Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) BD Short Shifter

[MRiley]

I just installed the BD short shifter and now my truck shifts like crap. The shifts are real "clicky" and the gears are much harder to hit, I have to double cluth almost all the time now and I only did that when the truck was ice cold befor. I guess I was lucky as my 6spd shifted really nice prior to the instal. With the BD kit in the perfrmance seems to be really lacking. . Has anyone else experienced this? I'm really thinking about taking it out and returning to stock. The result was rather dissapointing and the kit wasn't cheap either...

 

[MRiley]

Nobody! Not a single person has experienced this?

 

[darkhorse]

The short shifter worked very well for me.

 

[Dave Ratcliffe]

MRiley,



I had the exact same experience. Shifting became very knotchy and I found myself waiting for it to go into gear. Missed shifts/grinds were really easy also. The throw was shorter but not necessiarily quicker. I took it out and went back to stock.

 

[MRiley]

Dave - Thanks for the info. I was wondering if I had messed up the installation. I guess I was just lucky in that my truck always shifted pretty well in the stock config.

 

[JLewis]

On my 5 speed it also made it quite stiff and actually harder to shift, especially from 2nd to 3rd. Going up a steep hill and shifting at normal rpm's from 2nd to 3rd it takes so long the truck almost rolls to a stop! I'm going to put the stock parts back in when I get around to it and see if it's any better.

Jim

 

[Cigar John]

Between this thread and the one about the shifter breaking I think I'll keep my stocker. Thanks for the info.

 

[MRiley]

The up Shifts aren't that bad but down, 4-3 is almost impossible. I can not get the gears to engage. The trans doesn't grind or anything, it just will not slip into gear. Also I ended up with a lot of play in the gears making the trans feel sloppy. In short the trans feels like there is 200,000 miles on it not 50,000. Really a bummer after spending all the $$$ for the shifter.

 

[SKneeland]

it makes sense, you get more output movement with less input, therefore you lose mechanical advantage. i was thinking about putting one in my truck and asked the local installer the same question, to which they replied "huh?"



i think ill keep the stock one, hard to shift as it is...