Not-so-short shifter availability?

[alecjahn]

Long time lurker, first time poster.
(P.S. Thanks for the wonderful forum, I've found a lot of great threads here helping me with various little bits!)


After driving a friend's newish Tiburon recently, I realize I... I kinda need a shorter throw on my shifts.

I've driven a few cars with "short shifters" in the past but always hated how the upper height was cut down so much. I see most of the easily attainable options have a 2" drop on the top. I don't want a little choady nub as a shifter. I think it looks silly and feels silly.

So I ask, does anyone know of an option that has the shorter throw (maybe a ~30% reduction from stock, I don't think I need the 50% as most advertise - I've seen some MazdaSpeed6 shifters that have this) but don't have the extreme sunken upper?
Should I just get one anyway and try and find a longer knob to help put it back in the air?
I vaguely remember reading that the MP3 has an OEM "short" shifter. Would that be desirable? I found one on eBay.


Apologizes for all the questions, I only need one answer instead of a million.

Thanks for your time,
-Alec

 

[zhy]

welcome buddy!
the mazdaspeed OEM shifter is shorter than the mp3, and has the same "length"
if you can manage to find one of those, best of both worlds for ya, and low costs!

 

[alecjahn]

So is the MP3 shorter than the normal P5/P? Like, does it tier down?

 

[tweety2300]

Mp3 is shorter but has the odd ball thread size. 03 msp is about the same size but has the regular threads 03.5 is shorter

 

[riverzendz]

welcome buddy!
the mazdaspeed OEM shifter is shorter than the mp3, and has the same "length"
if you can manage to find one of those, best of both worlds for ya, and low costs!

It's shorter in length but the throw is the same.

The B&M sounds like what the OP is looking for. Close to stock height but a shorter throw.

 

[Speed3.5]

I have a b&m short shift for sale , op pm me back if interested.

 

[JiggaBro]

Ive had a megan shifter for about a year now and love the height anf through. if you like i can send pics

 

[Brian_K]

Ive had a megan shifter for about a year now and love the height anf through. if you like i can send pics

^this and get some shifter linkage bushings as well as a weighted shift knob.

 

[tweety2300]

Just never get an obx...

 

[Ride92]

One cheap easy option is to modify the stock shifter so that it has a shorter throw. To do this you need to remove the stock shifter, and remove the powder coating above the ball. you will see that there is a bend in the stock bar about an inch up the stick. Use a shop press and heat the ball and press it up the shaft till that small bend. You will only be shortening the stock lever height by a little bit but will be getting shorter throws because of the longer distance under the ball. You are moving the pivot point if that makes sense. I did this as well as take out the elestomer that connects the top and ad dropped it a bit lower for my own preference but you don't have to do that.

 

[tweety2300]

To make it shorter you can also just cut and rethread the stock shifter

 

[Ride92]

To make it shorter you can also just cut and rethread the stock shifter

Just doing that won't make your shift throws any shorter because your not changing the length under the ball pivot. It will reduce the amount your hand moves slightly but not much and make the shifter shorter in hieght but not be a true short throw shifter. The way i did it will make it a shorter throw shifter. If you want the knob lower you don't need to cut and rethread anything. The stock shifter is two peices that are connected by an elastomer type rubber. Just heat up the top where the thread are and pull the two peices apart, remove the elastomer rubber thing and from the top section and cut the top off so the bottom peice will slide further (all the way) onto the top section. I loaded the peice back up with black silicone sealant and drilled a hole to put a small bolt in place to hold everything secure.

 

[Tamn]

Mmm...I really like my TWM shifter...I machined up my own knob for it that's pretty long as well.

 

[Tekk]

so what im gathering is i CAN shorten the height on my oem shifter? it just sits too retardely high for my liking. annnd i cant exactly justify 170$+shipping for a piece of metal to the wife.

 

[Tamn]

so what im gathering is i CAN shorten the height on my oem shifter? it just sits too retardely high for my liking. annnd i cant exactly justify 170$+shipping for a piece of metal to the wife.

Yes you can shorten the shifter, but by shortening it you will not be shortening the length of your throws and it will be harder to shift as obviously your losing leverage.

 

[Ride92]

Yes you can shorten the shifter, but by shortening it you will not be shortening the length of your throws and it will be harder to shift as obviously your losing leverage.

Not entirely true with that statement. If all you do is shorten the section above the ball joint then yes, Tamm is correct. If you do like i did and lengthen the section under the ball joint thus shortening the height at the same time you will have shorter throws. Check out the bottom of this web page: http://www.twmperformance.com/short-shifter.html It has a very nice little animation of what it means to have a short throw shifter. You have to change the length under the ball. Is my short thro the shortest on the planet? No. Did it cost me nothing to make but a few hours? Yes. Over all my throws are reduced by about an 1-1/2 front to back and the shifter is at a comfortable height for me. One of the best things I did for the car was to get the corksport bronze-oil bushings to replace the cheap plastic ones that came stock. TWM makes some very nice shifter they just weren't for me. I was like you wanted a bit shorter throw and shorter height with our a big bill. been driveing with mine for 3+ years now and no issues

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

If I were you, I would just watch the FS section for a used Kartboy or Corksport SS. Cheaper than new and they are (same design) some of the best SS out there!

 

[speedracr79]

I got my TWM SS christmas before last they had a 10% sale and free shipping i got mine for $120 give or take a few i dont recall. But i love it IMO its better than making one Im all for saving money and DIY mods but thats one area i didnt want to skimp. I felt i would have a better quality feel and shifter with the TWM shifter, i did my research and it was the best one with the shortest shift. I heard some things about the other brands that are cheaper and felt id rather spend the extra cash and be done with it.

Add the Shifter bushings, bronzoil and 3rd link bushings and you will have the best shift feel ever.

 

[008]

I don't want a little choady nub as a shifter. I think it looks silly and feels silly.

Then I can tell you now that you won't like the Kartboy. The advantage of a short throw is negated by a high effort to move it into gear due to it being in an odd spot. My elbow pain goes away when I drive a different car. My car came with one and when I test drove a stock P5 I liked the stock shifter placement better.