Afterthoughts/comments on $39 Ebay short shifter: (Long.)
#1
Afterthoughts/comments on $39 Ebay short shifter: (Long.)
First of all, thanks to audia4on19s for all of your comments, help, and hints.
I love this thing. Easy install, you only actually use 4 of the parts that come with the short shifter (as audia4on19s mentioned to me) - The blue and silver parts of the actual shifter, and 2 white bushings to stick between the 2. 5 piece total I guess if you count the screw for it as well. I set mine to the middle of the 3 settings on the shifter itself. The throw is unbelievable. It is just as smooth as the stock one, and reduces throw by about 50%. The shifter sits a little lower than the stock one, but I come nowhere close to hitting my knuckles when shifting.
As for this shifter getting rid of slop in the car as discussed in my original post about this SS, I haven't noticed a difference yet, but I also had a snubby in prior to doing this install. If I had to do it all over again I would buy the same exact ebay shifter.
The problems I had were:
Breaking the 2 bolts that hold the shift linkage to the tranny linkage went from being a nightmare to being really easy by getting a 6mm alan wrench with about a 6" reach and clamping vice grips on the end of it. That gave me enough room to break the 2 bolts loose, as anything shorter and the shifter itself will get in the way.
The small circlip pliers I bought from Autozone worked initially to get the snap ring out, but I actually had to get a larger pair to put the snap ring back in.
I *highly* suggest an extra set of hands for this install, just because it makes everything so much easier. I honestly don't see how one person can remove the rubber piece that keeps the shift boot from sagging off of the stock assembly by themselves. It took 2 of us, a lot of WD-40, and standing out on the front lawn pulling in different directions to get it off.
Overall I'm very impressed and would recommend this to any of you.
I love this thing. Easy install, you only actually use 4 of the parts that come with the short shifter (as audia4on19s mentioned to me) - The blue and silver parts of the actual shifter, and 2 white bushings to stick between the 2. 5 piece total I guess if you count the screw for it as well. I set mine to the middle of the 3 settings on the shifter itself. The throw is unbelievable. It is just as smooth as the stock one, and reduces throw by about 50%. The shifter sits a little lower than the stock one, but I come nowhere close to hitting my knuckles when shifting.
As for this shifter getting rid of slop in the car as discussed in my original post about this SS, I haven't noticed a difference yet, but I also had a snubby in prior to doing this install. If I had to do it all over again I would buy the same exact ebay shifter.
The problems I had were:
Breaking the 2 bolts that hold the shift linkage to the tranny linkage went from being a nightmare to being really easy by getting a 6mm alan wrench with about a 6" reach and clamping vice grips on the end of it. That gave me enough room to break the 2 bolts loose, as anything shorter and the shifter itself will get in the way.
The small circlip pliers I bought from Autozone worked initially to get the snap ring out, but I actually had to get a larger pair to put the snap ring back in.
I *highly* suggest an extra set of hands for this install, just because it makes everything so much easier. I honestly don't see how one person can remove the rubber piece that keeps the shift boot from sagging off of the stock assembly by themselves. It took 2 of us, a lot of WD-40, and standing out on the front lawn pulling in different directions to get it off.
Overall I'm very impressed and would recommend this to any of you.
#2
lol at the two people... :)
glad everything went well. But don't make a ss intall sound harder then it is you'll scare away other people... Both ss i've installed have gone in very quickly and work great. Albeit the first one I had to cut a few corners... but the second one.. wow.. 2 people is excess... one can easily do it =) Glad you enjoy
#3
Lol yeah... the writeup says 2 is good.
That rubber thing was a bitch and a half. Other than that, no you don't really need 2 people. But it's always nice to have someone there to drink a beer with you.
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#8
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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I did the same install two weeks ago...
I followed the B&M installation guide of the B&M site. It's definitely an install that will go smoothly if you have the correct tools. If you try to cut corners, you will pay the price with both frustration and time. With that said, my install was very smooth other then a trip to the store to purchase a smaller snap-ring expander.
I have the shifter on the most aggressive setting and would still like it shorter. The most aggressive setting is supposed to be a 38% (maybe it was 35%) reduction. While I believe that number, I want something closer to the STi I drove with a real short throw shifter. Regardless, it is MUCH better then stock.
I have the shifter on the most aggressive setting and would still like it shorter. The most aggressive setting is supposed to be a 38% (maybe it was 35%) reduction. While I believe that number, I want something closer to the STi I drove with a real short throw shifter. Regardless, it is MUCH better then stock.
#9
Ya I will try to take some more pics sometime this week to show just how short it is. They advertise
40-60% for this one, 60% seems like an awful lot to me, but this one made a HUGE difference. With the stock shifter, when you push it forward or backward from the neutral position as far as it will go without going into gear, that's right about where this one sits when the car is in gear.