Cutting Threads on Stock Shifter Shaft - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Whitey 22lr · 06-20-2011, 10:12 PM

I've seen a few threads, pun intended, about the stock shifter shaft and thought
I'd try threading the shaft for a shifter ball.

I measured the diameter with a micrometer and had about .555+/-". I had seen an old thread where someone used a 1/2- 20 die. I'm certainly NOT a machinist, but thought that a 9/16" die would be a better alternative. I liked the Hurst Shifter knob part# 163 0056 which has 9/16" -18
threads and fits a C5 Corvette. So I went with that thread pattern.

Here's what I did:
1. Applied the parking brake and put the transmission in neutral.
2. Removed the top of the console and boot. Then pulled off the original .
shifter knob.
3. Covered EVERYTHING I could within the area with old towels,rags, or
whatever. I also took an old towel and cut a small hole in the center and pushed
over the shaft.
4. I wrapped a small rag around the bottom of the shaft and clamped some
vise grips on it. I figured I should try to keep as much presssure off the shaft
as possible while cutting the treads.
5. The hardest part is getting the die started straight and perpendicular to the shaft.
I took my time and used plenty of thread cutting oil. I reversed the die
after I turned the die about 180°. After about every 1/4" of threads I cut,
I removed the die and flushed it with new cutting oil. The die holder I used had
rather long handles, which I removed in the photos. As I progressed, the radio
knobs were in the way from turning the handle completely around, so I had to
alternately unscrew the handles and put them back in after the handle position
cleared the knobs.
6. I was able to run the thread down the shaft about 1 1/4". This turned out to be
plenty of room for the jam nut and the shifter ball. After cutting the threads, I
cleaned all the shavings and used some light (3 in 1) type oil to do a final cleanup
on the threads.
7. I found a small piece of chrome tubing that fit over the shaft and cut a piece
about 3/4" long that went on before the jam nut. This covered the exposed part
of the shaft that wasn't threaded.
8. I cleaned up everything and put the boot over the shaft. I used a plastic wire tie
to attach the stitched boot to the shaft. Put the boot and console back together.
Put the jam nut on the shaft and then the shifter ball. Positioned the ball
straight and turned the jam nut up to tighten. The knob is rock solid tight.

The entire project took about 2 hours. I couldn't find the 9/16" die or holder in
local home stores, so just bought online. I will say again, the hardest part is
getting the die started straight.

I could always put the the OEM shifter knob back on , if I wanted, since I didn't
destroy the slots in the shaft or cut it down in any way.

I think that the knob sits a little bit lower than the OEM, but not much.
I also think the final result looksalmost factory like.
BTW- It just feels great to shift!!

Hope this helps someone.

Whitey

2SSRS@Gen5diy · 06-20-2011, 10:35 PM

Looks good.

Hicompression · 06-20-2011, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2SSRS

Looks good.

X2!

2010 SSRS · 06-20-2011, 11:27 PM

awesome

bajamoon · 06-20-2011, 11:31 PM

Looks good. I cut my shifter also but i put on the short version of the MGW retro shaft. Much better than stock.

SUX2BU · 06-20-2011, 11:35 PM

Very nice!

CamaroCowboy · 06-21-2011, 05:34 AM

Looks nice. Good job on the install and great write up.

f5journal · 06-21-2011, 11:39 AM

From a MGW "whiteballer".....looks great. That's all I was after too. That is a tad cleaner looking than their retro adapter

NEGXXIS · 06-24-2011, 11:10 AM

Nice work !!

h2oplay · 06-24-2011, 08:16 PM

Looks great, is the hollow chrome part from a golf club shaft?

Whitey 22lr · 06-25-2011, 08:06 AM

Nope, Just a small piece of tubing had laying around in my
"odds and ends" box. Very thin walled. May have come from
some plumbing part during my home renovations.

Thanks all for the positive comments!

Whitey

BackinBlackSS/RS · 06-25-2011, 08:56 AM

Very nice job!!!

walt353 · 07-19-2011, 12:31 AM

Looks great. Would the GM factory hearst shifter shaft be the same size. Ive been wanting to put a shifter knob like that on.This looks like a pretty simple job.

