Path to Performance Continues With Short-Throw Shifter - 2015 Ford Mustang GT Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Path to Performance Continues With Short-Throw Shifter - 2015 Ford Mustang GT Long-Term Road Test

We installed a new Ford Performance Racing Parts Short Throw Shifter Kit in our 2015 Mustang GT. It takes a little more effort, but we love the results.

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defyant15

I believe the bushing can just be changed out, which provides more feedback - I dont find the stock throws long personally. Not sure if just swapping the bushing requires the lowering of the transmission etc.

daryleason

Maybe I missed it, but was there a side-by-side comparison photo of the height difference between the two shifters? Frankly, the short throw's installation has got to be a headache. You'd think there'd be a simpler kit to install that didn't mess with anything other than replacing the shifter's shaft and grip with something that sits a little lower. Not to sound stupid, but most people would be happy with just a shorter travel by lowering the grip.

boff

My main question here would be whether this shifter eliminates lockouts while shifting under high loads. The stock shifter, even in the new car, is notorious for that.

lewis26

Edmund's obsession with Ford performance over all the better aftermarket companies is laughable.

The ONLY shifter worth being put in a Mustang is an MGW. All others are inferior.

https://www.mgwshifters.com/shifters/mustangs/103

miata52

Jeez, lowering the transmission just to install a short throw shifter? I'd be considering a hack saw and some JB Weld on the stock shifter...

bankerdanny

Well, that is certainly more work that installing a short throw on a T5 equipped Fox body, but it's still far easier than installing the Hurst floor shifter conversion on my '71 Bronco with the 3 on the tree.

carloslago

defyant15 said:

I believe the bushing can just be changed out, which provides more feedback - I dont find the stock throws long personally. Not sure if just swapping the bushing requires the lowering of the transmission etc.

It would, unfortunately, as you'd have to remove the entire shift assembly to get that bushing out

carloslago

boff said:

My main question here would be whether this shifter eliminates lockouts while shifting under high loads. The stock shifter, even in the new car, is notorious for that.

I've yet to experience lockout during downshifts

allthingshonda

Am I the only one thinking that a performance car shouldn't need this many performance parts added on. I can see if you had the base V6 or the Ecoboost 4 version but the GT should have all of these options available from the factory in a performance package. The short throw shifter should be standard on the GT. The Camaro, for example has a short throw shifter available as an options as well as dual mode exhaust so you can hear the V8 sing.

boff

lewis26 said:

Edmund's obsession with Ford performance over all the better aftermarket companies is laughable.

The ONLY shifter worth being put in a Mustang is an MGW. All others are inferior.

https://www.mgwshifters.com/shifters/mustangs/103

AND they could have had a road trip to Georgia for the install. Pity...

mtnbiker8

allthingshonda: Ford's mission was to sell a lot of Mustangs. And the average consumer wants cushy quiet. That means the NVH engineers are putting gooey bushings all over everything. The clutch has a spring to lower effort and the stock shifter requires less force. The Mustang can be made to handle about as well as a Porsche GT3 with a relatively modest investment. But it would be too harsh for most folks. All about marketing.

carloslago

mtnbiker8 said:

allthingshonda: Ford's mission was to sell a lot of Mustangs. And the average consumer wants cushy quiet. That means the NVH engineers are putting gooey bushings all over everything. The clutch has a spring to lower effort and the stock shifter requires less force. The Mustang can be made to handle about as well as a Porsche GT3 with a relatively modest investment. But it would be too harsh for most folks. All about marketing.

That argument works for standard GT Mustangs, but not ones equipped with the GT Performance Pack, like ours.

boff

carloslago said:

mtnbiker8 said:

allthingshonda: Ford's mission was to sell a lot of Mustangs. And the average consumer wants cushy quiet. That means the NVH engineers are putting gooey bushings all over everything. The clutch has a spring to lower effort and the stock shifter requires less force. The Mustang can be made to handle about as well as a Porsche GT3 with a relatively modest investment. But it would be too harsh for most folks. All about marketing.

That argument works for standard GT Mustangs, but not ones equipped with the GT Performance Pack, like ours.

Here's where I'm gonna disagree with the esteemed editor, on 3 fronts. (1) Sales. The GT Performance Pack is already pushing the limit on what the average buyer will tolerate in terms of NVH. The Mustang is a mass market vehicle, even in this trim. Making this car Viper-esque with rock hard springs and bushings would result in Viper-esque take rates. (2) Marketing. Ford needs to leave room above the GT for the GT350 and special versions of the 5.0 (like a presumptive Mach 1 or Boss). (3) The aftermarket. The Mustang aftermarket is epic for a reason: many owners enjoy modding their cars (a much higher fraction, I would hazard, than would tinker with an M3 or S5) and so Ford can get away with designing the car for a lower common denominator than it might otherwise. Now if only Koni would release some yellow shocks for the S550...