3 MUST DO Mods for Manual Challengers.. R/T, Scatpack, or Hellcat 

I don’t care if it’s slower, manuals are more fun to drive

I find my Challenger manual transmission and the way it feels to be perfectly fine reminds me of an old school muscle car adds to the character of the car

I installed a hurst short throw on my R/T and it made a world of difference and also looks cool and old school. Still banging gears at 77 so I know old school

I love that Shakedown! And if anyone wants my 1 year review of the Barton Shifter: I heard so much about Barton that I had one in hand before my car came in. I did the 500 mile break in on a Saturday and installed the Barton on the following Sunday. I barely used my stock shifter and ran the Barton for exactly 1 year before replacing it back with stock so I never really had a feel for the original until a few weeks ago. The Barton is a machined masterpiece and the only thing that bothered me was how loud it makes your normal engine / transmission noise transmit into the cabin due to the machined aluminum design. Barton was very helpful and advised me to flip the rear mount block 180 and that helped a bit but not much. What helped the most was to switch to their pistol grip which sounded imop 50% quieter and feels really great. Second big thing to consider is dealer work / warranty / serviceability. The stock shifter is very easy and well documented for the Mopar or any tech to ready up top side so the tranny can be dropped if there is a problem or of course the clutch replacement that will be in your future sooner or later depending on what you are doing with the car. Anyone who has installed one knows about the giant machined block up top that has to come off for them to drop the gearbox and how there are no instructions documented anywhere other than here on RU-vid via videos like workplaydrive etc. And the insulating gasket that replaces lower boot seal is not simple either and takes some grease and finess which is not hard for you or I but again something you’d have to document and explain to a service tech vs them just following Alldata repair instructions etc to do the job as specified by manufacturer. If it’s stock it’s simple. Barton: they will not know what they are seeing. A performance shop will have zero problems because they do this all the time but Dodge for warranty for a synchro or failed pilot bushing or whatever, they will be lost. So that’s the serviceability issue and how it will at least give them reason to blame you for the part failure or simply added repair cost. So ffwd to now that I’m actually using my stock shifter in my 1 year old Scat Pack I am actually very satisfied with it stock. Works great. Not as tight as Barton, but it does self center like Barton which I hadn’t really noticed because I never gave it a chance. I have no problem banging through the gears with either shifter and my best 1/4 mile track time was 11:99 with Barton and 11:97 with stock. This is not a track car though and the few track runs are just for fun. What it is though is a badass pitch black manual Scat Pack and it is basically perfect right out the box. Of course after you use speedlogix or whoever’s skip shift eliminator that is. That is an absolute must have. I’m also waiting patiently to see OC Motivators thoughts about the Barton after he installs his in that new Swinger. And for mine, it’s sitting in its box with the pistol grip as well as regular ball shift until I possible have one that’s strictly a race car. It’s too great to sell but not right for me for this car. Must have though for a m6 track car. - my 2 cents

Was extremely blessed to pick up a manual 2022 widebody scat pack challenger (shaker) with 2k miles for $57k in July. My car also came with kooks long tube headers and a corsa extreme exhaust. That thing is a beast and tons of fun to drive.

I have owned 2 M6 challengers the first one was a early SRT (2014) with the pistol grip I put the hurst mechanism only using the stock handle with the skip shift, it was a huge difference! Now the second car was a hellcat, this one I put a Barton shifter mechanism only with a hurst pistol grip handle (didn’t like the Barton handle) but the Barton Hurst combo was super cool while keeping the old school look of the pistol grip. I would say definitely a must have for your M6…To compare the Barton shifter with the Hurst, IMO the Barton shifter is far superior to the Hurst. However, they are both a huge improvement over stock. They literally cut the shifting throw in half. What is cool about them is the handles are interchangeable, I'm personally not a fan of the 8-ball handle so I went with the pistol grip from Hurst with the carbon fiber inserts (matched the hellcat accents perfectly). I miss my black cat....

I absolutely LOVE my Barton shifter.

Great mods! Having an automatic is like listening to music. Having a manual is being able to make the music! Love my SPWB 6spd!!! Thanks for Scat Pack videos!

That shifter is paying respect to the old 4 speed hurst shifter

I had a manual 2015 scat. Best mods are 1. SKip shift delete, 2. Clutch orfice delete, 3. Barton short throw shifter.

