shortening your shifter

[GTDrifter]

So yesterday I took my aftermarket short throw shifter and cut the top down and rethreaded it so my shift knob sits lower. Someone on facebook is claiming the following:

"all u will get out of cutting it is more stress on the bushings cause it is not ment to be that way then your sinks go out"

Then somehow got to lighter shift knobs?
"This theory applies to a shift knob in the following manner. While shifting, the shift knob is set in motion by the driver. While the shift knob is travelling between gears, it has a certain velocity and carries with it kinetic energy. The additional kinetic energy a heavy shift knob carries with it helps it to engage in to the next gear. Essentially, the shifter with a heavier shift knob is more "difficult" to stop because of the added kinetic energy, which actually helps it engage in to the next gear with less direct effort from the driver. The net result is a smoother engagement in to the next gear with less effort put in from the driver on the shift knob to get it in to gear. It is for this reason that a heavier shift knob feels much smoother to shift than a shifter with a stock shift knob."

So I'm asking whats really the truth behind what I did. My theory is that since there was no modification from the pivot to the linkage (just lowered the shift knob) then there is no difference besides the distance from linkage to knob. the linkage still travels the same and the actual throw distance is the same, all that changed is my hand does not travel as far (very small difference anyway)

[StatGSR]

all you did was make it more difficult to shift because you lost some of the leverage you had because of its original longer length.

I'm all for short throws, but prefer a stock height or longer shift lever.

[Huffer]

Shortening the height of your shifter isn't creating a short THROW shifter. The only way to do this is to alter the angle of the pivot and ball down in the console.

Examine a stock shifter lying next to a genuine short shifter.

[GTDrifter]

Shortening the height of your shifter isn't creating a short THROW shifter. The only way to do this is to alter the angle of the pivot and ball down in the console.

Examine a stock shifter lying next to a genuine short shifter.

I actually do have a short throw shifter...just shortened the distance to the shift knob. Here's a pic of my Shortened short throw shifter compared to stock shifter
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/12/IMAG0443-1.jpg

[chuckthefuk]

There have been members with stock height short shifters who have broken them from normal use.. It's possible that you can weaken the shaft by reducing the length but its more likely to break if you jam it in gear instead of normal push engagement.

The weighted shift knobs is no myth.. Even all the upgraded OEM shift knobs are weighted.. Titanium is light yet the STi Piston shift knob still feels heafty compared to the cheap-o units. Even the real carbon fiber knobs are weighted for proper use.

kinetic energy FTW.

[GTDrifter]

Thanks for the info chuck...but this self proclaimed auto genius was saying that making the shifter shorter would cause a huge imbalance in the kinetic energy and said it would ruin bushings. I did let him know that some of my friends bushings are done for and their cars are all stock.

We came to the conclusion that cutting my shifter would have the same affect as getting a lighter shift knob and since our shifters are not counterbalanced there is no real cause for worry in doing this.

[Huffer]

^^ sorry I misread your original post!

The gains I suppose are minimal, and it is more "feel" related than anything. As long as you're happy!

[GTDrifter]

Its more of a conversation piece now lol

[Wiscon_Mark]

Shortening you shifter like that just makes it harder to shift, IMO. It does shorten your throw (or at least the distance the knob has to move), but at a great cost.

I dunno about the physics on the heavier shifter ball. I mean, it doesn't create more energy by being heavier, it just requires you to put more energy into it to move it. It probably seems easier, but it's not less work by any means. I can see it being nice if you are having engagement problems with the gears because you don't push the shifter all the way through...

[Reason]

The heavy shift knobs are meant to have a more solid feel when shifting, the weight helps a little. "More energy" is need to throw it, tell the kid to hit the gym. But the heavier shift knob helps with vibrations. Your stock steel shifter vibrates less than a cheap aluminum one.

[GTDrifter]

Shortening you shifter like that just makes it harder to shift, IMO. It does shorten your throw (or at least the distance the knob has to move), but at a great cost.

I know it doesnt shorten the throw, my shifter was already a short throw shifter...I just shortened the shifter while maintaining the same throw distance.

The bearing for my shifter is wider than the bearing housing so it rattled quite a bit, since I shortened it the rattle has been reduced and I used rubber spacers to further reduce it (driving on highways really got annoying due to the rattle)

There is a very minor change in the distance my hand travels to change gears but again its very small, the position of the shifter is more comfortable IMO but thats about the only gain.

[Wiscon_Mark]

You should reread what you quoted. I said it does shorten your throw. It's just not the most efficient way to do it. The shifter is a lever arm. The longer it is, the more torque you have, making it easier to put more energy into it. But it lengthens the amount of distance you expend that energy over, lengthening the throw of the knob.

True short throw shifter/linkage systems use other methods to shorten the throw while maintaining an easier shift, so you don't have to hulk it, because that will ruin your bushings more quickly. If you're worried about bushings wearing out, check out this mod: http://www.ludicrous-speed.com/wiki/ind ... hifter_Fix (http://www.ludicrous-speed.com/wiki/index.php?title=Shanes_Impreza_Wobble_Shifter_Fix)

[GTDrifter]

sorry mark...read your post wrong lol...dont really care if the bushings wear, they could always get replaced :smt023

[Wiscon_Mark]

Right- the link I posted gives a good idea of how to replace the bushings more easily the next time around.