POWER shifting hazard

[speedking]

Ok, I’ve hesitated to post anything about this. Don’t want to be the board dufus. Has anyone else found the shifter (M6) to be dangerous? The short rounded stainless top is slick and when shifting very aggressively from 2nd to 3rd and 4th to 5th my hand slips off and rams into the dash. This has happened several times and twice now that really hurt. Last night I really think I broke my little finger. Last night I was cruising and found myself on a stretch of road with no houses and no cars for 1 mile either direction. So I stop and rev up to about 2800 rpm…dump the clutch and got a great launch…I power shift to second @5000rpm and nailed it perfect ….the bloods really pumping by now and @5000rpm I power shift to 3rd really putting some force behind it…. and wham my hand slips off and crams into the dash. I almost pissed myself and well that was about the end to that, by the way I nailed the 3rd power shift and laid down some nice rubber. When I power shift from 2nd to 3rd and 4th to 5th I use an open palm and throw my weight into the shift. Anyone else have this problem and anyone have any good ideas for a shifter type to change to?? Obviously I’m not going to stop running the car and my fingers and the dash cant take much more.

[Shocker]

ouch i bet that did hurt but i dont have my goat yet maybe you want to change the knob if your having issues.

[FLORIT]

First of all, may I recommend that you not "put your weight into it?" I don't think it's necessary. Running fast and hard and power shifting does not require more effort on YOUR part. The car is doing all the work. Control your emotions, channel the adrenaline to your mind, "Use the Force", whatever... treat her gently. It may seem to contradict what you're trying to do, but it's kind of like in the golf game. The tighter your grip, the more tension you're creating. Same with driving your car. If you start "flexing your muscles", you're creating tension, which has all kinds of negative effects. I promise if you practice "relaxing" while driving hard, you'll see amazing improvements. Stay loose, breath, and concentrate. You'll rock. Good luck!

[GTOJer]

First of all, may I recommend that you not "put your weight into it?" I don't think it's necessary. Running fast and hard and power shifting does not require more effort on YOUR part. The car is doing all the work. Control your emotions, channel the adrenaline to your mind, "Use the Force", whatever... treat her gently. It may seem to contradict what you're trying to do, but it's kind of like in the golf game. The tighter your grip, the more tension you're creating. Same with driving your car. If you start "flexing your muscles", you're creating tension, which has all kinds of negative effects. I promise if you practice "relaxing" while driving hard, you'll see amazing improvements. Stay loose, breath, and concentrate. You'll rock. Good luck!

Nice Obewhan, we will see how you do at the track.....

[speedking]

Florit, you may be correct. I'm from the old school of race and the last muscle car I raced was my brothers 69 Charger. Sumbitch that thing was fast. Anyway my old muscle cars you had to man handle, with the longer throw shifts. Then again one missed que power shifting at 5000rpm and you have a blown or damaged motor. Guess I'm still used to the old hurst shifters and the pistol grips and the dash about 2 foot from the shifter. Anyway somethings got to change.

[craigD]

I do as speedking does.........right or wrong when I'm powershifting I put my weight into it. I don't think I could powershift with regular pressure like you do with normal lift throttle driving. And yup, I punched a metal dash once when my palm slipped off the the shifter.A 65 Impala dash -all metal and hard plastic. Ouch.

[GTOdriver7]

First of all, may I recommend that you not "put your weight into it?" I don't think it's necessary. Running fast and hard and power shifting does not require more effort on YOUR part. The car is doing all the work. Control your emotions, channel the adrenaline to your mind, "Use the Force", whatever... treat her gently. It may seem to contradict what you're trying to do, but it's kind of like in the golf game. The tighter your grip, the more tension you're creating. Same with driving your car. If you start "flexing your muscles", you're creating tension, which has all kinds of negative effects. I promise if you practice "relaxing" while driving hard, you'll see amazing improvements. Stay loose, breath, and concentrate. You'll rock. Good luck!


i totally agree. i would try to find a more smooth and quick method of power shifting instead of just using brute force and body momentum.
im sorry to say and if im wrong tell, but it sounds like your power shifting so hard and so fast that it is becoming sloppy. just becareful that you dont accidentally go from 2 to1, instead of 2 to 3. its a great way to bend push rods. just my two cents.

[gangster1]

Pretty funny, did the exact same thing last nite except I don't think I broke my finger!

[speedking]

Pretty funny, did the exact same thing last nite except I don't think I broke my finger!

It was kinda funny and I did laugh at myself. The swelling is starting to go down. I'm telling ya that rounded metal knob is dangerous.

[speedking]

i totally agree. i would try to find a more smooth and quick method of power shifting instead of just using brute force and body momentum.
im sorry to say and if im wrong tell, but it sounds like your power shifting so hard and so fast that it is becoming sloppy. just becareful that you dont accidentally go from 2 to1, instead of 2 to 3. its a great way to bend push rods. just my two cents.

There is risk no mater how you power shift. I can tell you I nailed it until I nailed the dash.

