Folks who installed the MGW short throw themselves inside please

[meissen]

How long did it take to install? Any tips I should know about that might not be obvious in the two YouTube install videos by MGW? This is going to be installed in a 2012 LFX 1LS if it makes any difference.

[SinisterEcho]

The install video that came with my shifter was very straight forward. It took me about 4-5 hours with quite a few breaks. But it helps to have a second person helping with the install. I do not know if there is any difference btwn the LS3 or the LFX however. Good luck! You will love it!

[BigMatt]

Took me about an hour and a half on jack stands in my driveway.

[ITGuy11]

Probably took me around two hours. PITA, but well worth it!

[hapisok]

took right around an hour here. there are a few changes from the video that was shipped with the kit unless they've updated it. it was fairly straight forward but it was nice having a second set of hands when lining up some of the bolts towards the end of the install. watch the video a few times, or watch it on a laptop during the install so you can pause it.

best tip i can give is to have the right tool for the job. and they list everything you need.

definitely worth it! took about a week to really break in...and then its

good luck!

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

V-6's have centering springs. If you retain them, allow extra cursing time.

John B.

[meissen]

I installed it yesterday - took about 4 hours. It seems the video is very outdated. There were a bunch of steps that did not make sense. For example after unscrewing the two bolts from underneath the shift assembly for the circular plate, the video shows the shift rod pulling right out and rather easily. In my case, there was a spring or something underneath the rubber boot that was making it literally impossible to pull the shifter rod out. My dad was working inside the car while I was underneath it so he had to pull the rubber boot out of the oval plate while the shift assembly and then used needle nose pliers to undo a spring. Unfortunately I was under the car so I didn't see what he was doing but he said without doing it that it would have been impossible to get out.

Secondly, the step for undoing the pins holding the arms to the transmission didn't make any sense - I did't see any "access holes." I ended up seeing where the clip of the pin was and then prying them up with a flat blade screw driver.

We had a metal block which bolted into the two forward holes and appeared to be an extra piece to "wedge" the rubber boot against the transmission tunnel.

We had a huge sheet of dynomat compared to the strip in the video, so we cut out the oval for the shift boot and then put it down covering more than just those two forward bolts.

We ended up having to cut out a strip from the padding mats because the two plugs in front of the shifter assembly were in the way.

The threadlock that was supplied was dried out and empty, thankfully I had my own.

I ordered the retro shift knob assembly and it was not included in the box.

I ordered the composite race knob and it doesn't look like the picture on MGW's site. MGW's site looks like it has the inset for the ziptie to ziptie the boot to the knob (where it flares out in the picture) and mine is straight down with an allen screw with no where to attach the shift boot to the knob so I ended up not even being able to use it...

Johnny - What centering springs are you talking about? I didn't see any steps or info for that?

Lastly, is it normal that 2nd, 4th, and 6th is practically up against the shift surround panel? For example neutral is not "centered" in the shift opening like the stock shifter was?


I only drove it around the block yesterday but I'm very happy with the new shifter overall. I'm surprised how much more road noise there is with the new assembly -- why would the stock assembly with less insulation padding create less noise? Really weird. Looking forward to really driving around town today so I can get a better feel for the shifter - I can already tell that I want to throw farther so that will take a little getting used to

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

The spring your Dad had to undo is the one I was referring to.

John B.

[meissen]

Is it normal that the shifter sits so far back? Like I said in my previous post, when I'm in 2nd, 4th, or 6th the shifter is almost against the back of the shifter plate. I would have thought that when the shifter is in neutral that it'd still be centered in the shift panel opening, no? Is everyone's the same?

[*_ERIC_*]

I did my install in 2 1/2 hours. Took my time too! The biggest pain you'll have is the front passenger side clip you have to take out and re-install. They have a installation video. Take your time and follow it! You can't go wrong!

[chef-beavis]

Originally Posted by meissen

Is it normal that the shifter sits so far back? Like I said in my previous post, when I'm in 2nd, 4th, or 6th the shifter is almost against the back of the shifter plate. I would have thought that when the shifter is in neutral that it'd still be centered in the shift panel opening, no? Is everyone's the same?

Mine has the retro knob and the shaft for it bolts on with an offset block. You can rotate it any way you like...

yours?

[meissen]

I have the stock-style shaft. I think the retro shaft is the route I needed to go. I saw threads on here that said if you select retro shaft they send you both the retro and the normal stock equivalent so I selected retro shaft but they didn't send it to me as the composite race knob won't fit the retro shaft.

[FunkedOut]

just take the shaft you have on it now and rotate it until it is in front of the lower shaft instead of behind or to the side; that will center the shift knob nicely. it did for me; i went with the ZL1 shaft, though, so i could use a 2013 shift knob.

back on topic, took me 3 hours taking my sweet time while shooting the breeze.

[Rob3D]

Took me about three hours. All I have left to do is install the padding, boot and shift knob. I won't get to drive it for a few days because since I got it up on the stands I'm gonna do some other stuff...

Notes on install:
About the shifter arm pins....just tap them up with a flat head and a small hammer. The small lip that locks it into place will bend, just bend it back with some needlenose plyers and reinstall. The way they show you in the video is pure madness...madness I tell you! Even if you break it and have to buy a new one..this way is better.

The shifter was a tight fight when raising it into the car...kinda had to force the bolts through the holes but not much. But it stayed in place while I went up top to put the nuts on.

If you do this alone, the only time I needed help was this....you can install the dust boot bracket by inserting the bolts on the holes, then wedge a rag under it to hold it in place while you go up top to install the nuts. Dont forget to go get your rag back.

When installing the small round dust boot on the shifter....roll that bad boy back like a condom then put it on and roll it back down...worked like a charm.

I did not inderstand the very last instruction on the ammendments page. "Do not slide the rear bushing bracket on until AFTER the transmission is raised back up. Very important." I did as instructed but have no idea why..cause it seemed like it would have worked better the other way. Or at least the same.

READ THIS PART CAREFULLY: The video points out that the passengers side shifter arm pin does not have to come all the way out to remove the stock shifter arm and then install the new . This is true, however, it's such a tight fit up against the firewall that it may not be out far enough to release the OEM shifter arm and then it may be in just enough that you can't get the new arm in...and it is just too tight to hold it out while trying to line up the holes. My solutution... Go ahead and remove the pin. How you say? I used a short metal bar to pry the transmission towards the drivers side just a bit..like 1/8 of an inch and stick a piece of 2x4 on the side of the tranny and there ya go..now you have room to remove and insert that pin at your leisure...LOL..just kidding...its still a pain on the ass, but LESS of a pain in the ass..

That's all of my notes. But I have a couple of questions to ask MGW tomorrow if they don't get answered here.

1. What's the tube of gasket maker for? The rear bushing bracket bolts to seal up the area where the bolts go into the car....

2. I opted for the stock shifter knob set up. Does the groove HAVE to be pointing straight front to back or can I adjust it (turn it) to where I want it? The grooves have to be that way because the stock shifter fits into that groove.

3. I had a question about the big sheet of Dynomat, but I'm gonna do what Miessen did with it.

That's it.