I really dislike the Manual shift feel
 

Rubbery and imprecise would be my description. Twice already I ground second. You think its in gear but, its not. I mean, It was a lazy shift but, It's so easy to mess up a shift with this shifter.
I recall the shifter on my old 95 to be far superior.. in fact.. I think my 1978 rabbit had a better shifter.

I'm surprised -- I have the opposite feedback. I love the stock shifter. I've done short shifters on all my previous vehicles, but have not felt the need to on the 6th gen.

There is a Hurst short throw shifter for 6th gens that may interest you. It's a PITA install, much more involved than on a T56. There really aren't many (any?) other options, probably due to the need to drop the exhaust, driveshaft and lower the trans.

Which transmission.. tremec tr6060? You can no lift shift that all day long.


Want shitty transmission experience.. try the current 86 twins.. feels like stick inside cans rusty bolts. Notchy af, rarely smooth, even pulling out of 1st take considerable effort and whole thing feels like its supported on rubber bands.


I did have the fluid in my tr6060 changed at about first oil change. Been good to me ever since.

I just never had this problem. Not much is more embarrassing than not moving while your syncros grind. Twice already. I have to make a mental note to put more force on the shifter and know it's fully at its stop.

I love the feel of rowing my M6. That is fortunate since I don't know how to drive automatik.

I just got home - today - with the Hurst (using the stock knob) installed at the shop, I love it.

Your 95 had the shifter bolted onto the top of the transmission - very different geometry. Even the Gen5 was mounted differently to the Gen6, the mechanism suspended between the body and the car. The Gen 6 is. . . well some confusing thing I'd never take on my self.

If your grinding was due to mechanical problem with the transmission, that would remain. If the vagueness and long throw is the cause, maybe look into the hurst.

never had any issues...

Very odd. Are you sure you're keeping the clutch depressed enough?

Judging by how i see some people sit.. amazed they can press the clutch at all.

Interesting, love the feel of the shifter, nice and notchy!

"Twice already I ground second."

If looking for solutions, you need to qualify this to one of these cases (or something else).

1. That (from the complaint) the feel caused error, i.e. clutch fully in, pulled only partially into gear (then lifted clutch, which would make it grind and kick it out) - i.e. only grinds *after* clutch pedal is lifted.
2. Clutch fully in, did a 1-2 Shift, AND there was grinding *while* the stick was moving *with* the clutch in.


If you have ( 1 ) you will inevitably learn your way around with the stock shifter. As a means for making this easier, instead of grabbing over the top, do things like 1->2 by grabbing at the front and pulling back, possibly even shifting part of your grip down off the knob into the cloth (which effectively shortens but also mitigates part of the stick).

If you're getting case ( 2 ) - which I've had a lifetime ago on a car of significant mileage and thrashing, there can be a period of 'denial' where you think it may be from something the operator did; but has to do with synchros/blocker rings, or other matters inside the transmission that need fixing. You can suppress it by double-clutching; but you want to make definite observed proper shifts and see if it's happening.

My Gen five 2SS had that same feel, nice and Notchy. At first I Felt bad almost forcing it but after a while, you get used to it. It’s one of them who’s boss, eventually you get used to the RPM shift points and life is good

The shifter is technically just levers that get you to the inside of the transmission - any real mechanical feel is just being conveyed from the transmission.

The shifter can be long (providing less leverage) or short (more leverage) but you're at the end of the mechanism will be synchros and gears that have to handle getting smacked around with V8 Torque running through it - it can never feel like a compact car's shifts.

The 6060 in my 18 was experiencing the same things that you're describing.
It simply didn't want to behave if it wasn't up to driving temps. Second gear
grinding, hard to pull out of first, etc (all at 7K miles). The two things I did
changed the overall feel and performance entirely. I highly recommend the two below..

*Royal Purple Synchromax drain n fill (follow GM D&F procedures explicitly)
*Hurst Billet/Plus shifter assembly.

The factory shifter assembly is a terribly poor design compared to the Hurst.
I was quite surprised at how cheap GM went on their shifter assembly. Either
way, I recommend the above.