The Dodge Challenger Message Board

I Installed a B&M shift kit in my 70 challenger 383. Manual shifting the car is OK, but when I put the transmission in drive and it shifts through the gears, 1-2 are ok, but 2-3 makes a clunking sound when it shifts at lower speeds. What could be causing this? Thanks

The title of your post says "soft" shift but your description souds like it is shifting hard.

I found mine shifted hard from 2-3 at low speeds and made a "thunk" as it did so. At full throttle and at speed it felt fine. So i guess this is normal for the modified shift.

I "cured" the low speed "thunk" by leaving it in second gear in stop-go heavy traffic and only shifting up when picking up speed.

Dave what brand shift kit are you using and what level?

I am thinking about going Trans-Gos TF-1 kit (If any).

From memory my car had a shift kit in it and when I shifted it was quite a jult.
I at the time thought something was wrong with the trans.




Cheers

I got the B&M shift kit because at the time I had never re-built a trans and the B&M instructions are very comprehensive. I think at the time the other makes didn't give you any real instructions at all?

Sweet as, thanks Dave.
Just been reading up on the 70 Brochures, man that is some job. This site has some, if not the best, info around.





Cheers

Transgo is in my opinion the best shift kit on the market. I work in the transmission parts supply industry and have been in most professional transmission shops in Western Canada. The pros use Transgo kits almost exclusively.
Get a TRANSGO Part No. TF-2 kit. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER. They are an easy install.
By the way, if you think that you've had a shift kit installed before, you will need to get another valve body. Modifications from a previously installed kit probably will not be compatible with another kit.
Have fun.

Transman

Thanks for your input transman.


I wouldn't buy the TF-2 kit, it is too harsh for what my car is.
425hp+ and looking to kill.....surrrrre but not in my 400hp "everything" car. Cruise, stop light, etc. I don't want my neck to snap going down the road at 30mph. You really have to shift at high rpm to get the best out of these kits and the TF-1 is as high as I would go, just that extra crispness over the stock unit.



Thanks for your input, believe me if I do go a shift kit TRANS-GO is my ONLY option haven't heard anything bad about them, EVER.



Cheers,
Carl (NZ440R/T)