devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

Those B&M ratchet shifters like the Quicksilver. I watched a few videos and have a brief understanding on how they work, but would they be more beneficial with a manual valve body in the transmission? Just watching without actually using one, it just seems like it would be better used with a manual valve body.

Speaking of manual valves, if I installed one in my car as a daily driver, let's say I forget to downshift at a red light, the car wouldnt stall out while sitting still correct? The torque converter would still function and allow the car to idle right? Naturally if I tried to take off while still in a higher gear, the car would bog down, but am I right on the idle?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Yes they make more sense with a manual valve body.

Their "point" is, they prevent shifting too many gears, or worse, into neutral or even reverse.

Yes the converter will still allow the engine to idle normally.

Having BTDT in days gone by, I can tell you, a manual valve body on the street gets REAL old REAL fast. While from the outside looking in you might think it's no different from driving a stick, in reality it IS; most of all, because you have no clutch. You are ALWAYS in a gear unless you shift into neutral. VERY very different from a stick. Very tiresome in traffic.

AlkyIROC

Without a manual valve body, a ratchet shifter does nothing different if the transmission is still stock. Ratchet to drive and the transmission starts in first gear and shifts up through the gears just like normal. If you ratchet down to first, it's no different then manual shifting the stock shifter to first. At a specific speed or RPM, the transmission will still upshift to prevent overspeed or damage.

With a manual valve body, the selected gear will stay in that gear until you manually shift into another. Manually shifting an automatic transmission while driving around town is not the same as a standard transmission. Upshifting is fine but when downshifting, you need to be at a slow enough speed so that when you downshift, it won't send the engine rpms to the red line or higher.

As mentioned above, using a manual valve body on the street gets old very very fast. The worst part about a manual valve body on the street is that there's no automatic function. If you put the transmission in D, the car will start moving in high gear, not first, and will burn out the clutches very quickly. If you're driving around and come to a stop, you'll need to manually shift down through all the gears before starting off again. If it's driven on the street very little and anyone driving it knows it must be manually shifted then there's no reason it can't be driven on the street but isn't as enjoyable as a full auto transmission.

I currently use a ratchet shifter in my race car. With a powerglide, I only have one shift to make. When my shift light comes on, I slam the shifter forward into the next gear. There's no way I can push it into neutral until I release the shifter and push it forward again.

I'm considering switching to a gate style shifter so that I can use an air solenoid to do the shift for me based on rpm or time. That way I don't even need to touch the shifter until after I cross the finish line and the shift point going down the track will be the same every time.

Ratchet shift: Can be used on the street but most of the time the benefits offered while street driving won't be realized.
Manual valve body: Can be used on the street but is mainly designed for drag racing. Normally also has a transbrake built it which isn't needed on the street.

A transmission reprogram (shift kit) is more suited for the street. It can allow you to hold any gear like with a full manual valve body but still offers normal automatic function when placed in high gear (D or OD)

Shifter type normally becomes driver preference. Which one a driver likes may not be what you'll like.

vetteoz

iTrader: (13)

But with a quality shift kit and a ratchet shifter like I have ,I can as noted manually shift up and down one gear at a time as mentioned without fear of shifting too far
allows for fun driving in the twistys with full engine braking on the downshifts just like a stick car.
FWIW , installed the shifter for strip use because the stock shifter can be shifted too far or into to N

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

Ok, so these quality shift kits.. I assume you guys arent talking about the B&M kit on Summit for $35? I always assumed this kit just firmed up the shifts so it shifted harder, not actually add in any gear hold features. So if you guys downshift into 3rd and hit the throttle a bit, it holds 3rd rather than downshifting itself into 2nd?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

NO.

That would be the direct opposite.

A "quality" shift kit would be, Transgo.

AlkyIROC

http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...6000/overview/