Function-First

The Cup shifter came standard on all factory 996 GT3 Cup racecars. It is derived from, and nearly identical to, the street 996 shifter - the cradle, shift lever and housing, and shifter yoke are all carried over from the street unit.


(OEM Cup Car shifter)


The only upgraded components are the shifter bushings (that the shift lever housing rotates left-right within). The street unit utilizes rubber/plastic bushings:


(OEM 996 shifter bushings: plastic sleeve bearing > rubber insulator > plastic snap-in housing)


Whereas the Cup version replaces these with plastic-lined aluminum bushings:


(Cup shifter bushing: plastic sleeve bearing > aluminum threaded housing)


This one difference makes a big improvement over the street unit through increased durability and enhanced shifting precision by eliminating the flex that plagues the plastic bushings. A major drawback, however, still remains with the Cup shifter:

EXCESS SHIFTER PLAY – The aluminum bushings eliminate flex in the shifter mechanism, but the bushings (sleeve/plain bearings) require axial and radial play to prevent binding. When shifting gears, the loads on the shifting mechanism are increased, which further exaggerates the loose tolerances, resulting in imprecise shifting action. Similarly, the shifter yoke rotates about a plain bearing with loose tolerances, so there’s a delay in actuating the shifter cable with side-side shifter motion. This plastic bearing continually degrades over time, resulting in further diminished performance.


(Cup shifter components: plastic yoke sleeve bearing, plastic yoke, and aluminum bushings)


In order to address the shortcomings with the OEM shifter, and those that remained with the Cup unit, Function-First Performance developed the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution as a comprehensive kit to transform your OEM shifter into an exacting instrument with which to control the transmission. The retrofit kit replaces the flexible and imprecise OEM pivot points (shifter bushings and yoke) with billet aluminum and heavy-duty ball bearing components, while retaining the factory shifter’s reliable parts (shifter cradle and lever) to ensure longevity under all driving conditions.


(Cup shifter with SHIFT-RIGHT Solution – now essentially a standard 996 shifter with SRS upgrade)


I’ll dissect the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution in an upcoming post to showcase its features and the decisions behind the design, but for now I thought the teardown of the OEM and Cup shifter units would provide some good insight into the inner workings of the factory shifters.




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cavlino

Nice! So that would mean I might be able to shift from 2nd to 3rd more consistently coming out of hard turns with elevation changes LOL.

mooty

^ meh, it's b/c you haven't figure out how to property shift yet ;-)

cavlino

^I hear ya. I should have known that even though it was a Porsche I was driving I needed to apply the heart beat pause that I follow when I drive the Fiat on the track.

porschedog

My driving instructor told me if I used the extra pedal, my shifting would be smoother.

cavlino

^ Now that is funny! Oh well at least sponsor of this thread is getting some well deserved activity.

split71

RIP.

993GT

semi-solid trans mounts fixes that

Function-First

In continuation of the original post, I wanted give everyone a deeper look into how the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution improves upon the strengths of the OEM shifter assembly while eliminating its shortcomings.

To sum it up, the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution replaces the plastic bushings and pivot connections of the OEM shifter assembly with ball bearings and machined aluminum parts, eliminating the flex and excess play that plagues the stock setup. Plus, it preserves the strongest parts of the OEM shifter assembly for increased durability and reduced cost.

But here’s an in-depth look into how and why all that was achieved…


DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Implement high-capacity ball bearings.
The only way to remove endplay from the pivot points, while simultaneously allowing for smooth operation, is through utilizing ball bearings in a configuration that allows for pre-loading them. And a key design consideration is the selection of an appropriate bearing to deliver durability and reliability. The front and rear bearings, within which the shift lever assembly rotates left-right, experience a majority of their loads axially (in-line with its axis), so high-capacity hardened steel thrust ball bearings were chosen. The shift lever assembly is entirely supported by these 2 ball bearings, and are pre-loaded via the rear set screw to eliminate all fore-aft play. Their high-capacity is especially important under repetitive and high stress conditions like track driving, and in shifting configurations that remove dampening features (rubber cable ends) as with Cup shifter cables.

And to ensure that all left-right shift lever force is transferred to the transmission, the shifter yoke is mounted on 2 deep-groove ball bearings to eliminate any lateral play when transitioning between the gear rows (i.e. shifts 2-3 & 4-5).

Tightly tolerance machined parts for unprecedented fit and operation.
In order to deliver superior fit and operation, all machined parts need to be tightly toleranced to both each other and the existing OEM shifter mechanism in which it’s being installed – any failure here would negate the benefits achieved with the ball bearings. As such, special care was taken in the design and tolerancing of all 6 unique machined parts of the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution retrofit kit to guarantee a close-fitting assembly – all slip-fits are within 0.003” of one another (see pics below). Additionally, in order to safeguard the high wear contact points of the shifter yoke and preserve those tolerances, it is hardcoat anodized with a Teflon impregnation for reduced friction.

