Hey this is Jackie - George will be here later.
Purchased 04 Z06 vette with 1500 miles. 6 speed transmission is stiff. REALLY STIFF. I cannot get to 5-6 without two hands. Is this normal? They guy at the dealership said it was not broken in. Something about previous owner keeps in garage and did not drive so it is not broken in. Does this sound right.
I am not a ditzy woman driver who cannot drive a standard. It is so stiff I have started in 3rd thinking I was in 1st.
I do love the clutch. I can start in 3rd without problems ;-) but how far can you go in 3rd and 4th?
Today is the first day. Going back to dealer in 2 days to finalize. We are going to ask them to service the transmission and check it out. It is 4 years old with low mileage so you would think there is no problem.
I think I know why she (previous owner was woman) did not drive it; she could not get it out of 3rd.
-jackie

 

It should not be that hard to shift, broken in or not. Are you sure it has the original shifter in it. I have the Hurst in my 04 and my wife cannot shift it because its to hard to push the lever sideways. I know most othe aftermarket shifters are pretty stiff also.

 

Thanks for the reply.
I am not sure of anything.Pulling the shifter towards me is easier for 1 but I feel I shouldjust be able to pull back to go to 2nd and if I do not keep enough pressure on the shifter it will go to 4th. Pushing out towards5 and 6 isvery hard; I feel like such a klutz or weak little girl (or old lady).Dang it - I can do anything.
My husband did not want to admit it at first but now he realizes something is not right. He has problems getting it into 2nd and it is real stiff for 5-6. Only 3-4 are feel right.

I really like the way the clutch works. We had a saturn sky and the clutch iwas sensative; stall city. In the vette I can go from stop in 3rd with only a little clutch play; thought I was in 1st because it is hard to get over there.

We are going back to dealer on Sat for final paperwork. We are going to get them to take a look. Maybe it is an allignment problem.If it has sit in garage most of the time for 4 years maybe it just needs a service. This is my first vette 6 speed so I will drive another one to see the difference. People keep telling me it is a corvette and it drives different; I think a 6 speed is a 6 speed.

-jackie

 

An OEM shifter is NOT that stiff, although it is stiffer than some other cars, my 68 C3's Munciewas one. I'd bet that there is a Hurst, BPP, or Ripper shifter in there. I have a BPP and even with the lightest spring, going into 5th is a real chore. I did the Antivenom mod (backed off the transmission detent plunger with a couple of washers) to ease the in and out of gear effort, but side-to-side effort is unaffected.

Have the dealership swap in a stock shifter as part of the deal. That should be much easier to shift.

Dave