My 2021 Scat Pack Shaker widebody has the 6 speed and the Barton shifter, skip shift eliminator, Borla Atack system with the exhaust valves wide open., new pedal commander, 90 mm ported/polished throttle body with the AFE throttle body spacer, Hellcat intake box, front and rear Pettys Garage strut tower braces, MSD coil packs and new E3 spark plugs, all 4-wheel Z26 carbon fiber brake pads, shaker riser kit and the swirl shakedown graphics. ZR1 deluxe rear diffuser and ZR1 stone guards, custom painted valve covers, performance brothers oil catch can. There are many things manually shifted Challenger owners can do.

What I did for mines that improved that car Remove clutch hydraulic resister Skip shift 1 to 4 delete Ams oil torque drive transmission fluid Barton short throw shifter Pedal commander to get rid of the gas pedal delay All these things made it so much better to drive and much more responsive

Got my Shakedown about a month ago, the first mod was rock guards. It's a must for these massive tires that stick out of the WideBody kit. Coming from a 2017 SP A8, this thing is slower, but so much more fun!

This is not a Camaro or a Mustang it’s a Mopar! It’s perfect the way they intended it to be. Thank you for posting on manual cars racer X!

I had a manual R/T, and trust me, you are correct.

100% well done. Just over 4K miles on my manual 21 Scat Challenger now and here's something to consider: I had my diff warranty replaced already, which Dodge handled wonderfully. It had been making a noise and even vibration that gradually increased from day one out of the dealership. NO complaints but, I wondered if me occasionally shifting like pro stock driver Matt Hartford (geezers can insert McCandless here instead) had anything to due with it's early demise? I'll never know. The fact remains for me, it's been the absolute best stick car I've ever owned and I'll never get tired of rowing thru the gears...perfect street car for me.

Now that's what I'm talkin about I am a huge manual car enthusiast good job racer x

Awesome! Appreciate the manual love Racer X! I'm looking to buy a new Scat Pack manual as we speak. 🤙 Just looking for the right deal.

One of my best memories from when I was in the the Navy was coming back from deployment and being one of the few that could drive a manual. I would connect the battery up and drive a shipmates Supra/Camaro/Mustang up to the docks. It was awesome

I love my 6 speed mans-mition Shaker RT. I didn't buy it for racing, I bought it for fun and it's my daily. I will look into the aftermarket shifter though. Hadn't considered that one. Thank you Racer X.

I have this exact car. I understand both viewpoints. I don't mind the sloppy gears but it did take some time getting used to 5th (nervous for 6th). They are loose. With that being said, i don't want it to feel tight... just like i like dropping the clutch and having some wiggle room on it. First thing was window tint btw.

That Shakedown is HOT! I can't even drive a stick, too! I think the SCAT pack is the perfect car for a manual. Man, that Hemi sounds sooo good! Great video bud!!

How about for manuals for the SRT8? Give some love for the 6.1!

Love your channel, and my 6MT R/T!! ❤😊

Just saw one of these at a dealer yesterday. It is SO nice.

I took my m6 hellcat on a 200 mile drive today through twisty mountain type roads. Shifting added to the experience. Feels like a muscle car, not just another car that halfway drives itself. Stock shifter don't bother me much. Biggest issue for me is missing 3rd on hard shifts.

Barton definitely makes one of the best shifters. Had a Barton in my 2011 Mustang, very nice. Currently have hurst competition in my 09 mustang Gt. I prefer the Barton.

That is extremely helpful information. I have a stock 2012 SRT six speed 392 Challenger 42k miles. It is my summertime fun. I don't like doing mods on these models because if you do one mod then you have to keep doing other mods and that ends up totally transforming the entire vehicle and that gets extremely expensive really quick. As for speed response between autos and manuals. Well that's a factor of experience. I have raced for decades and over the years I discovered it isn't about the limits of the vehicle as much as the connection between the driver and the vehicle. I have pulled several different models with my six speed against autos. From V8 mustangs, camaros and several other models over the years. As for the skip shift issue that you mentioned in the video. I haven't experienced that in my Challenger. I don't use my tachometer, I use the engine sound to determine what gear and when to shift. That's just my way and I don't recommend anyone to do that if they don't feel comfortable using that method.

Barton short throw is an awesome upgrade.