Whitey 22lr · 07-19-2011, 10:46 AM

It looks like the standard shifter knob is the same as the factory Hurst except the Hurst knob has the tiny Hurst emblem.

But, I cannot say if the factory Hurst shifter shaft is the same diameter as the stock one. It looks to be from pictures I saw somewhere here on the forums.

Perhaps someone here with the factory Hurst can measure.

Whitey

06-20-2011, 10:12 PM	#1
Whitey 22lr Drives: 2010 SS/RS Black, MT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 116	Cutting Threads on Stock Shifter Shaft I've seen a few threads, pun intended, about the stock shifter shaft and thought I'd try threading the shaft for a shifter ball. I measured the diameter with a micrometer and had about .555+/-". I had seen an old thread where someone used a 1/2- 20 die. I'm certainly NOT a machinist, but thought that a 9/16" die would be a better alternative. I liked the Hurst Shifter knob part# 163 0056 which has 9/16" -18 threads and fits a C5 Corvette. So I went with that thread pattern. Here's what I did: 1. Applied the parking brake and put the transmission in neutral. 2. Removed the top of the console and boot. Then pulled off the original . shifter knob. 3. Covered EVERYTHING I could within the area with old towels,rags, or whatever. I also took an old towel and cut a small hole in the center and pushed over the shaft. 4. I wrapped a small rag around the bottom of the shaft and clamped some vise grips on it. I figured I should try to keep as much presssure off the shaft as possible while cutting the treads. 5. The hardest part is getting the die started straight and perpendicular to the shaft. I took my time and used plenty of thread cutting oil. I reversed the die after I turned the die about 180°. After about every 1/4" of threads I cut, I removed the die and flushed it with new cutting oil. The die holder I used had rather long handles, which I removed in the photos. As I progressed, the radio knobs were in the way from turning the handle completely around, so I had to alternately unscrew the handles and put them back in after the handle position cleared the knobs. 6. I was able to run the thread down the shaft about 1 1/4". This turned out to be plenty of room for the jam nut and the shifter ball. After cutting the threads, I cleaned all the shavings and used some light (3 in 1) type oil to do a final cleanup on the threads. 7. I found a small piece of chrome tubing that fit over the shaft and cut a piece about 3/4" long that went on before the jam nut. This covered the exposed part of the shaft that wasn't threaded. 8. I cleaned up everything and put the boot over the shaft. I used a plastic wire tie to attach the stitched boot to the shaft. Put the boot and console back together. Put the jam nut on the shaft and then the shifter ball. Positioned the ball straight and turned the jam nut up to tighten. The knob is rock solid tight. The entire project took about 2 hours. I couldn't find the 9/16" die or holder in local home stores, so just bought online. I will say again, the hardest part is getting the die started straight. I could always put the the OEM shifter knob back on , if I wanted, since I didn't destroy the slots in the shaft or cut it down in any way. I think that the knob sits a little bit lower than the OEM, but not much. I also think the final result looksalmost factory like. BTW- It just feels great to shift!! Hope this helps someone. Whitey Attached Images

06-20-2011, 11:27 PM	#4
2010 SSRS Drives: 3 V8 Camaros Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Ocean State Posts: 111,187 View My Garage	awesome __________________ Jannetty Racing JRE Street Package

06-20-2011, 11:35 PM	#6
SUX2BU Quit being a pu$$y Drives: FAST Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Sachse TX (DFW) Posts: 5,825 View My Garage	Very nice! __________________ <----- Click HERE to see ALL of my mods/write ups

06-21-2011, 05:34 AM	#7
CamaroCowboy Drives: 2013 Chevy Truck Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Copperas Cove, Texas Posts: 1,782 View My Garage	Looks nice. Good job on the install and great write up. __________________ Texas speed LT Headers and High Flow Cats, Magnaflow 3 inch cat-back Exhaust, SNL V2 Comp CAM, Texas Speed Underdrive Pully, G5CR CAI, Hurst Short Throw Shifter, JetFlo Mass Air Sensor, Custom Grill, Amber AAC Headlight and Fog Light Halo, Amber footwell Lighting, Amber under hood lighting, RK Sport Ram Air /Heat Extractor Hood and ADM Racing Scoop. 447.9 RWHP 428 TQ My car is exactly that, No one has to like it but me!

