How To: Install Short Shifter

[tunersteve]

I am going to be recieving my Kartboy SS for my P5 next week and was wondering about what shift knob it's threaded for? Will my stock P5 shift knob thread onto it? Will a new Mazdaspeed shift knob thread on?

Only reason I ask is because my salesman at Mazda is hooking me up with a Mazdaspeed shiftknob. If it doesn't thread on correctly I'll shed a tear or two but would like to know what replacement knob I should be looking for.

*edit* Forgot to ask about weighted shift knobs. What are the pros and cons of them? Thanks guys!

Your stock one will fit, but your Mazdaspeed one unfortunately will not. I have a knob out of a 03.5 MSP that won't work on my Kartboy, and it's just collecting dust. I believe the only reason it doesn't fit is because the shift boot has a plastic piece that prevents it from sliding down far enough to engage the threads, but I could be wrong.

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

I am going to be recieving my Kartboy SS for my P5 next week and was wondering about what shift knob it's threaded for? Will my stock P5 shift knob thread onto it? Will a new Mazdaspeed shift knob thread on?

Only reason I ask is because my salesman at Mazda is hooking me up with a Mazdaspeed shiftknob. If it doesn't thread on correctly I'll shed a tear or two but would like to know what replacement knob I should be looking for.

*edit* Forgot to ask about weighted shift knobs. What are the pros and cons of them? Thanks guys!

Get a weighted knob...it smoothes out the shifts and aids in quick, precise short throws. Greddy's weighted ones are very good and only about 45 bucks. They also tend to be shorter than the stock knobs, so the slight height reduction adds to the shorter shifts. I honestly wondered if it was worth it before I bought the knob, but I would hate to have my Kartboy without it!

One a side note- make sure whatever knob you get is threaded; the set screw knobs (Momo, Sparco and others) tear up the threads on your SS...

 

[TWM Performance]

... Forgot to ask about weighted shift knobs. What are the pros and cons of them? Thanks guys!

Here's a link which talks about weighted shift knobs and why they result in a smoother feeling shift: What is a Weighted Shift Knob.
Kevin
TWM

 

[70]

Your stock one will fit, but your Mazdaspeed one unfortunately will not. I have a knob out of a 03.5 MSP that won't work on my Kartboy, and it's just collecting dust. I believe the only reason it doesn't fit is because the shift boot has a plastic piece that prevents it from sliding down far enough to engage the threads, but I could be wrong.

The Protege MP3 and Mazdaspeed Protege have the same thread and pitch for the shifter. That thread and pitch is different than the stock Protege and Protege 5 shifter.

That is why they don't work. The Kart Boy Short Shifter is threaded for the stock Protege.

 

[TWM Performance]

The Protege MP3 and Mazdaspeed Protege have the same thread and pitch for the shifter. That thread and pitch is different than the stock Protege and Protege 5 shifter.

That is why they don't work. The Kart Boy Short Shifter is threaded for the stock Protege.

Actually the MP3 uses smaller threads, M8 x 1.25. The MazdaSpeed Protege and regular Protege and P5 all use M10 x 1.25 threads. The reason a MazdaSpeed shift knob won't fit the Protege shifter is the location of the boot retainer on the Protege shifter shaft. It is located higher on the shaft which does not allow the MazdaSpeed Protege shift knob to slide down far enough on the shaft to engage the threads.

The above thread differences and different boot retainer locations is why we chose to offer 3 different versions of our short shifter, a different one for the MP3, Protege, and MazdaSpeed Protege.

Kevin
TWM

 

[Lewis7789]

Blast, well just had to cancel my order with protegegarage.com for the Mazdaspeed knob then. The weighted shift knobs look great from TWM, especially the type-R style flat black, but $100 for a shift knob is going to be tough to swallow. Guess I'll just stick to the Greddy and hope the sticker doesn't fall off.

Thanks for the info, guys.

 

[tunersteve]

Does your shift boot allow someone with a Kartboy shifter use a Mazdaspeed knob? I would buy one if it does. The only reason I can't use that knob I have is because of that plastic retainer on the shift boot.

 

[70]

Actually the MP3 uses smaller threads, M8 x 1.25. The MazdaSpeed Protege and regular Protege and P5 all use M10 x 1.25 threads. The reason a MazdaSpeed shift knob won't fit the Protege shifter is the location of the boot retainer on the Protege shifter shaft. It is located higher on the shaft which does not allow the MazdaSpeed Protege shift knob to slide down far enough on the shaft to engage the threads.

The above thread differences and different boot retainer locations is why we chose to offer 3 different versions of our short shifter, a different one for the MP3, Protege, and MazdaSpeed Protege.

Kevin
TWM

Cool, I'm wrong.