[DANSLS1]

First things first - what in the world are you doing power shifting into 5th?
(Note - this is rhetoric, but I can't ever imagine doing so unless I was on a track w/ a really long straight).
Second - I'm with the finesse crowd. 'Mashing' gears is just an expression - in reality the more you try to force it the more likely you are to mess something up (in this example, your fingers).
Dan

[slick50]

Do what I do!! Stick a hunk of velcro on the shifter and another in the palm of your hand. Shift yourself silly and no broken bones. Crazy glue works even better!

slick50 :drink:

[Holeshot]

With my A4 I shift forward and tug back slightly as to not skip a gear.
I know its apples and oranges but just my 2 cents.

I wish this thing had a dual gate shifter or slap stick

[cjlannoy]

when you said the smooth metal knob was dangerous all kinds of nasty images came to mind.

[nikivee]

I've not had the pleasure of hitting the dash when powershifting yet. :D I have missed 3rd once. That sucks!

[Rob]

I, too, use just the palm when shifting into 3rd. But I learned to just push it in rather than really winding up and throwing it in. Just push diagnolly and it'll just slide right into gear without banging the dash.

[Rocket]

I've found that Pushing the Clutch "IN" makes it go into the next gear WITHOUT "putting my weight into it"!

I usually shift mine from 1-2 and 3-4 with just 2 fingers on the front of the stick pulling back! Its not a pipe wrench---More force doesn't make it work better.
You could possibly have a issue with your tranny because mine shifts quite effortless.

[mistermike]

I've not had the pleasure of hitting the dash when powershifting yet. :D I have missed 3rd once. That sucks!
I missed 4th downshifting from 6th and hit second at about 60. Got a big chirp, but was able to hit the clutch before the needle swung too far. Can you say embarrased?

[FLORIT]

I missed 4th downshifting from 6th and hit second at about 60. Got a big chirp, but was able to hit the clutch before the needle swung too far. Can you say embarrased?

I did the same damn thing on the Interstate once. I was in traffic, just trying to avoid everyone else, and what a god awful mistake it was. That CAN'T be good for the car. First (and only) time I had ever done that, and now I am REAL careful not to do it again. (Although the downshift "chirp" was more like a "BARK" and was pretty cool. :D )

[tiggerfan]

Driving gloves. Driving Gloves. Did I mention Driving Gloves?

Takes care of the whole sweaty palm slipping off the shifter problem.

[GTOtorridRED]

I have missed 4th twice now when getting aggressive driving 1-3 seems no problem, but I guess I have a tendency to pull down and left for me to keep hitting 2nd. It makes the fuel shut off come on eventhough I quickly push the cluth back in out of instinct. The reduced power feeling last for like 5-6 secs. That would be an enternity if you was racing someone. :(

[mlc]

Oy. after reading this I ended up having a dream the shifter broke right off while going through the gears. I knew this forum was cutting into my life but didn't think I'd lose sleep because of it!

[speedking]

Driving gloves, good point! Damn why didnt I think of that. I wear shooting gloves to shoot my pistols. I do have sweaty palms, and you dont want to make a mistake with a glock .40! My hand still hurts like a mutha. I will have to put a pair of shooting gloves in my glove box for the next run. Ps, tried the finesse and it dont work for power shifting (for me)! Time I finesse from 2nd to 3rd I've tacked out and the rev limiter kicks in. I guess if I start my finesse at 3000rpm rather than 5000 it might work? Oh well, no pain no gain, EH!

[Shocker]

Good luck man!!

[dmonty]

The car is doing all the work. Control your emotions, channel the adrenaline to your mind, "Use the Force", whatever... treat her gently.

aka: Shift easy hit HARD!

[mrdoc442]

As Hurst used to say in regard to their (Hurst) shifters, "Shift As Hard As You Like - Just Don't Break Your Arm".

Doc

[KYGTO]

I would be careful RAMMING GEARS . I'm not to sure factory shifter has positive stops. Do the aftermarket shifters have stops ?

[BLKCLOUD]

Sheww....this post is certainly back from the dead. LOL

[hookmechanic]

Has anyone had the shifter actually "Stick" between 3rd and 5th? It's done that to me a couple of times. I know part of it is me, but it doesn't seem like the shifter should be able to do that.

[BigMan95Impala]

did it the 3rd day i had it
either between 1 n 3rd or 3rd n 5th forgot
but only happened once

took some force too pull it out also
was a little worried about it
but all is well now

[jsb5776]

Sounds like a case of a little too much left over lotion on the palms... :gr_jest:

[ghqman]

I would be careful RAMMING GEARS . I'm not to sure factory shifter has positive stops. Do the aftermarket shifters have stops ?

The GMMS Ripshift does have stops.

[backndagame]

so is better to powershift at 5000rpm or clutch at the red line.. i never tried powershifting this car . i ran a 13.4 on the g tech with 2000 launch and changing right near the redline. just curious

[ROKS ROKET]

My hand slipped off of the "knob" last night, but that's another story...hehehehehe

Getting back to the thread, when I "power" into 3rd, I turn my hand so my thumb is up and I place the side of the shift knob in my palm. And I use the "fat" part of the palm to PUSH the shifter into 3rd. If you grab the shifter on the top and try to power into 3rd, you run the risk of slipping off and doing what you did......ouch. I guess everyone has their own way technique, but I find this the easiest way of NOT mashing your knuckles or fingers.

ROK