06-24-2011, 11:10 AM	#9
NEGXXIS Drives: 2019 Camaro SS A10 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tempe, Arizona Posts: 1,062 View My Garage	Nice work !! __________________ 2020 Range Rover Sport HSE P525 Supercharged 5.0 - Firenze Red - 9012 wheels SOLD 2019 Camaro SS -Wrapped in Matte Magnectic Black - Anderson Carbon Hood and Rear Spoiler – Ikon front spoiler – OEM ZL1 Side Rockers - ZL1 Addons Diffuser - BMR 1.0” Lowering Springs - MRR 228 Wheels 20x10 and 20x11 RIP 2016 Camaro SS https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=565453 SOLD 2010 Camaro SS Featured in GM High Tech Performance and Camaro Now Magazines - http://www.superchevy.com/features/g...of-perfection/

06-20-2011, 10:35 PM	#2
2SSRS@Gen5diy Drives: 2014 Z/28 #82+#192, 18ZLE 66Nova Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: By the lake in AZ Posts: 15,719 View My Garage	Looks good.

06-20-2011, 11:31 PM	#5
bajamoon Drives: 2014 Subaru WRX Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Whittier CA Posts: 13,730 View My Garage	Looks good. I cut my shifter also but i put on the short version of the MGW retro shaft. Much better than stock.

06-21-2011, 11:39 AM	#8
f5journal Senior Camaro Fanatic Drives: 2011 SS/RS manual - White Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: aiken, sc Posts: 1,980	From a MGW "whiteballer".....looks great. That's all I was after too. That is a tad cleaner looking than their retro adapter

06-24-2011, 08:16 PM	#10
h2oplay Winners find a way Drives: 2010 2LT/RS M6 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 1,137	Looks great, is the hollow chrome part from a golf club shaft?

06-25-2011, 08:06 AM	#11
Whitey 22lr Drives: 2010 SS/RS Black, MT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 116	chrome tube Nope, Just a small piece of tubing had laying around in my "odds and ends" box. Very thin walled. May have come from some plumbing part during my home renovations. Thanks all for the positive comments! Whitey

06-25-2011, 08:56 AM	#12
BackinBlackSS/RS Go Blue!!!!! Drives: 2012 Cruze LT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 23,290	Very nice job!!!

07-19-2011, 12:31 AM	#13
walt353 Drives: !SS/RS Victory Red Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 158 View My Garage	Looks great. Would the GM factory hearst shifter shaft be the same size. Ive been wanting to put a shifter knob like that on.This looks like a pretty simple job. __________________ 1SS/RS ,LS3, Volant Intake, VMax TB, Hurst Shifter

07-19-2011, 10:46 AM	#14
Whitey 22lr Drives: 2010 SS/RS Black, MT Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 116	It looks like the standard shifter knob is the same as the factory Hurst except the Hurst knob has the tiny Hurst emblem. But, I cannot say if the factory Hurst shifter shaft is the same diameter as the stock one. It looks to be from pictures I saw somewhere here on the forums. Perhaps someone here with the factory Hurst can measure. Whitey

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
TAG's 2010 THRSS #2	TAG UR IT	Member Car Journals	3129	08-14-2014 09:29 AM
Removing Centering Springs from Stock V6 Manual Shifter	autobotaz	V8 and V6 Transmissions / Driveline (6L80 / 6L50 / TR6060 / AY6)	20	04-19-2014 06:46 PM
My Shifter Review – Factory vs Hurst vs MGW	caverman	V8 and V6 Transmissions / Driveline (6L80 / 6L50 / TR6060 / AY6)	46	02-02-2013 04:03 PM
V8 and V6 Shifters in stock for your 5th Gen	MTI Racing Kevin	Transmission / Driveline	0	02-08-2011 04:12 PM
Unbeatble Prices on ACT / Fidanza / Hurst / Mishimoto / MTI / SLP / Spec / More	maperformance	Transmission / Driveline	18	10-26-2010 02:16 PM