Like most parts installed on your late-model Mustang, the stock shifter mechanism is a combination of compromises that Ford had to come to grips with to create the part. From overall part cost to powertrain noise ingress to the cabin and even time to install on the assembly line, these are all factors that determine the type of part created for the assembly of a car—and there are thousands of them. These compromises are what help the performance aftermarket parts companies thrive, as they provide solutions with better products. These products usually take longer to install, cost more, or allow more noise into the cabin, but they do so in the name of performance.
1 To access the shifter mounting...
1 To access the shifter mounting bolts, the console in Fox-era Mustangs needs to be removed (the ’94-’04 Mustang just requires prying out the shifter bezel). The Fox upper shift boot and trim ring are pried out of the console with a plastic trim panel tool and the plastic shift knob unscrewed first.
Take the lowly shifter for example. Ford uses a rather thin steel mounting plate for a base with a plastic bushing for the shifter pivot, along with a positively huge soft rubber isolator for the shifter handle. All these "features” combine to make a basic shifter that gets the job done, but with no authority or solid feel. Many Mustang owners want just that—a solid feel when they row through the gears—and aren't against a little extra noise or cost to get it. The stock shifter in the late-model Mustang is not known for its precision and we'd hazard a guess that there have been more than a couple of million missed Third gear attempts over the last two decades of Mustang production!
Installing an aftermarket shifter in your late-model Mustang isn't terribly difficult. It's a simple and rewarding upgrade that you can perform in an hour or so in your driveway or garage. We're upgrading the original, and well worn, T-5 shifter in this '89 5.0L hatch for this tech story, but the upgrade is similar for later model T-45 and 3650-based transmissions as well, with the main difference being that with the '94 and up cars you don't have to remove the console for full access to the shifter housing.
We're installing a Steeda Tri-Ax billet aluminum shifter in our Fox from National Parts Depot's Fox Mustang catalog. The Tri-Ax is a proven design that can take a beating shift after shift.
Shifter Upgrade
Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter M-7210-15C $189.95
Shift Knob, Black 5-Speed M-7213-8E $49.95
Leather Shift Boot M-7277-19B $39.95
Lower Shifter Seal/Boot M-7277-20C $34.95
Lower Shifter Seal Bolts 605892-SA $1.33 each
Shifter Damper Bushing M-7K453-14 $9.26
2. The A/C control head trim...
2. The A/C control head trim panel just snaps in place and is easily pulled off of the console by hand next.
3. For the ’87-’93 model console,...
3. For the ’87-’93 model console, the armrest assembly will need to be unbolted next (except for you early ’90 model year owners who were cheated out of an armrest!). Pry the two side covers off the armrest and remove the four 8mm bolts (two per side) to free the armrest assembly.
4. With the armrest and shifter...
4. With the armrest and shifter boot out of the way, the upper console panel is next. You’ll find two screws at each end of the panel (four in total) to free the panel. Raise the parking brake handle and disconnect the power mirror switch (if applicable) and the lighter wiring.
5. To remove the console base,...
5. To remove the console base, you’ll need to extricate a total of 10 screws. You’ll find two on either side of the console at the forward edge, retaining the metal sides. Four more are behind the glove box door and driver’s knee panel. The remaining two are at the rear. Once the 10 screws are free, disconnect the power trunk/hatch release and fuel door release (if applicable) and lift the console base up and out.
6. There are four 8mm bolts...
6. There are four 8mm bolts that retain the lower shift boot. As you can see, our boot was damaged and torn from the metal retainer. Plus, two of our retaining bolts had gone AWOL. Luckily NPD has researched all these parts in minutia and they can be found in the Fox-body catalog.
7. With the lower boot out...
7. With the lower boot out of the way, you’ll be right on top of the transmission’s tailshaft with plenty of access for the shifter. The shifter body is retained by four 13mm bolts. Once you’ve removed the four bolts, simply grab the shifter handle and give it a few shakes from side to side to break the grip of the silicone sealer.
8. After decades (in most...
8. After decades (in most cases) of hard shifting and resting your hand on the shifter, this little plastic bushing found in the shift rail of the T-5 (and on the end of the shifter itself in the T-45 model) is often worn out, cracked, and sometimes simply missing. NPD’s OE replacement drops in place of the original to make sure there’s no slop in our shifting.
9. The Steeda Tri-Ax shifter...
9. The Steeda Tri-Ax shifter is a machining masterpiece that’s almost a shame to cover up! The shifter comes out of the box ready to install with new, longer bolts. All you need is a small tube of silicone to apply a sealing bead to the shifter opening on the transmission before dropping the shifter into place.
10. Temporarily install the...
10. Temporarily install the shifter handle and set the shifter stop bolts per the included instructions, then remove the handle and install this washer, also included, which protects the rubber boot from getting pinched/torn during shifter movement.
11. Our new lower boot from...
11. Our new lower boot from NPD is carefully aligned with the factory mounting holes on the transmission tunnel and secured with four new bolts for a weatherproof seal.
12. The Steeda Tri-Ax shifter...
12. The Steeda Tri-Ax shifter includes its own forged handle for the utmost in strength. It can be mounted in one of two heights via the three mounting holes on the shifter base. We chose the upper pair of mounting holes. An included isolator pad is an option if you wish to prevent some of the transmission noise from transmitting to the handle. Lastly, once the handle is bolted to the shifter base, the pair of locknuts are added for another measure of security. At this point, the console components can be reinstalled.
13. The Steeda shifter accepts...
13. The Steeda shifter accepts the stock shift knob if you want to keep an original look to your Mustang’s interior, but with such an improvement in shifting, why would you reinstall the stock plastic knob? NPD offers these billiard ball shift knobs (made from actual billiard ball material) in 2-inch and 2 1/4-inch diameters. We’re installing the 2-inch version in black along with a new leather upper boot.
14 The stock shifter does not utilize any form of centering spring, relying on the driver to move the shifter left or right to engage parallel gates. With a performance shifter like the Tri-Ax, the shifter turret features a stiff centering spring that automatically moves the shifter to the middle gate, allowing effortless Second to Third gear shifts by simply pushing the shifter forward. No more missing Third gear!