I switched my factory shifter on my 2023 Challenger T/A 392 Widebody to a Hurst Pistol Grip shifter, just like the old days. It made a BIG difference. Plus, the "Hurst Equipped" plaque that is available for the rear looks cool 😊

Nailed it man ,good review ,I just bought and drove my 2023 from Florida to Seattle ,never had one skip shift ,but a few misshifts with 5 and 6 ,,1-4 was fine but not happy with 5and 6 ,I want to do the mod but worried about warranty ,,does the mod take care of the annoying spring that pushes the lever back towards driver ?,,I ask the same question ,,why is it like this ,still I'll take a manual over auto all day long ,thats what I grew up with ,its so classic I love it

It's one Bad Ass Street Machine RacerX! Thanks for great video. 👍

I don't know if works for Mopar, but in the Mustang change the fluid line from the slave to braided steel from the rubber line makes a huge difference on the smoothness of the shifts.

Definitely need a short shift and I'm glad mines pre 15. Non of that crap 1st to 4th unless I want too. That's actually false. What I been hearing is manuals are on the rise. A car with that option is cheaper

I have always owned and loved manuals. Trucks and various cars. Plus I've owned a 2013 R/T, a 2014 SRT8 392, a 2016 Hellcat, and a 2022 392 R/T Shaker all in M6s. I thought it was the only way to fly! Then I ordered a 2023 Last Call Hellcat Jailbreak in November 2022 and could only get an auto at the time. 😐 So I settled. Or so I thought... WOW was I surprised by the A8 in these cars!! The performance advantage is night and day. Now don't get me wrong. I still love the M6s. But in these Hellcats I wouldn't go back to an M6. If I had another 392? M6 all the way. Hellcat? Give me the A8! Thanks X

The slop in the shifter is how the old mopars in the 60's and 70's with a pistol grip

I owned an R/T challenger and it had a Bolton Short throw shifter on it and it definitely made it a little faster. I actually hit 5 seconds flat 0-60 on the street, after a bunch of tries lol. The average for me was 5.3 and I'd still spin quite a bit. It was stock other than that but I've been driving manual muscle cars for quite awhile now. I do like the challenger stock shifter though, it's meant to feel like an old muscle car and it certainly is.

Mine is a 2016 Challenger Hellcat 6spd B5. Racer is right, winding it out and finding that peak rpm in 4th gear is a thing of beauty!

My scat pack shaker was a manual and I did find the shifter a little awkward Hated the skip shift too so I just ran up the rpms in first Presto no more skip shift and way more fun lol

I drove a 2010 r/t with the factory simulated pistol grip (not the ball in the later models) and i did not find it to be sloppy, but i am used to driving 70-71 cudas with the original pistol grip 4 speeds.so it felt pretty good to me.

I drove my son's Scat manual the shifter reminds me of a one ton work truck from back in the late eighties. Still manual shift you truly feel the heart of the beast lots of fun.

Remove the 2 headlight caps to increase airflow. The ram air tube cost like 50 bucks max from molar. I ordered a 23 wide body 6 speed and that's the first thing I did. Also, change the tires! get some sticky tires and it changes the car

Once you get use to it it was kool but 1st and 3rd are so close i had a Srt392 with it but my new hellcat is auto my 392 was a 12 it didn’t have that skip shift i could hit any gear at any time they must of changed it later

Good one. Have to admit I might be gettling a little "bored" with the SPWB Charger. Missing rowing through some gears and considering a manual 392 Challenger now. Just curious...how much diff do you estimate the gas mileage is on 3.90 vs 4.10 gears? Thx

That factory shifter does have some slop, but compared to the Toploader 4spd shifter in my 1972 Gran Torino Sport it looks night and day better, and mine has a Hurst shifter from the factory. Great video, enjoy learnign about all muscle and poney cars.

I would like to know your take on removing the clutch delay valve on the challenger manuals. Are there any posted videos showing the procedure. I am very interested.

Love your videos.

Great video.

Barton and Skip shift defeat in my RT….just a fun daily driver going thru the gears. Flowmaster American Thunder helps the sensory experience alot too!

I agree 100%. I put a Barton in my Hellcat and the difference was night and day.

