[Transmission] On The Column Or On The Floor?

[CDA 455]

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Barring convenience, is there a mechanical advantage to having a shifter on the column or on the floor?

I like the idea of the shifter on the column but if it's better to have it on the floor mechanically, then I'll do it.

If there is no difference mechanically, then I'll keep it on the column.

[MrK5]

I don't know about mechanically, do you mean better shifting?

Most guys mount the shifter on the floor for 2 reasons. The first is convenience. The second is that it's possible to have the column type linkage bind under some serious flex situations. I've never had it happen personally, but others have.

To answer your next questions, for wheeling with a floor shifter most prefer the Art Carr gated shifter.

[CDA 455]

Originally Posted by MrK5

Most guys mount the shifter on the floor for 2 reasons. The first is convenience. The second is that it's possible to have the column type linkage bind under some serious flex situations. I've never had it happen personally, but others have.
To answer your next questions, for wheeling with a floor shifter most prefer the Art Carr gated shifter.

Ah!

You just gave an example (Of what I was looking for) of a possible mechanical disadvantage with a column shifter.

[gmc4cw]

I have a trans mounted Lokar nostalgia shifter. the framework clamps right to the trans housing. No amount of flex will make it bind. the shifter is also very tall, 23", so its easy to reach and operate.

a column shifter can become disconnected if the body were to flex enough.

you can see in this pic where the shifter knob is. high as the wheel.


this is a better pic of the shifter but that was 2 cabs ago. damn I am hard on this truck.




here is an example something that would leave a column shifter not working. the firewall was pushed back and the cab was junk. a column shifter would have been useless. this might not ever happen to you but you never know what could happen.



you can see the gold colored mount in this pic. all I did was remove the handle and left everything else hooked up. that way I did not have to adjust anything even after a cab swap.


I will get a better pic of the setup if I remember. I used to have some but I think I erased them.

[Badbowty75]

Personally i like gated or ratchet shifters over column shifters for the simple reason that one missed 2 to 3 shift at high rpms could result in the need for a new motor unless you have a rev limiting device and then you might lose the race and im not a very good loser. I personally like the B&M Mega shifter I have also used the B&M Z gate which is actually a really good shifter for the money but i dont see it on the B&M web site anymore. One of my friends uses the hurst quarter stick in his pro touring cuda and it works well also. Between the two brands i dont think you are going to find a bad shifter they are all just designed with a different style or purpose and meet different contigincy requirements for pro racers.

[3 on the tree]

I'm running an old Hurst in Elway. I was happy with the column shift, but my $500 exhaust system interfered with the linkage. The only downside I have found is the cable doing the shifting gets kinda stiff at -20.

[darryl]

one of the problems with the gated or locking type of floor shifter is that you have to pull up on a knob and push twice to go from drive to rev , more if it is 1st to rev on a 4spd auto ! when offroad this gets old quick . for dragracing it works good though only notching up 1 gear at a time .

[MrK5]

Originally Posted by darryl

one of the problems with the gated or locking type of floor shifter is that you have to pull up on a knob and push twice to go from drive to rev , more if it is 1st to rev on a 4spd auto ! when offroad this gets old quick . for dragracing it works good though only notching up 1 gear at a time .

That's why the guys like the Art Carr gated shifter. Some of them even modify the gate plates to make the rev to 1st shift quicker.

[Badbowty75]

you know i didnt even think of that. That would make rocking a tad bit difficult of course in my truck with the SM465 its not really possible anyways. I may have to reconsider my thoughts of a ratchet shifter in the burb.