1 When we ordered our Steeda...
1 When we ordered our Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, the reviews on their website stated the shifter base bushing kit made a huge difference in shift feel/quality, so we ordered one of those too. Topping off our install will be one of Steeda's Cue Ball shift knobs in black with billet ring base. See the sidebar for part numbers.
2 For initial access to the...
2 For initial access to the shifter, the OE shift knob will need to be removed. It simply unthreads from the stock shifter. The Steeda Tri-Ax can reuse the stock knob, but we'll be upgrading to the Steeda Cue Ball knob.
3 Open the rear of the Mustang's...
3 Open the rear of the Mustang's console and find the seam where the upper console panel and lower console meet. Carefully wedge in a door panel tool or other blunt tipped tool (flathead screwdriver wrapped in tape for example) and pry the upper console panel free.
4 There are two more clips...
4 There are two more clips on the sides of the upper console panel to dislodge. Carefully work your panel tool forward, prying up on the console panel to free it. Once free, you need to unplug the electrical connector for the driver's side switch panel, and for the ambient cup holder lighting (if equipped). The shift boot has two fragile plastic clips that retain it to the shifter. Raise the console panel up and very carefully pop the plastic ring free of the shifter to release the boot from the shifter. Set the upper console aside.
Many people will tell you there's no greater connection between a driver and their car than a manual transmission. Certainly, driving a "stick" can be fun during a track day, on a twisty mountain road, or even at the drag strip. We'd say daily driving a manual trans would be a chore, but with today's clutch technology you rarely have the dreaded left leg work-out of decades past. We can thank clutch technology like twin discs, enhanced friction surfaces, new clutch spring designs, and of course hydraulic clutch actuation. These all work together to make modern clutch pedal feel light and precise. We almost welcome a traffic jam in a modern manual trans Mustang—almost.
Of course, the connection between your right hand and the transmission is just as important as that of your left foot and the clutch. Trying to shift a transmission with a rubbery shifter is just asking for missed gears, grinding gears, or worse. The direct shift transmissions from the '04 and older late-model Mustangs had simple shifters that bolted directly to the top of the transmission's tailshaft housing with four bolts. A little console disassembly and a little alone time with a socket set and you could have more precise shifting in less than an hour.
Starting with the '05 Mustang, Ford began installing a "remote shifter" setup that actually installed the shifter from the underside of the floor pan/trans tunnel and used a remote rod/linkage to change gears on the transmission. For the '11 Mustang, Ford took a hybrid approach to the new Getrag MT-82 six-speed. While the Getrag is still a remotely shifted trans, the shifter uses a lower base assembly bolted to the trans tunnel with a bolt-on shifter assembly akin to the older direct shift transmissions. What this means is while you still have some under-car work to do for access, the main shifter removal happens inside the car.
From the early Fox Mustangs with their huge rubber isolator between the shifter stick and base to the new '11-'12 models, every stock Mustang we've ever rowed through the gears has felt vague and limp in our shifter hand. While for some it may be a matter of preference, a higher tension shift bias spring, cleaner gate, shorter throw, and stiffer shifter bushings (or eliminating them all together) has always given us a much more connected driving experience with faster shifting and no missed gears. For our subject '11 GT, the stock shifter felt like all the others to us, just begging for an improvement.
The engineers at Steeda Autosports know exactly what we're talking about and over the years have designed a Steeda Tri-Ax shifter for every manual transmission ever fitted to the Mustang, including aftermarket Tremec models as well. So it was a no-brainer for us to pick up the phone and order the latest Tri-Ax for the '11-'12 six-speed, designed with a 20 percent shorter throw while maintaining the stock reverse lockout system. Steeda even provides a stiffer reverse lockout spring if you're one of the many who constantly hit Reverse trying to engage First gear. We also chose to upgrade to Steeda's shifter base bushing kit with billet mounting bracket and high durometer bushing.
No matter what year late-model Mustang you have, upgrading the shifter will certainly enhance your driving enjoyment and Steeda can help make it happen.
5 Here is a close up of the...
5 Here is a close up of the wiring connections for the typical console upper panel. The green and gray connectors are for the ambient lighting in the cup holder area. The green connector simply disconnects, but the gray connector needs to be pulled free of the cup holder base for removal.
