[Guest]

I was at the track yesterday, and got to get in some fellow corvetteforum members rides, and feel their rippers ... and they all feel easier then mine ... I had mine for well over 5 months now, and it feels like a rock - the car is driven daily ... Will my feel change, if I replace the knob? Probably not - so why is it still hard - was it installed wrong , I dunno - I doubt it- what are you guy's thoughts?

 

[fcalmes]

Rob, maybe you need to start pumping iron!! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif JK

Mine is just as stiff as it was when I put it in about 8 months ago, but it doesn't feel bad. I really like it...sometimes hard to put into reverse though.

 

[Guest]

Hmmm Frank .... maybe it is just me - the way I have my seat and everything, could be difficult ... getting into reverse, forget about it ...that is a challenge most of the time ... I have to check my shift stop points now ....

 

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,
If I may, I would suggest to the both of you that you attempt a shifter adjustment before you do anything else.
While in may not help with the effort that you use, it will probably give you some assistance on the reverse engagement.
Best to you, c4c5

 

[PA_Z06]

Some people have also trimmed the springs in the shifters to make them a little easier. I left mine the way it came and am very happy with the feel of the shifter.

 

[FRC Tom]

The Ripper in my 2000 FRC has gotten real smooth but the one in my Z06 was as stiff as the first day I put it in after 12000 miles.
I thought it would break in like my FRC's so I cut 2 coils off the springs.
Maybe the older Rippers had a lighter spring in them?

 

[Guest]

I just got off the phone with Ted from B&M Customer Support @ 1(818) 882 - 6422. They told me to reseat the whole thing, check to see if there is binding ... but at the same time, says he could not do anything for me. He says there is no "soft spring" or anything I could get for my C5, and to add to the insult, says it's really my transmission .... what kind of sh*t is that ? He actually went on to say 'we have had complaints about it a lot recently for people w/ C5's" - So you mean to tell me you have no solution?

 

[FRC Tom]

I find that the M12 Trans. does shift harder than the M6 in my 2 FRCs.

 

[mgarfias]

Just responding to an earlier comment about knobs... My dad put a Cue-ball on his '94 6spd and dumped the stock knob, its is MUCH better now, it doesn't feel so dead anymore.

I really need to do this, and I just happen to have an 8-ball laying around...

I think if I had a stiff shifter, I'd pull it out, check for things binding, and then try putting some lube in the bearing surfaces.

If that didn't work, and it was still stiff as hell, I'd probably bust out the 600grit sandpaper and start taking a bit of metal at a time from the bearing areas until it loosened up.

 

[Nelson]

I tossed the Ripper after using it one time at the track (Roadracing)... It was to hard to me to shift... it was OK for the street, but just way to hard for the track... need to be smooth, not pulling on something hard enough to move me in my seat! /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

I have also heard that they did make the spring "harder"...

As for the trans to be the cause for the hard shifting... I doubt it, it is just the loss of mechanical advantage of the longer stock shifter... (Which I went back to, and shift MUCH better than with the ripper)

I would really suggest, that if you are going to take the time to "reset" the ripper, throw on the stock shifter, and go around the block... you will feel like you are shifting a bus, but try shifting fast... you might find yourself to be faster stock, that with the ripper...

 

[HarleyB]

I have had super results with the Kirban/Hardbar combo. Shifts like a $12,000 Holland & Holland Big Game Rifle bolt action... smooth & precise (incl. reverse) Try the Hardbar® Delrin knob on the Ripper. JM$.02!

HarleyB(Z)