What is a "shift kit"?

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PanGasket

PanGasket

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I know, I know, stupid question. :bootysha: But can someone explain what this actually does? Like technically speaking and otherwise. I really wanna know, they seem to be really popular
 
There are different forms of shift kits...

But what they all have in common is they make your shifts more positive and firm.

so when you are driving down the road and you feel it shift from one gear to the next while your vehicle is stock you may notice its almost unnoticeable that it shifts and you may notice it kind of hangs on rpms for a split second during the process of changing from one gear to the next.

where as if you have a shift kit you will notice a bit of a "kick" when it shifts and and you can feel a much more instantaneous shift (depending on what shift kit you can have mild shifting or all out extreme neck breaking shifting lol)

there are alot of advantages to having a shift kit and I definitely suggest getting one if you have an automatic transmission
 
What Dusterdude said. Shift Kits also enable you to get a nice 2nd gear scratch because of the quick, firm shift. I had one in my A904, it was a B&M i think. Going from 1st to 2nd gave me a nice chirp of the tires. I thought this was so cool when I was 18...
 
Dont know if you will gain enough mpg to notice but trans runs cooler due to less slippage in the clutches
 
Here is one good source for shift kits. The TF2 is probaly the most common and best "all around" kit.

TransGo Shift Kits , FMX , 1967-72 (SK 3-67) T106165
 
I have a shiftkit in my 727. It's a mild one, but I get a pretty good kick going into 2nd at low speeds. At higher acceleration, it isn't as noticeable but still there. I'll bet the Ferrari trannys would have an extreme one :D but those would have an "adjustable" one. road, track, race. If we could get one like that for regular cars, that would be quite awesome.
 
DarTT said:
oh, and whats a reverse and forward valve body?
Click to expand...
From what I've heard those are basically a different valve body that switches the shifting from P R N D 2 1 to P R N 1 2 3 so you don't have to go all the way to the bottom of the shift pattern to manually shift from 1st to 3rd. I'm guessing those are most generally used in slap stick shifters.
 
Muad'Dib15 said:
From what I've heard those are basically a different valve body that switches the shifting from P R N D 2 1 to P R N 1 2 3 so you don't have to go all the way to the bottom of the shift pattern to manually shift from 1st to 3rd. I'm guessing those are most generally used in slap stick shifters.
Click to expand...



why would you wanna manually shift from first to 3rd tho?
 
reverse manual valve body = nerves of steel. Think about this: Your hauling a$$ down the strip shifting from 2-3 when you gear your rear end starts to go or you hear a rod let go. You wanna go through 2 and 1 to get to the safety of N? That has always haunted me when I think about it. the manual body will do what you tell it to very fast, doesnt have the safety features of a stock valve body, like not letting you go from 3 to 1st at 75. As for MPG and heat issues, with a "shift kit" (sorry Gil Younger) I think they always recommend one because you are usually running a higher line pressure which means more parasitic loss and higher temperatures. It does save band life as there is less "overlap" and engineered slip.
 
Im still lost, why would u go thru 1st gear then 2nd to 3rd? Do u get faster acceleration? whats the dvantage?
 
Dartt when you have a reverse valve body P R N 1 2 3 ( Shift direction -->)lets you shift blindly back towards 3 without the fear of hitting neutral with high revs. if you were going from a P R N 3 2 1 ( Shift direction <---) if you "miss 3 rd" you hit neutral and possibly grenade your engine at high revs.

A "manual shift" valve body will stay in whatever gear you put it in until YOU move it...so you can take the reves to the limits then shift it yourself...however if you miss your shift rev you can grenade your engine

Manual shift bodys can be in either direction.... the downfall of a "reverse manual" is that if you hear something letting go and you are in 3rd gear P R N 1 2 3 ---> you have to go thru 2nd & 1st to get to neutral....OR just shut down either way You STAY in the gear you are in which can significantly worsen whatever issue you are having....
with a forward manual P R N 3 2 1 <---- you are one notch away

does that help?
 
66cuda said:
Dartt when you have a reverse valve body P R N 1 2 3 ( Shift direction -->)lets you shift blindly back towards 3 without the fear of hitting neutral with high revs. if you were going from a P R N 3 2 1 ( Shift direction <---) if you "miss 3 rd" you hit neutral and possibly grenade your engine at high revs.

A "manual shift" valve body will stay in whatever gear you put it in until YOU move it...so you can take the reves to the limits then shift it yourself...however if you miss your shift rev you can grenade your engine

Manual shift bodys can be in either direction.... the downfall of a "reverse manual" is that if you hear something letting go and you are in 3rd gear P R N 1 2 3 ---> you have to go thru 2nd & 1st to get to neutral....OR just shut down either way You STAY in the gear you are in which can significantly worsen whatever issue you are having....
with a forward manual P R N 3 2 1 <---- you are one notch away

does that help?
Click to expand...

Quite alot. So basically, stick with the forward. So your saying, hit 3300, slam into second, so on?
 
As previously stated,shift kits improve the firmness of shifts.
You have to remember that Mr &Mrs Joe Average just want to select D and not feel any change of gears.That's why the std shift is all mushy and slippery.Even more so in high end luxury cars.
Shift kits are generally sold as stage 1,2 or 3.
Back in the 70s? B&M used to market them as Towing,Street'n'strip or Strip only so you can roughly equate the stage 1,2 and 3 to that.
As previously stated the stage 2 is the most popular.
All depends on what you want out of it.
Examples in my cars.
My Dodge Ram with blown 360/A518 has a stage 1 shift kit as it's primarily used as a tow car.
My Dodge Challenger 440/727 is a bit of a luxury cruise car with around 430hp and it's still full auto with Stage 2 shift kit.
My 69 Plymouth Barracuda 440/727 is pretty much a drag car for the street.It's box is Stage 3 full manual Griener reverse pattern manual valve body.Full on race box.Driving a box like this requires you to be accelerating to upshift,otherwise the box clunks into gear so harshly it can't be doing anything good to it.Not much fun in stop/start city driving but it does have it's own appeal for the raw savagery of it.
I'm currently building a 72 Dart Swinger with mild (abt 280hp)318/904 for the other half.Knowing the missus' driving style and habits I asked my tranny builder for it to shift soft under light throttle and firm under heavy throttle as a full auto.It didn't even get a shift kit.He just played with the line pressures.
A box I have yet to get built will be a 904 behind a stout slant.It'll be shift kitted and manual valve body so I don't have to set up a kickdown off the triple 45DCOE weber carbs.
All depends on what you want from yours.
I hope these examples help with your decision.

Regards Ken
 
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