Yes, you are looking at the...
Yes, you are looking at the factory-installed shifter assembly for '11 Mustangs. However, the stocker isn't the focus of this Tech Inspection project. Notice the billet, CNC-machined shifter handle just below. That's Steeda's all-new Tri-Ax shifter for Coyote-powered and V-6 '11 'Stangs, and Editor Steve Turner spent a little quality time with it to give you the 411 in this report.
The 2011 Mustang GT's new parts express is out of the gate and already building up major steam. A nice array of bolt-on parts is available right now, and many more upgrade pieces are in various stages of development. Steeda's new Tri-Ax shifter assembly for Coyote- and V-6-powered Ponies (PN 555-7312; $214.95) is the latest here-and-now product to receive a "5.0-first" exclusive release, and our own Editor Steve Turner wasted no time getting up to the company's Valdosta, Georgia, campus to check it out.
The Coyote's high rev limit and subsequent 370-plus rear-wheel horsepower have been the 2011 'Stang's most-talked-about highlights thus far. However, the extra (Sixth) gear in the Getrag MT82 transmission is an equally exciting addition to new Mustang's drivetrain. As it has been with Mustangs of prior years, the factory-installed shifter in the latest GT leaves a ton on the table when it comes to the short-throw crispness that one would expect in a car like this.
It's tough to hit the market...
It's tough to hit the market first with a complex new product without a little help from your friends. In this case, Steeda took advantage of SEMA's Tech Transfer program to get the exact dimensions of the stock shifter right from Ford's CAD data. From there, Steeda engineer Chad Kroll could work his magic re-designing the geometry for a shorter throw.
Our fearless leader captured the accompanying images of Steeda's Chad Kroll bolting the latest addition to the Tri-Ax lineup in the company's in-house '11. If you think the new CNC-machined shifter looks quite similar to its OEM counterpart, you're right. The trick, short-throw (20 percent reduction) science is in the upper/handle portion of the unit, which bolts directly onto the factory base via basic handtools and whaterver means available for raising your 'Stang to a sufficient height to perform the minimal underbody installation tasks.
Chad also performed the simple...
Chad also performed the simple shifter replacement for us at the company's Valdosta, Georgia, skunkworks. The process starts with removing the shift knob and lifting the console assembly completely off, then disconnecting the electrical connectors for traction control and cupholder illumination. With the console fully separated and off to the side, Chad pulls out the insulation, sound deadener, and the rubber boot covering the OEM shifter handle.
Big Steve had a great opportunity to spend a week's worth of quality time with Steeda's upgraded Pony and he offers a few insights on the Tri-Ax's reduction in throw, reverse lockout functionality, and a most importantly, the shifter's "feel" when gears are engaged.
"The Steeda Tri-Ax is like steroids for the stock shifter mechanism. It amplifies what's already there by bestowing shorter throws and more feel without throwing the stock shifter's NVH out the window," Steve said. "In short, it's just what the shift doctor ordered for the preponderance of street 'Stang owners."
Prior to removing the stock...
Prior to removing the stock handle, two 10mm nuts that hold the shifter assembly to the floor are removed, and the rear x is dislodged from the shifter assembly. Once this is done, Chad loosens the four 10mm bolts holding the shifter mechanism to the base and simply pulls up on the handle to remove it, being careful not to remove or damage the factory gasket.
Shades of Fox-body, SN-95...
Shades of Fox-body, SN-95 and New Edge shifters right here-the '11 Mustang's Getrag MT82 six-speed has the same internal design as the transmissions found in earlier (we're almost tempted to say "old-school") Ponies. The stock shifter's plastic cup is transferred to the bottom of the Tri-Ax, and the new handle is set in place on top of the shifter's base.
Before final tightening of...
Before final tightening of the bolts, make sure the shifter goes into all gears. The flat face on the lever's Reverse Lockout ear should almost touch the boss on the side of the shifter base, in First and Second gears. Because of this requirement, the Tri-Ax shifter may need to be adjusted slightly to the left or right before it is finally secured.
Back below the 'Stang, Chad...
Back below the 'Stang, Chad reinstalls the rubber bushing on the base of the shifter and resecures the assembly using the two 10mm nuts previously removed.
After reinstalling the rubber...
After reinstalling the rubber boot over the shifter and the floorpan, making sure the boot fits over the new shifter handle the same way it did with the factory piece, Chad refits the insulation/sound deadening material back over the shifter and floor.
With the center console back...
With the center console back in place (remember to reconnect the electrical connectors that were disconnected earlier) and the shift knob reinstalled, the Steeda Tri-Ax looks like OEM in the '11 Mustang. However, as Big Steve learned during his 10-day road test, this short-throw handle puts a new dimension on getting aggressive with the '11's Coyote 5.0 powerplant and MT82 tranny. The shifts are shorter, and it takes a bit more muscle to get the car in Reverse. This is to prevent you from accidentally downshifting into Reverse!