[Panici]

Hey guys, been looking at the Hurst and the B&M lately.

Here's what i've got now:

(Yes thats an actual 8-ball that i've drilled/tapped)

Anyways, just have a few questions about the Hurst shifter mainly.
1. Are the 2,4,R gears farther back, or about the same as stock?
2. How much more force needs to be applied to shift?
3. Is the shift ball at about the same height as stock?
4. Can the stock shift knob be reused? (i want to use my 8-ball)


Thanks guys,
Kelvyn

['B'wigstrailrig]

I have the B&M which I purchased used on this forum I am very happy with it. Throws way shorter. 1)It is roughly the same height 2)2nd,4th,and reverse do not go back as far so you can now fit your big gulp 3) your 8 ball should be okay. Another benifit is that you no longer hit your buddies leg when shifting into reverse. If you ever ditch the 8ball www.koolknobs.com makes great custom knobs that you design yourself. Bruce is a great guy.

[KnightFire]

I too have a B&M, remember you give up mechanical leverage advantage to get those shorter throws, so in most cases shifting effort is increased (very slightly). You can re-use your OEM shifter ball...I did, and painted the stalk black for a completely stealth look

[joedirt88]

Yeah....because you need a short shifter in a jeep. Honestly....whats the point in getting a short shifter in a jeep????

Spend your $$$$ on other useful parts.

[99jeeplover]

well the fact that if you have a body lift you actually need it i think. Because gears wont engage fully.

[spyder6]

Originally Posted by joedirt88

Yeah....because you need a short shifter in a jeep. Honestly....whats the point in getting a short shifter in a jeep????

Spend your $$$$ on other useful parts.

maybe because you want one? i know i do, i wish they'd make a short shifter for the 6-speed. id buy it

[TheBoogieman]

I've got an 8 ball shift knob too

[Sweeney]

Originally Posted by joedirt88

Yeah....because you need a short shifter in a jeep. Honestly....whats the point in getting a short shifter in a jeep????

Spend your $$$$ on other useful parts.

What's the point in posting a useless reply just because your wants differ from someone else's?

What do you do if you can't reach the steering wheel? You probably adjust the seat. What about the mirrors? They're adjustable too. One "size" does not fit all. If you can make the shifter fit your needs better, why not.

[Slithering_Joe]

Originally Posted by Panici

Hey guys, been looking at the Hurst and the B&M lately.
Here's what i've got now:

(Yes thats an actual 8-ball that i've drilled/tapped)
Anyways, just have a few questions about the Hurst shifter mainly.
1. Are the 2,4,R gears farther back, or about the same as stock?
2. How much more force needs to be applied to shift?
3. Is the shift ball at about the same height as stock?
4. Can the stock shift knob be reused? (i want to use my 8-ball)

Thanks guys,
Kelvyn

(1)Yes. It would be nicer if Hurst angled it closer to the dash while in 1st, 3rd 5th gear. They designed it so that you can shift it while your arm is still on the armrest.
(2)There is somewhat of a shortened throw length but it is not drastic. The effort is a little more but in a day you'll never notice the difference.
(3) It is slightly lower than stock. I don't have any measurments to back it up.
(4) I'm not sure. If you go to Hurst's website they have the thread measurements.

I like my Hurst but I would have designed it with less of an angle. The purchase was definitely more for looks but I think there is some improvement to be had in the angle of the stick vs. the stock stick. Using the old style boot can be difficult in the winter with the Hurst stick angle. I purchased a newer style boot and modified it to fit the console. If you do get Hurst, make sure you use thread locker or use hardend split-lock washers on the stick-to-base bolts. Throw the star washers out that the kit came with. I have a similar Hurst shifter in the Mustang. It came with the white shift knob so I swapped the black knob that came with the Jeep kit. Stock shifters tend to be a bit loose at the fulcrum point which smooths out the feel of the shifts. These shifters will be a bit stiff in the beginning but they will loosen up from a combination of useage and by getting used to the feel of it. I will never put the stock shifter back in either car.



Why is it so hard from some people to just answer the OP's question?? He never asked if it was worth the money.
Like no one on this board ever bought anything for looks.