Man the Barton makes the shifter super tight. Now I've just got to take out the control valve and I think I'll have a great car

1 drawback to the Barton strong centering (2-3 shift is soo easy now) is 6th gear is a bit of a workout for my upper forearm…. Time to hit the weights i guess.

what exhaust was he running on that scatpack? sound sgood

Is there a tune to get rid of some of the nanny's with the trans? Like less rev hang etc...?

Hey Paul, how about a 90mm throttle body on an RT. Would that make any difference?

One thing I haven't seen here or in the video is if you pop off the pressure line to the transmission from the brake like master cyl and remove the star and ring fluid restrictors reinstall the line and you have better control on your shifting. This restriction is to make you granny shift the transmission in an attempt to take it easy on the driveline. If you have ever tried shifting fast and it wasn't as crisp as you have been in the past it isn't you out of practice it is that obstruction slowing down the clutch release/engagement. ;

The slop definitely annoys me but I love my manual Scat. I added a Mr Norms Pistol Grip for that vintage Mopar feel.

I actually really like the shifter it comes with. I am only comparing it to a BMW and an STI that I’ve had but I thought it was really close to the STI. I love it. It’s interesting that you say that. I’m curious what that MOD would be like now!

Good content. I agree with you that manuals are more fun to drive. When I go to cars and coffee events, I often take my 4th Gen Camaro SS. And Friends will ask why aren’t you driving the Charger? Or where’s “Salem” (my Pitch black Charger HC)? I just say “T56”, and they all just smile and nod. LOL.

Great video dude! I’m loving my manual bigtime. While I know it’s slower, it FEELS so much faster. Especially when I rio 2nd and 3rd gear chirps while watching that front end lift up and the shaker shake! 🚙💨

Great job on the manual finally. 410 rear next for mine.

AwesomeX《☆》Too bad Dodge never addressed the M6 issues👍🏾🍺🤳The only modern feature I've seen on Newer Cars thats worthwhile is Hill assist. It could probably extend Clutch life for Folks living in the mountains✌😎☯️

Can you buy an aftermarket short shift kit. One of those bolt in at the shifter boot???

great great video thank you (save the manuals)

From my own experience with my Scat Pack, I also recommend the Driveshaft Shop 1 piece driveshaft, as my OEM failed at the carrier bearing itself at just 40,000 miles, and on 15 up models isn't replaceable.

I have followed your channel for a while and trust your information could you do a video on how to do a donut in a 2018 5.7 Challenger

Ordered Barton shifter for my Scat Pack today. We will see how it goes.

Excellent video ~ would you do the same 3 mods with a 2023 Hellcat narrow body car? Would you be concerned about affecting the value down the road??

I like the shifter, feels old school. YMMV

I managed to snag a new off the showroom smoke show 2022 scat pack widebody manual with the red interior for 55k. A year later I still have no regrets what so ever!

I love my manual 2020 scat

Need to see that ‘Shaker’ doing its thing.

What are your thoughts on changing the rear end gear to 4:10 on a 13 R/T 6 speed? Pros and cons?

Racer X! Absolutely Brilliant! You hit the nail on the head! I’m in the UK, I’ve driven a lot of standard and classic sports cars. A manual transmission sports car is the ONLY true driving experience. A driver feels part of the engine, feeling the RPM as you shift at YOUR choice, not the choice of an automatic transmission. Racer X you explained it perfectly. Currently I’m driving my 06 Jeep Hemi, which has the 5 speed Chrysler automatic transmission and it’s fun, BUT I would have the manual transmission If I could choose! But the manual transmission has to be Strong though…a solid flywheel and not a dual mass flywheel for example etc. Also, what the hell is that sloppy shifter??? $50-80k and you get that? That’s poor engineering… sad. Also, a manual gives you choices, such as low rpm bubbling along up a hill OR high rpm, rattling the house windows as you shoot up the hill… Your explanation is the best there is… A brilliant video. Superb! Dan UK

i love going 1st to 3rd gear in my manual 2014 r/t 100 year of dodge anniversary

The reason your friend chose the Barton is because it really is the best shifter upgrade for a Challenger. It's also a totally Made in America product. The components and materials used are extremely high grade, close tolerance and much more appealing to a builder/enthusiast than the other brands, most of which are made in China. I swapped my 2023 Challenger R/T shifter for the black stick/white knob Barton the next month after I bought the car, and it makes a world of difference in the feel of the car. Lock it down in sport or track mode, and even the twisties feel much more manageable. Barton should be paying me a royalty for my advertising of their shifter.

