cutting down shifter

[Clinton]

hey guys

just need to find out what is the best way to go cutting down a k50 shifter, i need to take about 10 cms off

[86adz]

mark where u want it shortened too and take a air hacksaw, oxy, plasma cutter to it, use what uve got the latter being quicker. obviously you'll be removing the thread at the top but u can get knobs that don't require the thread otherwise u could always try tapping a new one on

[squish]

you can always cut 10cm from the middle and weld back the top for the thread but hacksaw is just faster

[Gullie]

arnt shifters filled with rubber from like halfway down? To stop vibration?

[Jonny Rochester]

You need to have a thread at the top. Gear knobs that don't require a thread do not work. I hate them.

If you really have to, take it to a metal workshop and get a thread put on. M10 x 1.25 from memory.

[Clinton]

thanks john! doing it this arvo

[rthy]

what I did on my T50 is the folowing:

* chopped the vibration insulator right out

* this lead to the shifter being way too short so I welded the shank of a bolt in

*ground it down and tried it out

I found I had to stretch my hand too far for first gear so I chopped it again and welded it on an angle so neutral position is now first gear


after that it was a dream and everyone loves it

I can supply a pic if you like

[DRFTPG]

mines cut down and i hate it, much rather a longer gearstick as its easier to grab mid slide, you seem to be more able to slap it into gear (may not be the same with other gearboxes as mine is kinda fekked lol) and also no thread sucks!! gearknobs always coming loose

[Jonny Rochester]

Chopping a shifter in half is a mod that everyone did in the 1990s.

A proper short shift kit reduces the throw of the gear stick while retaining its length. Look at top rally cars, the shifter is often made to be CLOSER to the steering wheel, not further away.

[rthy]

What I did was meant to be a dodgy and very temporary thing untill I made a "proper" setup. However I loved it so much that I don't want to change it.

Jonny: theres no way I am going to argue with your logic and I have heard that argument before enough times to think about it a bit. Rally driving in its nature requires constant steering adjustment and multiple gearchanges. The theory of the long sticks is that its less time away from the wheel which is true. However for me personally I can afford to have the hand away from the wheel for longer and because of its position I find it more erogomic than original, so much so that if I was forced to do 10 second gear changes from here on I would fight to keep my shifter as it is. Sounds like crazy talk untill you try it.

Also I could be wrong but don't the so called super-car teams use fairly short shifters?

[rthy]

heres that pic:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/8/4/3/148356.jpg

in neutral I believe

[terryo]

if you just cut off the threaded top, its almost impossible to add a new thread as the bent stick can't be grabbed ina lathe to re-machine it. terrible job really.

to make a proper shorter throw shifter you have the raise the ball pivot and effectively lengthen the bit of the stick under the ball. that way the ratio of the hand movment to selector movment, changes.

IMHO just cutting the stick off is dumb. all it does is makes grabbing the stick harder. we get these at work all the time and IMHO the shortened stick is usually terrible to use unless you have un-naturally long arms and sit really low in the seat.

In our race AE86 we have a really long stick so it falls to hand easily (about 50mm longer than stock) and have made a special ball pivot where it fits onto the box. The stick ratio is "quicker" than standard.

The TRD quick change kits contain a specially cast piece that goes onto the box and a special length stick. I have made these at work before, but its not cheap or easy.

[Driftspec]

The traditional definition of a short shifter has already been mentioned - to make the throw between gears shorter.

A lot of motorsport teams (including those in V8 Supercar paddocks) use a long shifter to make it easier for the driver to reach the gear shifter, thus easier on car control and cutting down on driver fatigue. The throw between gears is still short, so the effect is still there. Mind you, a theres plenty of motorsports that allow sequential gearboxes now (including V8 Supercars), so for them the discussion on short throw shifters isn't a big deal - its just push forward or pull back.

[rthy]

Terry try welding the stick back in on an angle and try it

[RobertoX]

cut down ftl

stock shifter length is perfect, don't know why anyone would change

[Clinton]

i want to run my 220mm dildo shifter at stock height. thats why i wanted to cut it down..

[RobertoX]

ah makes sense now!

[E7]

i extended mine......with a hoist support arm :P


works a tread, grinded the old one off and meltend the rubber and then welded it on and painted it, easy and free and cool

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/8/4/3/169314.jpg

[Gullie]

thats hell d1 spec lol!!!!!!!!!1

[MAX86]

1 bolt missing for your d1 spec, e7
but good 1
i would like to get a longer gear knob now
lol~