[Jerry Bransford]

Hurst shifters make a lot of sense in vehicles with shifter mechanisms on the side of the transmission, like Chevys, Fords, etc.. To me, a Hurst shifter makes no sense unless you strictly want it for show/bling because there is no external shift mechanism for the shifter to improve upon. Plus with the Hurst's (or B&M's) throw being shorter, you'll experience harder shifting, not easier. Hurst shifters are great in Chevys but I sure don't see the benefit in a TJ aside from it having a nicer look.

[Sweeney]

Point is, it's a simple matter of personal preference. Do yo prefer shorter or longer throws, heavier or lighter shifting? What is ergonomically "correct" for your physiology? What fits you?

I'm not comfortable with the stock shift knob position on my BMW. With the seat and steering wheel set properly for me I have to stretch to engage gears 1,3, and 5. I made an adjustable bracket that allowed me to position the shift knob until I was happy with the location then, using that as a guide, made my own shift lever leaving the stock throw.

[Panici]

Originally Posted by Slithering_Joe

(1)Yes. It would be nicer if Hurst angled it closer to the dash while in 1st, 3rd 5th gear. They designed it so that you can shift it while your arm is still on the armrest.
(2)There is somewhat of a shortened throw length but it is not drastic. The effort is a little more but in a day you'll never notice the difference.
(3) It is slightly lower than stock. I don't have any measurments to back it up.
(4) I'm not sure. If you go to Hurst's website they have the thread measurements.

I like my Hurst but I would have designed it with less of an angle. The purchase was definitely more for looks but I think there is some improvement to be had in the angle of the stick vs. the stock stick. Using the old style boot can be difficult in the winter with the Hurst stick angle. I purchased a newer style boot and modified it to fit the console. If you do get Hurst, make sure you use thread locker or use hardend split-lock washers on the stick-to-base bolts. Throw the star washers out that the kit came with. I have a similar Hurst shifter in the Mustang. It came with the white shift knob so I swapped the black knob that came with the Jeep kit. Stock shifters tend to be a bit loose at the fulcrum point which smooths out the feel of the shifts. These shifters will be a bit stiff in the beginning but they will loosen up from a combination of useage and by getting used to the feel of it. I will never put the stock shifter back in either car.

[IMG]

Why is it so hard from some people to just answer the OP's question?? He never asked if it was worth the money.
Like no one on this board ever bought anything for looks.

Thats one informative reply! Thanks!

Do you think the hurst shifter could be bent so that 1,3,5 are closer to the dash?

I do appreciate all the other replies, so here's the main reasons why i'm looking at this shifter.
1. Physically moving my arm through that huge throw was fun at first, but i'd like to feel less like i'm rowing a boat everytime I shift.
2. 2,4,R are too far back for me now, so if I could modify the hurst arm, then it sounds like it would fit the bill.
3. i'd like to modify the boot so it sits lower on the shift arm, and gives the elusion of a longer stick (AKA CJ style)
4. It would quicken up the shifts, just because it would reduce arm throw, but i'm not expecting sports-car like shifts.

[Sweeney]

If the shifter is chromed it (the chrome) may crack/flake if you bend it. If you plan to paint it, not an issue.

[DeesTJ]

i'm sure they are nice, but i don't get it. i could see the shorter motions for shifting to be a little less taxing but:

i'm already slowed down so much waiting for rpm's to drop between shifts...

couldn't you potentially be putting significantly more wear/tear on the gears and syncros because of the shorter throw if you were to just "casually" shift from gear to gear???

i have to wait a good 2 seconds in neutral or else the shift isn't flawless (no grind/no effort/no issues)


maybe i'm missing something here but, whats the point of having a shorter throw only to still wait between shifts to avoid grinding/forcing shifts??? any advantage other than not having to touch your buddies leg and being able to use your forward cup holder?

fwiw: i have a bl + a mml and have 0 issues with shifting or gears engaging properly.

[joemomma4040]

I'm looking at a B and M short throw shifter is it hard to install I have a 97 wrangler sport