 

[Lewis7789]

Screw it, I just ordered a Type-R style knob from TWM. It's weighted, flat black and doesn't have any stickers that will peal off. And I don't have to worry about it not fitting my short shifter. I'll post pics when everything arrives.

 

[TWM Performance]

Screw it, I just ordered a Type-R style knob from TWM. It's weighted, flat black and doesn't have any stickers that will peal off. And I don't have to worry about it not fitting my short shifter. I'll post pics when everything arrives.

Cool, thank you for your order We have several flat black type R's shipping today so I'm sure one of them is yours. You should receive a UPS tracking number by e-mail by the end of the business day.

Kevin
TWM Performance

 

[TWM Performance]

Does your shift boot allow someone with a Kartboy shifter use a Mazdaspeed knob? I would buy one if it does. The only reason I can't use that knob I have is because of that plastic retainer on the shift boot.

Our shift boot doesn't have the plastic retainer so you should be OK. Check to make sure the shift knob fits on the short shifter first without the boot installed though, usually what prevents the knob from working is the boot retainer on the shifter itself and not the plastic retainer on the boot.

Kevin
TWM Performance

 

[tunersteve]

Our shift boot doesn't have the plastic retainer so you should be OK. Check to make sure the shift knob fits on the short shifter first without the boot installed though, usually what prevents the knob from working is the boot retainer on the shifter itself and not the plastic retainer on the boot.

Kevin
TWM Performance

Ok, good. I remember testing it on the shifter while it was out of the car, so the retainer is my only issue then.

 

[D-rock240]

Does your shift boot allow someone with a Kartboy shifter use a Mazdaspeed knob? I would buy one if it does. The only reason I can't use that knob I have is because of that plastic retainer on the shift boot.

I bought a kartboy and had a 03 MSP sparco knob. It would not screw down enough to fit, I had to trim the shifter a bit for it to work. Then 6 months later the shift knob broke off while shifting to 3rd

I have a stock MSP shifter with the 03.5 shift knob now, and it feels much smoother than the kartboy. Plus its a noticeable height difference from the stock sedan (truck) shifter.

 

[Lewis7789]

I bought a kartboy and had a 03 MSP sparco knob. It would not screw down enough to fit, I had to trim the shifter a bit for it to work. Then 6 months later the shift knob broke off while shifting to 3rd

Well that's not what I wanted to hear... Hopefully my Kartboy will hold up. I installed it last week. It was pretty clunky at first but it's starting to feel better now. Though I think next time, I'll just go with the TWM short shifter. I just didn't like re-istalling those cheap OEM plastic bushings back into the bottom of the Kartboy shift lever when I could have been installing a TWM short shifter with metal bearings there instead. Well, at least I'm loving the TWM shift knob.

 

[TWM Performance]

Well that's not what I wanted to hear... Hopefully my Kartboy will hold up. I installed it last week. It was pretty clunky at first but it's starting to feel better now. Though I think next time, I'll just go with the TWM short shifter. I just didn't like re-istalling those cheap OEM plastic bushings back into the bottom of the Kartboy shift lever when I could have been installing a TWM short shifter with metal bearings there instead. Well, at least I'm loving the TWM shift knob.

Thanks for the props, the shift knob looks great

Kevin
TWM

 

[Dimitrios]

Does anyone know what the shift bolt (i.e. the thru. socket head cap screw that holds the shifter to the shift linkage) size is?

I'm under the impression it's an M6 bolt and mine needs replacing (has rusted out and I get some buzzing/rattling along with some slight grinding I try to avoid while accelerating).

I'd like to order/find a stainless bolt prior to get getting under it.

Thanks,
D

 

[Nomad]

Just for kicks i got the ebay special. Tooksome dremeling to get it to fit right.
Nice and OEM looking now. eight difference isn't actually that bad. I'll still see about fitting the OEM extension piece onto it to raise the knob some.
(don't like it super low)

After:

Before

 

[TWM Performance]

Well that's not what I wanted to hear... Hopefully my Kartboy will hold up. I installed it last week. It was pretty clunky at first but it's starting to feel better now. Though I think next time, I'll just go with the TWM short shifter. I just didn't like re-istalling those cheap OEM plastic bushings back into the bottom of the Kartboy shift lever when I could have been installing a TWM short shifter with metal bearings there instead. Well, at least I'm loving the TWM shift knob.

Awesome looking knob, matches the interior very well

Thanks,

Kevin
TWM

 

[bradf_420]

i looked at the how to. to take a shifter out and there ar bolts under the car you have to loosen is it the same for a protege 5 i cant see them under the car

 

[D-rock240]

Yes, the manual P5 is the same as the sedan. I had to put the car on the lift to do the install.