[mz32quick]

We all know the MS3 shifts TERRIBLY stock, so what I'm looking for is what YOUR recipe has been to get a buttery smooth shifting experience. I would say what's the "best" way to accomplish this but opinions are subjective so I just want to know what you've done to improve it.

I plan on making some upgrades soon and while adding power is appealing, or throwing on a new set of wheels, the one part that really still gripes me is shifting this car. Let's hear what has worked for you.

 

[cali_axela]

CP-e or SU motor mount + TWM shifter w/ solid bushings and a weighted knob. You'll be amazed at how precise the shifts are.

 

[Czar Quanovan]

I just got a TWM Desert Eagle shift knob and it improved my shifter feel a lot. It is more than double the weight of the stock shift knob. It really helped. I have the TWM shifter bushings but have yet to install them. Depending on how soon you are thinking of buying stuff I can (or I'm sure other people on the forums) could let you know how effective the bushings are.

I haven't installed them because I'm still a little gun shy in terms of removing my center console... :lol:

 

[cali_axela]

^ removing the center console is super easy. It literally takes about 20 seconds to install/reinstall.

 

[Czar Quanovan]

[quote author=cali_axela link=topic=137721.msg2969042#msg2969042 date=1235940474]
^ removing the center console is super easy. It literally takes about 20 seconds to install/reinstall.
[/quote]

Yeah, I'll probably lose patience and do it this week, also I just installed the CS inserts and they have helped to smooth my shifts, cutting the drivetrain lash a lot on both up shifts and downshifts...I forgot to add that in my last posts.

PS How much of an effect did you see in the shifter bushings?

 

[aaronc7]

Let me throw Redline MT90 or some other good synthetic tranny fluid in there too

 

[mz32quick]

I'd like to get my wish list together in the next few days and go ahead and order it within the next week, that's the time line of as right now.

 

[noobinacan]

The only thing I added for smooth shifts was COBB Short throw shifter.
COBB tracks/runs their car without any other mods to the tranny....
no rear motor mount..nothing.

(they're probably on a better tranny fluid than our stock)

I love my shifts.

 

[Ryz]

[quote author=cali_axela link=topic=137721.msg2969042#msg2969042 date=1235940474]
^ removing the center console is super easy. It literally takes about 20 seconds to install/reinstall.
[/quote]

When I hard wired my V1 I used a coat hanger and ran all my wires, took forever. I was one of the first group to get the my TWM STS and when I found how easy it was to take it apart, I was kicking myself in the butt.

I was running everything but my drivers side trans mount and was still flubbing third now and then. Turns out the mount was torn, but now, holy crap. Now I can flat shift without a problem. Spinning the tires into fourth is wierd. It was a bit cold out but it still left tracks.

 

[mz32quick]

^ What are your impressions of the TRZ Rear Mount?

 

[AFcadet]

uhh...a stock tranny in the MS3 is NOT terrible....yes i have felt better...but the MS3's is no where near as bad as the worst ive driven.

The only problems i have ever seen is the shift from 2nd to 3rd...the gates are just a little to close. Other then that...any "rough" driving is fully on the driver.

If you want to improve the feel though...getting a motor mount...removing the shifter weight...geting shifter bushings can all help.

But I still stand by the statment that if you are getting rough/jerky starts/shifts...its your fault...and you need to practice how to drive a stick more lol

 

[mz32quick]

[quote author=AFcadet link=topic=137721.msg2969398#msg2969398 date=1235954752]
uhh...a stock tranny in the MS3 is NOT terrible....yes i have felt better...but the MS3's is no where near as bad as the worst ive driven.

The only problems i have ever seen is the shift from 2nd to 3rd...the gates are just a little to close. Other then that...any "rough" driving is fully on the driver.

If you want to improve the feel though...getting a motor mount...removing the shifter weight...geting shifter bushings can all help.

But I still stand by the statment that if you are getting rough/jerky starts/shifts...its your fault...and you need to practice how to drive a stick more lol
[/quote]

I've been driving a manual for 14 years so I have plenty of experience, but thanks for the concern!

I also had a 2004 3s manual and compared to the MS3 that thing shifted very sweet.

 

[fengrs]

[quote author=AFcadet link=topic=137721.msg2969398#msg2969398 date=1235954752]
uhh...a stock tranny in the MS3 is NOT terrible....yes i have felt better...but the MS3's is no where near as bad as the worst ive driven.

The only problems i have ever seen is the shift from 2nd to 3rd...the gates are just a little to close. Other then that...any "rough" driving is fully on the driver.

If you want to improve the feel though...getting a motor mount...removing the shifter weight...geting shifter bushings can all help.

