or any shifting at all but the thing that I notice is that if I hit a larger bump, pot hole or rougher road I hear a srubbing at the time that the car is going over it. For normal driving and regular road bumps it does not make any noise, just if there is a larger enough "jolt" it makes that scrubbing sound at the same time.

Is this something that is normal or is there something wrong?
 
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#3 ·
Thank you for the response. I have to take it to my local ford dealer for its post winter storage service and inspection, I will have to see if they can take a look at it. The other funny thing that I noticed though is that it seems to do it worse when its colder out (like in the fall, as I dont have it on the road during the winter. Thank you Upstate New York).

I was hoping and am hoping that it will be something small, I just am not very mechanically inclined at all.
 
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#4 ·
The leading billet arm is much beefier than the stock steel. It could be possible you have enough slop in the drivetrain allowing the transmission to "bounce" and hit the transmission tunnel on this arm. The transmission only sits on the cross member and is only bolted to the rear of the engine and the OEM motor mounts allow for a lot of movement. It is easy enough to jack the front end up and take a look.
 
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#5 ·
Back@itagain, if that is the problem, which to me sounds like a very good possibility of the problem, does that mean I would need new motor mounts? or would I have to put the stock shifter back in to fix the problem? or what?

I am sure that these are basic straight forward questions but as I mentioned before unfortunately I do not know anything about mechanical stuff on vehicles and I do not always trust the local garages, especially with this car. Most of the garages where I live are use to working on older "beaters" not higher end sports cars. Any corners that they can cut they will.
 
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#6 ·
Back@itagain, if that is the problem, which to me sounds like a very good possibility of the problem, does that mean I would need new motor mounts? or would I have to put the stock shifter back in to fix the problem? or what?

I am sure that these are basic straight forward questions but as I mentioned before unfortunately I do not know anything about mechanical stuff on vehicles and I do not always trust the local garages, especially with this car. Most of the garages where I live are use to working on older "beaters" not higher end sports cars. Any corners that they can cut they will.
You could certainly get new urethane motor mounts which would reduce the engine movement but I would start with a simple visual inspection. If it is making contact it is going to leave a mark. I am only theorizing with my previous post but based on what you stated it is a logical place to start. Most engines are not centered in the engine bay to start with and it might just need to be moved slightly to one side to give some clearance down stream. All very simple to do yourself.
 
#12 ·
I have that set out with the rest of the parts and tools. Worse than noise would be to have it fall off or the stick come off in my hand.

I was wondering about the "srubbing" the OP and another poster hears when going over large bumps. I expect it to feel and sound more old school American muscle than the European (girl) feel of the OEM shifter but not to hit something when the suspension flexes.

It is a tight fit and can only be bolted in one way with no adjustment. The billet is square and a bit larger wile the OEM was round. I was wondering if that could be a problem. Once I start the installation I can't return it.
 
#15 ·
Here are som solid tips
Don't over torque the two nuts for the the rear most U mount that Boyle the shifter to the body
Drop the tranny by loosening the tranny mount nuts down about 2 inches. This is for good access to the forward linkage bolt
Get some lithium spray grease and shoot it in the center bearing of the shifter
When mounting the shifter arm use at least one or maybe to of the rubber isolators
Before you screw on the shift knob, wrap the shifter shaft threads with Teflon tape, this will help with any noise from under the car resonating up to the shift ball.


Sent from my Autoguide iPad app
 
#20 ·
I too posted tips for those who like to read. Including dropping the tranny a couple of inches.


Sent from my Autoguide iPad app
 
#16 ·
Thanks for the tips.

So far I'm not having fun. Using an apprentice assistant (my son) and working on jack stands it took me five hours to install the Hurst billet shifter.

After finally getting all bolts tight and parts lined up, I think, it shifts much better than the OME but is noise especially in the handle. If I hold the handle it is not as noisy so something is not right.

The instructions that came in the box were for the one that looks like the Ford Racing shifter. So there is no mention of the shift stop studs or how to adjust them. Does anyone know the thread size of the shift stop studs as I can't find mine.

Would it help if I put the two rubber pads between the upper and lower stick?

The instructions say that the long end of the tube at the bottom of the shifter should point to the passenger side of the car. I installed it that way and it is a pain in the butt to tighten the two screws that hold the upper and lower stick together as the lower shift arm is very close to the console.

Looking at the pictures for both type of shifters I see that the bolts that hold the arms together are on the opposite side of the stick than mine. To have the head of the bolts face the passenger side the longer end of the tube on the shifter bottom would have to face the driver side and that is not what the instructions say.

As soon as I saw made in China on the box I should have sent it back.

BTW I don't have any "scrubbing" sound the OP reported when going over large bumps. I even hit a speed bump at 30 MPH in different gears.
 

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#17 ·
I found one problem, the instructions Hurst gives are wrong. They state "offset (long side) position on right (passenger) side. Yet the picture shows the offset facing left, this is how the OEM faces and Roush says "Important:The offset (long side) side of connector located on the stick bottom must be positioned to the left (driver) side."

The instructions form American Muscle uses the same picture as Hurst but not the words.

Tomorrow I will turn the connector around but I'm sure it will still rattle like the godless communist crap Hurst has become.
 

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#18 ·
The stick can only mount on way, and that is with the head of the stick mounting screws on the passenger side of the stick.


Sent from my Autoguide iPad app
 
#19 ·
It will mount the way the bottom tube is oriented. If the long end is towards the right the groves on the bottom stick will face left, that is the way Hurst's instructions say to do it and is wrong.

I posted pictures for those who don't like to read. :smartass:

This an the instruction video for an MGW shifter; this would have saved me hours if Hurst told me to drop the transmission a few inches. Notice there is a arrow on the bottom tube showing how it should be installed.

Mustang 2005-2009 Short Throw Shifter
 
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