Shortening the stock shifter

[Weirsy]

Hey guys I did a quick search and didn’t find much but...

I want to lower the height of my shifter without a $400 price tag and I’m not too worried about the actual throw length. I guess it’s purely for cosmetic reasons as I don’t really race my car. Will cutting down and re-threading the shifter... (Losing about 2 inches) ... cause it to pop out of gear because of the weight balance? Has anyone actually done this before? I would defiantly pay the money for a good B+M shifter except to me it’s not worth the 3-400 dollars when I only want it for looks...
Thanks

[Bryants95240sx]

ebay... it doesnt cost 400 for a short shifter. But anyways no it wont hurt it but your not really shortning the throw your just making the shifter shorter itself.

[Weirsy]

ebay... it doesnt cost 400 for a short shifter. But anyways no it wont hurt it but your not really shortning the throw your just making the shifter shorter itself.
First of all Shortening the length of the shifter will shorten the throw.
http://www.ricers.ca/gallery/data/media/3/SHort_Shifter_Throw_Distance.JPG
Secondly, im not after a shorter throw, i want the shift knob to sit lower in the console.
I know u can find cheap shifters on ebay but i have heard stories of guys having it pop out of gear and such, and having a shorter throw doesnt mean it will be a shorter shifter. Im after looks here not performance.

[ThatGuy]

If you just want looks, then raise the console. Then the shifter will appear shorter, but you won't have to worry about the throw. Simple.

[Weirsy]

If you just want looks, then raise the console. Then the shifter will appear shorter, but you won't have to worry about the throw. Simple.
:wtf:


Now i have put some thought into this.... the throw doesn't change because the shifter puts the tranny in and out of gear below the ball joint therefore anything done to the top makes no difference on the throw except my hand won't have to move as far. But once again i don't care about this my main question still is:

Will chopping the shifter cause me to lose to much leverage and weight that i will have a much harder time putting it into gear and possibly miss shifts and such?!?

[TurDz]

Will chopping the shifter cause me to lose to much leverage and weight that i will have a much harder time putting it into gear and possibly miss shifts and such?!?

Yes, it will. It's as if you were shifting from a lower part of the shifter (try grasping the shifter near the neck (below the ball shift knob portion) and you can tell right then how much mechanical advantage (leverage) you lose.

Don't know about mis-shifts, that's up to you and your technique.

[Evil98silvia]

Should be fine though. Cut it and weld it. As long as its not too low you shouldnt have any problems getting into gear. Be sure your welds penatrate, wouldnt want it breaking off while driving. But I do agree, IMO the the shifter should be an inch or so lower.

[breakindrifts]

Just go get an ebay short shifter, I got a B&M replica for like 48 shipped, works great.

[Nan Desu Ka?!]

real b&m's are no where near 400$... i have seen them as low as 150 used and i think the highest i have seen is 230 new...

just some (helpful?) info for ya.

[SR240DET]

all the short shifters are about the same hight as stock.... have you tried to shift below the handle? it not very comfy.... and the throw is the same... all in all you are wasting your time... just keep it stock

[thejester03]

Actualy, In a round about way, I did this to my Celica, Got a parts car that had the shifter cut off, with an after market knob, so wapped it into mine just to see what it was like, I really like it, compared to stock any way, never felt a short shift in a Celica, but it gives the person the feal of a shorter throw, but its a stiffer shift, so its kind of a how it feels situation. A friend of mine got a no name short throw for his S14 and instead of having 4 mounting bolts, it only had spots for two, so he has issues going from 1st to 2nd, the shifter popped loose, so that being said, the math does work, cut it off, get a Slightly shorter throw, but goes give you the looks you were lookin for, as for missing gears, you will have less distance to travel with you hand, but will have to use a little more effort, which didnt botherme, so its your call, just a little personal experience to help with your experience.

[SoSideways]

Have you tried to just put a smaller, lower shift knob on the shifter?

You're saying how you don't care about any performance gains whatever whatever, and that it's purely for looks, then why are you worried about the thing popping out of gear and will you mishift and such?

[trsilvias13]

dont cut and weld. in the middle the shifter itself it like rubber in there. i cut one up before and just threw it away. haha, why because i sold my old car with a short shifter and had this layign around n just wanted to mess around. once u cut it.. it wll smell (burning rubber)

[KwKouki]

Had anyone looked into the idea of getting a Mazda Miata shifter mated to a 240sx tranny? I fucking LOVE the feel of my friends miata.

[SoSideways]

Had anyone looked into the idea of getting a Mazda Miata shifter mated to a 240sx tranny? I fucking LOVE the feel of my friends miata.

Or just get short shifter?

[Andrew Bohan]

get one of those height adjustable shift knobs and lower it all the way.
or get a pilot/obx shifter and just use the lower half.

[KwKouki]

Or just get short shifter?

I dunno if it will feel the same.

[SochBAT]

Damn Zilvians and their being cheap.

Just go get a real short shifter. You'll feel the difference crazy like.

If you just want the look, chop 1" off the threaded head. And tap/score your own shiftknob to fit.

[NismoSilvia270R]

i did it to one of mine
if i had pics id post, but not until monday.

i cut down to the 12mm part of the shifter. die-d a thread on it (the shifter is HOLLOW down there, btw).

i got a standard thread put on so i could put a hurst leather-wrapped t-handle on it. that shiz sits flush with the console when in reverse.

woot