But I still stand by the statment that if you are getting rough/jerky starts/shifts...its your fault...and you need to practice how to drive a stick more lol
[/quote]

When I first test drove my car before buying it, I was jerking the crap out of it. (Thats what she said) I just wasn't used to the car's clutch. My old car is a manual as well but the clutch and gas pedal feel was just so different thats why it was so jerky. Since then, I have gotten alot better and that doesn't happen to me anymore. It does once in a while but that because I go back and forth between my speed and my celica.

I just felt bad for the "full sized" saleslady in the car with me everytime I shifted when testdriving my speed. I never seen so many body parts shaking at once, and the car would jerk like 2 to 3 times every time I shifted. Funny but sad at the same time. But hey, I bought the car from her.

But +1 on the mods above.

 

[lucky sevens]

[quote author=Czar Quanovan link=topic=137721.msg2969035#msg2969035 date=1235940285]
I just got a TWM Desert Eagle shift knob and it improved my shifter feel a lot. It is more than double the weight of the stock shift knob. It really helped. I have the TWM shifter bushings but have yet to install them. Depending on how soon you are thinking of buying stuff I can (or I'm sure other people on the forums) could let you know how effective the bushings are.

I haven't installed them because I'm still a little gun shy in terms of removing my center console... :lol:
It's a piece of cake 30 minute job, do it you'll lkie the improvement...
[/quote] do it it's a piece of cake, 30 minute job. You'll love the improvement... as far as smooth shifting goes, experience goes a long way. This car shifts just fine for DD...

 

[Czar Quanovan]

[quote author=lucky sevens link=topic=137721.msg2969481#msg2969481 date=1235957641]
[quote author=Czar Quanovan link=topic=137721.msg2969035#msg2969035 date=1235940285]
I just got a TWM Desert Eagle shift knob and it improved my shifter feel a lot. It is more than double the weight of the stock shift knob. It really helped. I have the TWM shifter bushings but have yet to install them. Depending on how soon you are thinking of buying stuff I can (or I'm sure other people on the forums) could let you know how effective the bushings are.

I haven't installed them because I'm still a little gun shy in terms of removing my center console... :lol:
It's a piece of cake 30 minute job, do it you'll lkie the improvement...
[/quote] do it it's a piece of cake, 30 minute job. You'll love the improvement... as far as smooth shifting goes, experience goes a long way. This car shifts just fine for DD...[/quote]


Yeah, one of the things I thinking about is slowing my modifications down a bit so that I can really take time to absorb the effect of each one. Cuz all of my mods have been done in the past month...fight the addiction.
[/quote]

 

[Ryz]

[quote author=MZ32quick link=topic=137721.msg2969390#msg2969390 date=1235954521]
^ What are your impressions of the TRZ Rear Mount?
[/quote]

Gave me vibes but nothing I didn't expect. I was running the SU mount and swapped it to my dads MS3. Then I purchased the Top Speed passenger side mount and got the Medieval drivers. Havn't had it with anything but the rear during the summer so I figure things will smooth out a little more when it warms up. I enjoy brake torquing a bit and watching the motor stay put, I mean totally. I know how to shift. I've been doing it for 30 years. But when cables positions are jogged to much, that can throw things off.

 

[rmgedon69]

[quote author=AFcadet link=topic=137721.msg2969398#msg2969398 date=1235954752]
uhh...a stock tranny in the MS3 is NOT terrible....yes i have felt better...but the MS3's is no where near as bad as the worst ive driven.

The only problems i have ever seen is the shift from 2nd to 3rd...the gates are just a little to close. Other then that...any "rough" driving is fully on the driver.

If you want to improve the feel though...getting a motor mount...removing the shifter weight...geting shifter bushings can all help.

But I still stand by the statment that if you are getting rough/jerky starts/shifts...its your fault...and you need to practice how to drive a stick more lol
[/quote]

+1

 

[mz32quick]

[quote author=lucky sevens link=topic=137721.msg2969481#msg2969481 date=1235957641]
as far as smooth shifting goes, experience goes a long way. This car shifts just fine for DD...
[/quote]

Maybe mine is worse or something is wrong b/c the bastard is damn near impossible to shift into 2nd sometimes when I first start driving it. I literally have to put pressure and force it down, same thing on the upshift to first (I'm leaving a parking lot after work so a couple of opportunities to do this). This is my 6th manual tranny car and is worse than any I've had before in terms of how smoothly it GOES INTO and OUT OF gear. Starting/stopping (in terms of jerky) and all that fun stuff isn't the problem here.

 

[furry]

New here!

Just got my speed3 and its my first manual car.
My friend taught my stick a few weeks ago in his scion tc, but i still dont have enough practice.

I'm trying to drive it carefully and it barely feels faster than my gti right now because im really easy on the gas

Reverse is very tough lol

Can't wait to get this thing down so i can wring some fast driving out of this car..

 

[barcainho]

do any shift knob fit on speed 3? 115 for the twn is a lil too much for me