I've seen so many older ford trucks on craigslist for sale and under their modification or new parts listed, they list a shift kit. Tried looking it up and seeing exactly what it is and what it does but couldn't really find a clear answer. Does it precise the shifting more accurate or better??
This is what I was looking at http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/4353775650.html

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...shift-kit.html

TransGo Engineering Solutions

 

it makes the transmission shift quicker I believe.

shifts the transmission from like 0 MPH to 20 MPH, fast. and from 20 MPH to 40 MPH. fast.

Rode in a small S10 pickup that had a shift kit installed, it was quick.

 

Slow mushy shifts are death to an auto transmission, it would be the same as slipping the clutch every time you shift with a manual trans. A shift kit modifies the valve body to increase line pressure and remove design flaws in some cases so that shifts are firm and quick.

 

So installing one would be a good thing for the trans?? Even if I have no other mods on my truck?

 

Yes. <Filllllllllllllll>

 

Yeah, the full name is actually a "shift improver kit" and they are used to... well, improve your shifts!

See, most stock slop-o-matic transmissions are set up to shift buttery smooth. Apparently most people don't want to feel an auto trans shift, or at least the manufacturer's think so... where they got that idea I don't know.

So for a few bucks and some time, you can buy a shift kit and install it into your transmission to actually make it feel like a transmission. At the end of the day it's still a slushbox, but at least gear changes happen fast. Most of your kits let you choose how firm you want the shifts by picking and choosing between various springs when you install the kit.

Back in high school I put one in a 4R70W, in my 97 Thunderbird and set up to shift as hard as it could. That car would burn the tires on the shift into second gear, and sometimes chirp third gear too.

I'm waiting til my truck is due for a fluid change, then I'm gonna put on in the ol' E4OD and make it burn rubber heading into overdrive... haha yeah no, that's impossible to do, but I do want the shifts firmed up a bit. Nothing crazy though.

 

How much do the kits normally run?

 

Like 80 bucks or so I think. Search for any post by Encho (a member/moderator) on here. In his signature he has a link to a writeup he did on installing the kit from B&M, and in his writeup he has a link to the kit he bought from Amazon. I plan on buying that same kit, it was less than $100.