Short Shifter

[bsiebert]

I know this is probably a dead and often beaten horse to listen to but I have some questions on short shifters. From reading it seems that B&M, CorkSport (known prior as Kart) and TWM seem to be the most popular. I have also found Megan Racing and Fidanza short shifters for the Protege also.

Here are some links

Fidanza
http://www.fidanza.com/ItemDetails.aspx?sid=29&mid=238&mk=MAZDA&md=PROTEGE&yn=01-03&eid=233&mkid=10
I've found this shifter in the $50 range at numerous websites.

TWM
http://www.twmperformance.com/shortshifters/mazdashortshifters/mazdaprotegeshortshifters.htm
I like that there seems to be a general consensus that this is the best along with the CorkSport and that it comes with new bolts and bushings. I do not like the price as I would like to get a shift boot and knob and still keep the price below the $150 mark.

CorkSport
http://www.corksport.com/corksport-short-throw-shifter.html
This seems to be the way to go... for $85 I could most likely stay in the price range I would like.

B&M
http://www.bmracing.com/PRODUCTS/Mazda/
Similar to the TWM... but would rather have the TWM. Although the B&M comes with a surround for the ball. Once again price is too high for my likings.

Megan Racing
http://www.prostreetonline.com/pnsku/ss-mp5.asp
Along the same lines as the CorkSport... I emailed a different site that offered this shifter and it was on a long back order so I do not even know if I could get this in a decent amount of time.

Some more questions that concern me are:

What is the size of the short shifter threads for the shift knob? I know 10x1.5 and 12x1.5 is common but none of those links actually tell me what they are.

Secondly I've seen that the pictures show that the Fidanza shifter comes with a knob... does it actually come with a knob? I've read that people who have bought TWM shifters had boots come with it.... is that the case still?

Lastly, should I get the CorkSport bushings.. bronze and polyurethane or either... I'm not looking to lap Corvettes on the race track. I'm just looking for some better performance and tighter shifts.

Well thanks for the insight if you can give me any... What I ideally want is a nice weighted shift knob, a decent short shifter and a black shift boot because the original is ripped. If you have any good ideas about a total package I can get somewhere that would be sweet. Thanks a ton!!

Brandon

 

[JTF]

short shifter

I'm new here too, so unfortunately can't provide much help, but I'm also interested in a short shifter for my P5. Unlike you, I'm looking to keep things stock and relatively inexpensive, at least for now. I'm looking exclusively for the short shifter and I'm thinking MP3 or MSP, but have been told the MP3 short shifter has a different (unique?) thread pattern than most other shifters, thus most other knobs won't fit. My plan is to utilize the stock shift knob w/the MSP, or find an MP3 short shifter, w/stock knob.

 

[Brian_K]

i picked up my twm short shifter kit off ebay i paid $154 and some change for the short shifter, boot, hardware which came with washer spacers for the shift knob and bushings that are similar to the bronze corksport ones. some come with the boot and others don't, it's usually reflected in the price. The quality of the TWM short shifter is amazing imo. but Fidanza, Corksport, and B&M are great as well. i've just never been a huge fan of megan racing myself. just dont get the $13 ebay short shifter, i have heard all sorts of stories and problems people have come across.

as far as bushings for the shifter linkage, pretty much any well known brand will do just make sure they're urethane. protephile is selling kartboy ones for $25.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123777747

i think he only has a few sets left.

 

[bsiebert]

Thanks for the input. I was hoping to find a deal similar to that on Ebay but all tey have up there is the cheapo ones. How much of a difference will the bushings make? Do you think that the bushings are what make the most difference?

Brandon

 

[conewagon]

I love my Twm, easy install, good quality, shorter shift. Honestly, if you aren't going to race the car, don't buy the bushings. or don't buy the short shifter for that matter, spend the money on somthing else, unless you need to shave .25s or less of off somthing.

 

[Protephile]

If Corksport is indeed selling the Kartboy under their own name then definitely
pick one up. I have the original Kartboy shifter, knob and bushings and
couldn't be happier.
It also had the shortest throw of any shifter at the time and I am sure that
is still true.

 

[Dermen]

I had a B&M and didn't like it. On really hot/humid days in the summer it would expand and it would get sticky and difficult to move. I hoped that it just needed to be worn in but after 2 years I said I'm sick of this crap and I got a TWM and it has been great. When the B&M worked right I liked it better because it was a little higher.

I have the TWM/Kartboy bushing along with the bronzoil/nyloil linkage bushing but I installed them at the same time as the short shifter and motor mounts so I can't really compare before/after. I will say that when I had all the bushings plus front and side motor mount inserts shifting was perfect. I have since removed the mm inserts (no vibes, but car was noticeably louder on the freeway) and shifting is nowhere near the same.

 

[Ride92]

The MSP shifter is just shorter on top not under the ball so It's really not that much more of a short throw. You could always do what I did and modify you stock one to make it a short throw shifter. If you heat up the metal part on top of the shifter it will come off the bottom black part and you can then cut a hole in the rubbery dampner in there so it will fit back together further down the shaft. I just used 2part epoxy to clue it back together. Then if you know someone or can take it somewhere the ball can be pressed about a half an inch up the shaft to shorten the throw, you just have to clean the powder coat off the part the ball will be pressed to with a wire wheel brush. I did that to minw and love it. Price Free!!!!

 

[localkineguy]

Twm

I have a TWM with the polyurethane bushings. Everything works fine, I like it. I also have the GReddy counterweight knob which is nice but hot in the summer and ice cold in the winter .

 

[poison]

I'd buy Fidanza. Known company, good price.

 

[bsiebert]

http://www.cosmoracing.com/productinfo.asp?cid=215&pid=856

I found this Cosmo Racing shifter, a buddy of mine has one in his Maxima and it is a decent shifter for the price. Just need to find a good shift boot.

Brandon

 

[blackdragon11]

Ive had a Fidanza shifter for years and im about to go Kartboy or TWM now.

 

[theEZV]

i have the kartboy shifter. its great. corksport makes it now.

 

[bsiebert]

I made a mistake with the CorkSport link, and linked the shifter for the 90-94 Protege... I went to go fix my mistake and now it seems that they don't even offer a short shifter for a 2003 MP5. Any ideas?

 

[theEZV]

it's the right one. and if you're gonna buy a "budget" shifter, get the megan one. heck, its pretty much the same thing as the b&m

 

[dxaveP5]

TWM + polyur shifter bushings + counterweight knob = jizz in my pants

 

[bsiebert]

I agree... but not only is it out of my budget, I don't really need the highest performance shifter on the market... this is far from a race car.

 

[poison]

Ive had a Fidanza shifter for years and im about to go Kartboy or TWM now.

Why switch?

 

[blackdragon11]

after feeling the kartboy and twm in other proteges, i like them better.