Short Throw Shifter

[RedlineRacer]

What would be the difference if I bought a short throw shifter, or I just cut off the stock shifter? Are the manufactured ones really any better?

[uiuc240]

Cutting the shifter does nothing to actually shorten the throw. It makes it seem shorter because the stick is physically shorter...but the angle between gates is still the same. A short shifter changes the fulcrum point. This not only shortens the vertical distance, but the lateral distance between gates as well.

Get the real deal. Cutting is for backyard hacks.

Eric

[sykikchimp]

in the future, please search. 1 quick search for "short shifter" returned over 500 results...

[Foxcolt]

OR for even shorter throws

You can nab a cheap short throw, i.e. pilot

Then cut it down some.

I've got mine cut right below the threads with a momo shift knob. Works great!

[RedlineRacer]

Ah, I see. Thanks for replying.

[tchenku]

http://www.thewolfweb.com/photos/00112565.jpg

on the contrary, it DOES give it a shorter throw... it's just that anal people will frown on you because it's not by the book ;)

[uiuc240]

Originally posted by uiuc240
It makes it seem shorter because the stick is physically shorter...[I]but the angle between gates is still the same[I]. A short shifter changes the fulcrum point. This not only shortens the vertical distance, but the lateral distance between gates as well.

Read what I said...

But you're right. That's geometry for ya. But also, have you felt a cut shifter? The throws are much heavier. It's balky and annoying.

Eric

[tchenku]

no i've never used a true short shifter or a cut shifter before.... but im just talking about it in theory :p

ok lets say you have 2 shifters that are the same overall length (ie a cut stick vs a true short shifter). the fulcrum point of the aftermarket shifter will be higher up than the cut shifter and in THEORY, the aftermarket shifter will be harder to shift (but does have the shorter throw of the two)

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aftermarket cut shifter

flame on:D

[DuffMan]

Annother advantage of aftermarket (well the B&M anyway, don't know about OBX or C's) is that it cleans up a lot of the slop in the shifter. My stock shifter was really sloppy. Shifting into 3rd quickly was an impossibility because it wouldnt immediately line up right with the gate. And when it did go, I was bringing my clutch foot back up and I even grinded it a few times.

With the B&M it made everything precise. I don't know if the slop is just stock or caused by wear and tear, but the B&M feels like a completely different transmission. I don't know if there's so much advantage in a shorter throw shifter because even when they move the fulcrum point it still takes more force to move it. You trade distance for force neccessary to move it, but the total amount of work is the same (physics, you can't get something for nothing).

What really made a difference for me was the better, more precise feel, and bringing the gates horizontally closer together, not just the shorter throws.

[sykikchimp]

something else that is not extremely important is that with the cut shifter your hand will have to move farther from the steering wheel to shift. This may not seem like a big deal, but when your on the track, the more time both your hands are on the wheel, the more in control you are.

If you drive a new civic si, that shifter feels SO natural.. and promotes both hands on the wheel, and makes the car overall just feel more confident.

(hard to visualize, but trust me, it makes a difference.)

[deltrr]

chimpy likes to drive the mini-minivan!

[DSC]

I hate low shifters, for the reason chimp said and because you lose leverage. A short shifter is actually the same height as the stock shifter (give or take 1cm *shrugs*), so you lose no leverage but don't have to move the shifter as far, and your right back to the steering wheel.
Shortshifter :D
cutshifter :mad: