Just figured I'd post a quick review of the TWM short shifter & adjustable height shift knob after having installed it in my 5-door, and driving it to work a few days (about 200 miles).
Installation:
The Mazda3 center console is pretty darn easy to get into. Installation was relatively easy - the instructions are VERY good. The hardest part was getting the new shifter into the base, which requires manipulation of a spring while the new shifter is inserted. Took me a few tries, but finally I got it. Total install time was about 45 minutes, taking my time. There isn't anything in the install that can't be undone later, so returning the car to stock should take the same amount of time.
The shifter has no provisions for attaching a shift boot. The stock shifter has a washer welded just below the knob that holds the boot up. That washer doesn't exist on the new one. You can be creative here - for now I'm just using about 10 rubber bands wound around the shifter just below the knob - they create enough of a bump that the boot won't fall down. I'll probably move to a small hose-clamp, with a washer placed above it as my final solution...
Edit: Somebody was nice enough to point out a press-fit washer is included in the kit to help hold the boot up. I didn't see this washer in my kit - I might have lost it, or it might not have come with mine. Given the high packaging quality, it's most likely that I lost it. If the shifter really does come with this washer, I take back this complaint
You'll need a Philips screwdriver, an 8mm and 10mm socket with extension (think I have those sizes correct), and at least one flat screwdriver to push in tabs to get the old shifter out.
The shift knob installs in about 5 minutes. You just take the old knob off, screw the new one on, and crank down the 3 allen-headed set screws.
Opinions - Shifter:
Overall, I'm happy with the shifter. My biggest complaint is that the whole shift assembly winds up offset to the right hand side of the shift cutout. 1st and 2nd are about at the middle of the cutout side-to-side, and 5th and reverse are right up on the right hand side of the cutout. I don't think this is a problem specifically with this short shifter - the stock shifter is offset the same way. It's just more obvious with the short shifter.
I worked around this by putting 3 washers (about 2.5mm total) under each of the passenger side shifter mounts. This leaned everything slightly to the drivers side, and it looks & feels better now. Do this at your own risk though - I'm sure the unbalanced washers are stressing the plastic shifter mount a little more than planned...
Shifting is very solid - travel from gear to gear is probably about 4". You really get a better feel for the 'thunk' into a gear. You KNOW when it's in gear now. The level of effort to shift IS higher - definetely higher than stock, and higher than my old Miata as well. I have the heavier TWM shift knob, which helps a little, but it's not a silver bullet - you will be working harder shifting this thing thank stock.
My only other 'concern' is that the front cable mount on the shifter winds up being very close to the front of the shift cutout in the console. Especially once I put the few washes on mine to line up the shifter right, they actually touch while I am shifting into 1st, 3rd, and 5th (3rd is the worst). I'll dremel a little bit of the underside of the shifter cutout away to prevent this rubbing in the next few days.
So, overall, I'd give it a 9 out of 10. I'd like to see the shift point be about a 1/4" to 1/2" to the left of where it is now, and that the front cable mount be moved a little bit further away from the front of the shift cutout (not sure if this is even possible).
Opinions: Shift Knob
The knob is a solid chunk of metal, and it is probably 50% heavier than the stock knob. The 'TWM' logo is laser engraved in the top - it looks pretty nice.
When at it's lowest point, the knob feels about as short as the stock one. The instructions state that you have to have at least 4 threads screwed up before using the set-screws - I haven't measured, but this doesn't leave a lot of 'height adjustment' - maybe a 1/2" at most. So don't get this knob thinking it will give you an inch or two of adjustment - that's definetely not the case. It's really only for fine tuning.
My biggest gripe about the shift knob is those set screws on the bottom. There are three of them, and at least on my car, the set screws are longer than they need to be, so they stick out just a little bit. It ruins the feel of the nice smooth heavy knob to have sharp little screws sticking out of the bottom. Not to mention that you can SEE them pretty easily when looking at the knob.
So I would give the knob a 6 out of 10. Quality is high, but the set screws in the current implementation seem crumby. I would either move to some sort of press-fit bushing, or at least develop a cover for the set screw ring so that they aren't exposed.
I would provide pictures, but the other posters here have already done an excellent job of showing what it looks like.
Installation:
The Mazda3 center console is pretty darn easy to get into. Installation was relatively easy - the instructions are VERY good. The hardest part was getting the new shifter into the base, which requires manipulation of a spring while the new shifter is inserted. Took me a few tries, but finally I got it. Total install time was about 45 minutes, taking my time. There isn't anything in the install that can't be undone later, so returning the car to stock should take the same amount of time.
The shifter has no provisions for attaching a shift boot. The stock shifter has a washer welded just below the knob that holds the boot up. That washer doesn't exist on the new one. You can be creative here - for now I'm just using about 10 rubber bands wound around the shifter just below the knob - they create enough of a bump that the boot won't fall down. I'll probably move to a small hose-clamp, with a washer placed above it as my final solution...
Edit: Somebody was nice enough to point out a press-fit washer is included in the kit to help hold the boot up. I didn't see this washer in my kit - I might have lost it, or it might not have come with mine. Given the high packaging quality, it's most likely that I lost it. If the shifter really does come with this washer, I take back this complaint
You'll need a Philips screwdriver, an 8mm and 10mm socket with extension (think I have those sizes correct), and at least one flat screwdriver to push in tabs to get the old shifter out.
The shift knob installs in about 5 minutes. You just take the old knob off, screw the new one on, and crank down the 3 allen-headed set screws.
Opinions - Shifter:
Overall, I'm happy with the shifter. My biggest complaint is that the whole shift assembly winds up offset to the right hand side of the shift cutout. 1st and 2nd are about at the middle of the cutout side-to-side, and 5th and reverse are right up on the right hand side of the cutout. I don't think this is a problem specifically with this short shifter - the stock shifter is offset the same way. It's just more obvious with the short shifter.
I worked around this by putting 3 washers (about 2.5mm total) under each of the passenger side shifter mounts. This leaned everything slightly to the drivers side, and it looks & feels better now. Do this at your own risk though - I'm sure the unbalanced washers are stressing the plastic shifter mount a little more than planned...
Shifting is very solid - travel from gear to gear is probably about 4". You really get a better feel for the 'thunk' into a gear. You KNOW when it's in gear now. The level of effort to shift IS higher - definetely higher than stock, and higher than my old Miata as well. I have the heavier TWM shift knob, which helps a little, but it's not a silver bullet - you will be working harder shifting this thing thank stock.
My only other 'concern' is that the front cable mount on the shifter winds up being very close to the front of the shift cutout in the console. Especially once I put the few washes on mine to line up the shifter right, they actually touch while I am shifting into 1st, 3rd, and 5th (3rd is the worst). I'll dremel a little bit of the underside of the shifter cutout away to prevent this rubbing in the next few days.
So, overall, I'd give it a 9 out of 10. I'd like to see the shift point be about a 1/4" to 1/2" to the left of where it is now, and that the front cable mount be moved a little bit further away from the front of the shift cutout (not sure if this is even possible).
Opinions: Shift Knob
The knob is a solid chunk of metal, and it is probably 50% heavier than the stock knob. The 'TWM' logo is laser engraved in the top - it looks pretty nice.
When at it's lowest point, the knob feels about as short as the stock one. The instructions state that you have to have at least 4 threads screwed up before using the set-screws - I haven't measured, but this doesn't leave a lot of 'height adjustment' - maybe a 1/2" at most. So don't get this knob thinking it will give you an inch or two of adjustment - that's definetely not the case. It's really only for fine tuning.
My biggest gripe about the shift knob is those set screws on the bottom. There are three of them, and at least on my car, the set screws are longer than they need to be, so they stick out just a little bit. It ruins the feel of the nice smooth heavy knob to have sharp little screws sticking out of the bottom. Not to mention that you can SEE them pretty easily when looking at the knob.
So I would give the knob a 6 out of 10. Quality is high, but the set screws in the current implementation seem crumby. I would either move to some sort of press-fit bushing, or at least develop a cover for the set screw ring so that they aren't exposed.
I would provide pictures, but the other posters here have already done an excellent job of showing what it looks like.
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