Short Shifter

[NinjaMekanik]

Hello Guys,

 

Ive noticed a few people talking about short shifters and asking "was it done properly or dodgy?"

 

What is generally the best way to do it "properly"

 

Have a ke55 currently with a 4 speed but have a K50 ready to go in.

[Jono.C]

Do you want a short throw shifter? Or just a gearlever that's not as high?

[NinjaMekanik]

i was guessing that there was nothing out there for a genuine short throw shifter so just shortening the gear lever i suppose ...

[Jono.C]

T50 gearlevers fit ke70 gearboxes..

 

I've made a few, there's no real proper way to do it..

 

First one i just cut the black piece of the lever in half and took around 3" of of the tube out and welded it back together..

 

Second one i pulled the black piece off entirely and just thread the lower piece of the lever (silver part) This is for use with like a 25mm gearknob though..

 

The way i'd do it 'properly' is remove the black piece from the gearlever, thread the lower shaft and have a new shorter top piece that screws on made up on a lathe, plenty of people would do it for a cash in hand after hours deal.

 

 

Incase you didn't get what i mean, the black part (top of the lever) comes if if you force it

[rian]

Edit: Jono beat me to it^

 

Apparently you can use a T50 short shifter in a K50, I've never tried it though so I cannot say for sure that it works.

Edited October 24, 2012 by rian

[NinjaMekanik]

Ah ok cool. thanks guys.

Just to confirm ... So when that black piece comes off the lower shaft has no thread on it? And is the k40 and k50 shifther the same? So ive got a practice one it i screw one up ....

[Jono.C]

Nup no thread, it's like siliconed on. Ke70 4sp/ 5sp yes, ke55 boxes i'm not sure i'd say so, i've used a ke70 gearlever in a ke10/20/55 and 70 box when some people say it won't work so..

[NinjaMekanik]

ok sweet. thanks for that :thumbsup:

[Redwarf]

http://www.rollaclub.com/board/topic/17023-k-series-box-short-shifter/

[styler]

Theres short shifters and shortened shifters if that makes sense. You can

have one or the other or even both as they are different.

 

A short shifter reduces throw on a gearlever by lengthing the pivot point and a spacer to compensate.

(The angle of changing gears is reduced at the same height - ie less throw)

 

A shortened shifter reduces throw by shortening the gearstick.

(The angle of changing gears is the same but on a reduced height - ie less throw)

 

Whats the difference?

 

The gearstick height from the steering wheel, really for performance you want that gearstick

close to the wheel and not buried in the gearstick boot somewhere on the floor half a meter away.

 

The short shifter was a proper race thing but needs fabrication and can be cost a bit if not off shelf,

the shortened shifter is a cheap and nasty way of trying to get the same result I guess but people still

do it and call it a short shifter anyway hence the confusion of it all.

[NinjaMekanik]

yeah i get it styler, so in other words redwarf's way is definitely seems like the better way to go. Don't have access to any machine shop though...

[styler]

The spacer is tricky with bolt holes as they locate on the bolt hole spigot and then you have

to extend the bottom bit under the lever which is best done in some sort of jig and tig welded.

Try a custom fabrication place, 15 - 20mm is what you want for about 33% - 50% reduction in throw.

[coln72]

A family member did the cheap and nasty method in his Mazda and it was a prick of a thing to drive. Notchy, hard to shift. Basically it was a pig. Turned me off shortened shifters ever since.

 

A mate had a proper short shifter in his Nissan. Mush nicer to drive, but still too short a throw for my liking. About 5cm total distance between gears......

[NinjaMekanik]

Yea 5cm sounds a bit tight.

A family member did the cheap and nasty method in his Mazda and it was a prick of a thing to drive. Notchy, hard to shift. Basically it was a pig.

How dd it make it notchy? Was it made too short mayb?

[coln72]

Year to short. Took a heap of effort to shift.