6 There is a sound deadening...
6 There is a sound deadening insert above the shifter that needs to be pulled back or removed. We opted to remove it completely. Pull the two plastic retainers free of the trans tunnel's threaded studs and carefully pull the insert out of the way.
7 The shifter's insulating...
7 The shifter's insulating boot is not perfectly round, and as such, requires a specific orientation for reinstallation. We marked the boot and the tunnel with a grease pencil for future reference.
8 The insulating boot has...
8 The insulating boot has a wide lower lip situated under the tunnel sheetmetal. Carefully pry the boot out of the stamped hole in the tunnel and lift it off the shifter. Set the boot aside for reinstallation during reassembly.
9 You can now see the actual...
9 You can now see the actual shifter and its mounting bolts, but the rear bolts are under the tunnel opening. As such, you'll need to get under the car and lower the shifter base away from the floor. We used our shop's lift, but jack stands or service ramps will work too; just be sure the car is secure. Once under the car, you'll see the bracket that supports the rear of the shifter base. Remove the two 10mm nuts securing it.
10 With the two 10mm nuts...
10 With the two 10mm nuts removed, you can reach over the driveshaft and pull the shifter base down a little and then twist/pry the bushing and bracket off the shifter base. This will allow the base to drop far enough (it can simply rest on the driveshaft) for access to all four shifter mounting bolts.
11 Compare the OE shifter...
11 Compare the OE shifter base bushing with the upgraded version from Steeda. The stock bushing is like a sponge and doesn't conform directly to the shifter base, where the Steeda part has a substantial mounting base and tight fit bushing. The Steeda kit includes two different durometer bushings, a softer red bushing that keeps NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) at OE levels and a firmer black bushing with slightly increased NVH. The owner of our '11 GT opted for the black bushing.
12 Back inside the car, four...
12 Back inside the car, four 10mm bolts free the stock shifter from the shifter base. The rear two bolts will be easier to remove with a short socket and/or a wobble/swivel attachment. When separating the shifter from the base, be cautious of the rubber base gasket. It might stay in place or it might come out with the shifter. Either way, be careful not to tear it.
13 We got lucky and the rubber...
13 We got lucky and the rubber shifter gasket stayed in place on the shifter base, so we didn't have to do anything. If your gasket comes out with the shifter, you'll have to carefully remove it from the shifter and place it onto the shifter base, as shown here. The gasket will only sit properly one way due to the indexing pin on the shifter base. Transfer the plastic cup from the bottom of the stock shifter onto the new Steeda Tri-Ax shifter and install the Tri-Ax shifter onto the shifter base, noting the same indexing pin for location of the shifter.
14 As previously noted, the...
14 As previously noted, the owner of this '11 GT opted for the firmer black shifter base bushing. After applying an even coat of the included bushing grease on the inside of the bushing, it was pressed over the end of the shifter base.
15 The bushing's billet CNC-machined...
15 The bushing's billet CNC-machined mounting bracket is coated with the same bushing grease from the kit and then pressed into place around the bushing. Note the bracket's orientation, as the Steeda logo should face the rear of the car for proper shifter location.
16 With the Steeda bushing...
16 With the Steeda bushing and CNC bracket installed, the shifter base can be pushed back into place. Start the 10mm retaining nuts, but do not tighten them yet as leaving the shifter base a bit loose will help with reinstalling the insulating boot around the shifter.
17 When fitting the insulating...
17 When fitting the insulating boot back into place, it is imperative that the boot is positioned correctly to keep dirt and moisture out. The base of the boot has to fit around the shifter base and the reverse lockout boss, as seen here.
18 After fitting the insulating...
18 After fitting the insulating boot's base to the shifter, the main seal of the boot to the trans tunnel can be tackled. We found it was easiest to simply push the complete lip of the boot through the tunnel opening and then carefully grab the edge of the boot and pull up until just the upper lip popped through the hole, sealing the floor. Now you can go back under the car and finish tightening the two 10mm nuts on the shifter base.
19 Reinstall the insulating...
19 Reinstall the insulating pad with wiring clips, reconnect all electrical connections, and snap the console upper panel back into place. Finally reinstall your shift knob. We chose the Steeda Cue Ball shifter in black to dress up our console a bit. Not surprisingly, we liked how the shift knob and accompanying billet ring fit our hand.