I have a manual dodge challenger. I think that Dodge could have done something about the wheel hop

I even considered getting a manual Hellcat just for the hell of it…

That thing is beautiful

I want a manual just because of the variable displacement of the automatic.

Exact car I have but without Shakedown graphic.

It’s subjective. I like the smooth longer throw of the stock shifter

I'm trying to find a 4:10 gear for my 2020 Scat Pack Challenger ...I just got the Barton Short throw shifter to install this weekend, but I'm ready for the 4:10 gear... can't find it on any of the popular sources... Summit.. American Muscle..Jegs or Direct Connection . I'm fine with sacrificing top end...I've been to 165mph in 5th gear and have never wound out 6th. Can someone please share a source for the 4:10 gear?

Sport mode eliminates skip shift.

I would always prefer a manual or an automatic transmission. BUT! Then, I have to actually go drive it in traffic. Stop and go, traffic jams etc…. I went in that direction in 2010. I sold it a year later because I had to drive on I 25 T-Rex in Colorado.. cured me of wanting a stick shift ever again

You're backwards on the rear gear, the hellcat comes with a numerically low 3.09 gear, hello gas mileage? while the Scatpack comes with a right next to the 4.11, 3.90 gear. This is why the Scat launches but the hellcat smokes the tires so much. (yes I know the hp difference). The higher (numerically) gear makes for a slower spinning high torque tire out back.

I just installed my Barton and love the bolt feel. However it's loud! I got everything tighten down but when I get on the gas a d get the rpms up, there's a grinding/rattling sound. But nothing is lose. Even just idling, you can hear a grinding sound. Is that normal?

How does this compare to the Camaro manual LT1? I know both transmissions are 6060 tremec but is the feel in the Camaro better / worse?

I bought a 21 Scat T/A manual and have never noticed any skip shifting. They must have not put the skip shift in or it has beem removed, i bought it new off the showroom floor, so not sure on it..

I understand there is a paint problem on Demon hoods keep a eye out

Wanted to get some feedback. I have a 2018 Challenger Scat Pack R/T. Has 11,500 miles on it. I bought it used. I’ve had it pop out of 1st gear when leaving at a signal light. Felt like someone hit me from the back. I engaged the clutch and put the car back in 1st and it felt fine. Has anyone else had this issue?

I wanna know if I should get the standard 6.4L engine or the MDS 6.4L. I heard the MDS are not that reliable, RacerX please help me out.

I didn't like the barton shifter on my RT I wanted to put my stock one back on. I like having the longer leverage it makes it easier to slide into gear. The bartons are notchier. I was dissapointed i spent the money on it.

I installed a Barton shifter a week after I got my Scatpack Shaker along with a Hurst quad tip exhaust and Petty's Garage front/rear strut tower braces. Now I just wish I could delete the stupid rev-hang feature, as it's frick'n dangerous.

I like my Challenger automatic, it's very conservative for a RT.

the 6 speeds are so fun to drive

How can I contact you? I would love to see you do a video on this....What do you know about the fact that the 2023 Dodge Super Bees DOES NOT have a drag mode or special suspension? LIKE they advertised on the website, on the Monroney report, Tim's reveal, or the 7 last car editions etc.... Its just a Scat pack suspension...

So, it’s almost 2024 and I haven’t seen a new Charger ready for mass buying. And now a rumor of a strike against the big three! When can I see and make a plan on purchasing a new Dodge Charger?

I've had my 21 Scat manual for 2 full years...(bought brand new dec 2021) ......I have NEVER experienced this skip shift stuff everyone's talking about. And I have deliberately tried triggering it to see what everyone was talking about. Never happened in the 2 plus years of me driving it.

I have 20 Chally ScatPack Automatic Black on Black on Black. Even though it IS auto, I Usually drive it in manual. I runnit in Custom, All Track Settings "EXCEPT TRACTION CONTROL". Tractiom Control is set to Street Tractiom, easily changed to OFF when needed. I'm 6'8" tall is the ONLY reason I have an Automatic. I can drive a manual with no problem but it's much more comfortable in the Challenger with the automatic for me personally. Just a broke man's two cents worth!