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Tech: How to shorten the throw on a T-5 for cheap

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by TERPU, Dec 1, 2007.

  1. TERPU
    Joined: Jan 2, 2004
    Posts: 2,372

    TERPU
    Member

    [​IMG]
    I recently put a T-5 in my F-1 truck. The throw was dashboard to seat, this just didn't cut it for me. So I figured out how to solve this. You need some aluminum stock, a T-5 shifter and an original stick of your choice. I was even fortunate enough to find a nob with the correct pattern on top minus 5th so it looks gennie and anybody could drive it.

    Next open up the shifter and seperate the pieces
    [​IMG]

    Then cut off the bottom ball section and add 1" of round stock between the tapered section and the full round under the swivel pin.
    [​IMG]

    Here is what it should look like when it's all welded together, I even angled it a bit forward to take up some of the seat adjustment I needed.
    [​IMG]

    Now you need to make a simple spacer to go under the original to take up the extra 1" of height. This is where the aluminum comes in.
    Make sure you scribe the plate and mark the holes with a transfer punch before you re-assemble the shifter top.

    [​IMG]
    I used a bandsaw and a router with a carbide bit to shape this piece. Depending on what shifter top you are using you may or may not need to router out a step in the aluminum. Chevy's don't need it but Ford's do, and I don't know about Mopar stuff.
    [​IMG]
    Here it is all done. By raising the fulcrum 1" I shortened the throw by half and that's perfect for my F-1. Sorry the picture is 90deg out
    To mount the shifter I just split the round at the bottom and drilled holes in the same pattern as the Ford's short stick. For Chevy's you can just weld the threaded bung to the bottom of your shifter.

    Thanks, Tim
     
  2. garvinzoom
    Joined: Sep 21, 2007
    Posts: 1,169

    garvinzoom
    Member

    Sweet idea, thanks for sharing.
     
  3. SlowandLow63
    Joined: Sep 18, 2004
    Posts: 5,958

    SlowandLow63
    Member
    from Central NJ

    Luckily my T5 came with a Pro 5.0 Power Tower, so it throws pretty short as it is and has adjustable stops. While your at it you might wanna add those in. With the change in the location of the fulcrum, you are actually adding more torque than stock on the shift forks and from what I understand, T5 shifters are pretty weak to begin with. You can just drill and tap the crown that goes around the shifter on top, add a bolt and a jam nut and your done. Thats all mine has.
     
  4. Snarl
    Joined: Feb 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,639

    Snarl
    Member

    For my S10 T5, I just drilled a new hole in the handle 1" higher than the original pin, moved pin to the new hole, and made a spacer from a piece of UHMW plastic I had laying around.
     

  5. if you go to www.stovebolt.com and do a search on t-5 their is a tech article to do this. :D
     
  6. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    Thanks for the tip! It'll come in handy for lots of folks.
     
  7. Rudebaker
    Joined: Sep 14, 2007
    Posts: 1,598

    Rudebaker
    Member
    from Illinois

    Me for one. Thanks here too. :cool:
     
  8. Flat Ernie
    Joined: Jun 5, 2002
    Posts: 8,406

    Flat Ernie
    Tech Editor

    This is good, useful tech.

    I will say that not having positive shifter stops on a T5 shifter is one of the common causes of problems with the T5. That's why nearly all aftermarket T5 shifters have positive stops. It would be relatively easy to fabricate a stop setup while re-working your shifter. If I had a stock shifter here, I might do it just to show it...
     
  9. TurboRay
    Joined: Feb 12, 2007
    Posts: 148

    TurboRay
    Member

    Great tech, TERPU - but, while reviewing your photos, it occurred to me that you might've been able to just re-drill the swivel-pin hole an inch higher and then relocate the pin, instead of having to weld in the extra length of rod. [​IMG]

    Here's a cheap and easy way to make your own positive shifter stops: (1) With the shifter removed, observe the "receiver block" (for lack of better terminology) that has the flanged nylon bushing into which the tip of the shift lever engages. (2) Snap it forward to engage 2nd or 4th and record the distance between it and the front wall of the tail-housing opening. (3) Next, snap it rearward to engage 1st or 3rd and likwise record the distance between the rear of the block and the back wall of the tail-housing opening. (4)Finally, epoxy some steel spacers to the front and rear walls of the T-H opening that are, say, .030-.060" thinner than the dimensions you recorded earlier. For the front spacer, it seems to me that some U-shaped caster/camber shims might work well - since they are available in varying thicknesses and would "straddle" the shift-shaft. Just my 2¢.

    (Disclaimer: I've never actually done this, but the idea popped into my alleged mind while reading the post - your results may vary)

    C'ya - RAY
     
  10. nickpayton
    Joined: Mar 14, 2008
    Posts: 126

    nickpayton
    Member
    from a

    does anyone have pix of how and where they moved the pin????
     
  11. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,719

    Abomination
    Member

  12. Ice man
    Joined: Mar 12, 2008
    Posts: 983

    Ice man
    Member

    All the pictures were delieted
     
  13. gas pumper
    Joined: Aug 13, 2007
    Posts: 2,957

    gas pumper
    Member

    Don't have a picture, but it's so simple that a few words can explain it.

    If you have a 1 inch riser block, than move the pin 1 inch.
    If you have a 3/4 riser, move the pin 3/4 inch.

    It's that simple. and it's not critical to the .001. A ruler and magic marker is close enough. Getting the new hole centered to the shaft is important. Do the best you can.
     
  14. This is all great info for me; as I intend to put an S10 T5 behind the 223, in my 53 F250 push truck. I seem to recall years back; a fellow telling me to get a T5 from a V6 S10, as they were supposedly stouter than the 4 banger T5's? Don't know if there is any truth to this, but seems feasible?
     
  15. Jethro
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 1,908

    Jethro
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  16. nickpayton
    Joined: Mar 14, 2008
    Posts: 126

    nickpayton
    Member
    from a

    good stuff thanks to all
     
  17. steppenwood
    Joined: May 29, 2005
    Posts: 4

    steppenwood
    Member

    That's awesome, I wrote that article on Stovebolt. I'm gonna do it again on my new project too.
     

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