I just put the shift kit in this afternoon. It gives you three choices of "firmness" for the shifts. I went with the mildest. I was concerned that if I went up to the next level, the shifting would be harsher than I wanted for a comfort cruiser.

WOW! The shifts are not harsh at all. But WHAT A DIFFERENCE! The transmission works like it should have all along! The whole driving experience feels much more solid. On WOT acceleration, when it shifts from 1st to 2nd, the needle on the tachometer no longer gently moves down to 3200 or so. It DROPS almost instantly! But the amazing thing is that there is no jerk.

After this experience, it'* my opinion that the FIRST mod anyone should do is the shift kit. At $90 delivered (plus $15 for fluid) and an hours work... well... it'* great bang for the buck! I really enjoy driving the car now!

A while back I posted a question about a shudder on the 1 - 2 upshift at WOT. Not any more!

I highly recommend this to everyone!

do you take pict while you did that and you do have a 4t65e im lookin to do the same thing

sorry to burst your bubble but you want to feel the jerk
the hard the jerk, the less the clutch plates slip, the less heat it makes, the longer it lasts,
my tranny shifts so hard it breaks the tires loose into second
thats what you WANT

I didn't take pictures because it has been done already:

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ic.php?t=73947


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As a mechanical engineer, I know that everything is a compromise. I fully understand and can agree with what you say. On the other hand, GM apparently designed A LOT more slippage into the system. My guess is that there is on the order of HALF the slippage there used to be and the shifts are quite comfortable. Even this is a world of difference in the overall driving experience - the car just feels so much more solid. I may even go back and stiffen it up a bit at a later date...

You want firmer TO A POINT. Harsh shifts transmit shock load to other components in the system. There are plusses and minuses.

A blanket statement that you WANT it as harsh as possible is not true. If you make enough power, a harsh shift won't take long to break something. This is why I leave my modulators backed out until I hit the track.

Considering the Zilla on slicks won't even have the advantages of the 'give' in the drivetrain from tire slipping, I may actually leave it backed out for the 2nd gear shift. My second gear hits brutally hard at WOT.

For a daily driver (which is most cars here) you certainly do NOT want overly harsh. Firmer, yes, but not hard.

this is true
you will break drive shafts, i havent YET, but they are stock and they do have 110,000 miles on them so i think it really what you want
firm it up to make it last longer
and in my case
break 'em loose into second to make a serious statement about your level of hp!!

WTF? Find me a broken axle on this Forum. And if you find one or two, find me one that was a result of harsh shifts and too much power. You'll break a differential, output shaft, or thrust washer, not an axle.

a differential with harder shifts....... no way lol, is that why i have a beautiful 14 second worthy bonneville sitting in my garage unable to move

My diff is sitting 2 feet to my right in the entertainment center.

My diff is sitting in the trans, but my gears are all over down the road. And pieces of my diff cover are permantly planted into the firewall.