Utilize the OEM shifter cradle and shift lever assembly to ensure factory fitment and keep costs down.
The OEM shifter cradle is a one-piece design molded from glass-fiber reinforced plastic, and as such is extremely rigid, making it an excellent platform within which to upgrade the shifter mechanism. And the OEM shift lever uses a beefy steel lever that can reliably handle the abuse of repetitive high loads. By re-using these OEM pieces, durability is preserved and upgrade costs are minimized.


RESULTS

So what does all this mean for the driver, in practical terms?

Fewer Missed Shifts.
Eliminating shifter play yields predictable and consistent shifter feel for confident gear engagement – no more second guessing whether the car is in the desired gear or not. Each shift is delivered with certainty.

Efficient Gear Changes.
Reducing the friction in the shifter mechanism delivers smooth and uninhibited shift lever path of travel. Reducing shifter flex maximizes the shifting energy transferred to the transmission gear selector arm. What you put in is what you get out.

High Quality Feel.
Removing the flex, play, and overall sloppiness of OEM shifter assembly eliminates the cheap feel every time you reach for the gear lever. You’re driving a Porsche!

cavlino

Wow, nice write up. So what will this cost us to purchase?

Function-First

Thanks! I like using the forums to offer a glimpse into the details and insight I've gathered from my experience with the different systems of the car, and how to best improve those mechanisms. I find Rennlist to be an invaluable source of in-depth Porsche information, and I am eager to add to that knowledge base where I can.


Price is listed on the product page:
http://www.function-first.com/produc...right-solution

cavlino

I will stay tuned then

Function-First

Installation Instructions are located at the bottom of the product page:

http://www.function-first.com/produc...right-solution

Function-First

The SHIFT-RIGHT Solution is back in stock!




Combine with the a Trans Mount Insert and a Classic Shift **** for ultimate shifter feel and precision.




We also just rolled out the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution CORE EXCHANGE program for the OEM 986/996/987/997 shifters! Please click here for full details.


Feel free to reach out with any questions. Thanks, Rennlist!

Function-First

So since posting this, I've been getting a lot of questions via PM and email about the kit - what it does, how it does it, how good it is etc. So I've compiled a little FAQ to help answer those questions...

SHIFT-RIGHT Solution - FAQ

Q: Is this the best shifter upgrade value for my Porsche?
A: YES! No other shifter upgrade on the market matches the performance and durability of the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution for under $300. You will completely transform your shifter’s feel and accuracy, resulting in fewer missed shifts, smoother and more direct operation, and zero flex or play from the shifter.

Q: Is the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution a short shift kit?
A: No, the kit utilizes your original shift lever, so the shift throw remains unchanged.

Q: I like the kit, but I’m a little intimidated about installing it myself. What can you do for me?
A: We just rolled out a core-exchange program for 986/996 and 987/997 standard throw shifters! For an additional fee, you’ll receive an OEM shifter with the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution pre-installed that makes install plug and play – just send back your original shifter within 2 weeks of receipt to receive your core deposit refund. And best of all, a return shipping label is included to make the process that much easier! (USA customers only)

Q: What have other owners been saying about the SHIFT-RIGHT Solution?
A: Here are some owner reviews, in their own words…

CS-ICEMAN:
I took mine to COTA a couple weekends ago. Worked wonders. No trouble finding the gears. Yes, downshifting to 2nd was easy. No longer a concern about a misshift. I did not have to think about shifting. My hands were moving faster than my feet. I was shifting as fast as I could press the clutch.

intubator:
I have to say it made a significant difference in positive gear selection and smoothness in shifting between gears over what I had. In fact, I didn't realize the degree of drag I had become used to until I installed this kit with the roller bearings. The F1st bearing yoke is much better than the cheap plastic factory part and adds significantly to the smoothness and accuracy in the left/right gear selection movements, looks better too... I don't have the console on my car so everything is visible along the tunnel. I have been very happy with this upgrade and have done several track days with a greater degree of confidence while shifting between gears. I couldn't be happier.

husker boxster:
I'm happy to report the 5-4-3-2 downshift for T12 at COTA went very well. Happy with the solid feel and lack of sloppiness.

BillZ260:
Highly recommend, whether you have a stock shifter or a short shift kit, it removed all the slop in the pivots and transfer mechanisms. I think it actually helps the 2-3 shift smoothness as well where it used to hang up if you tried to force it too quickly before, maybe since there is ZERO play now, it's just straight shooting. Very satisfied.

eracer:
Just vouching for the product. I installed the Function First "Shift-Right Solution" Ball bearing kit in my 996T and was impressed with the product. It was installed in conjunction with the factory short shifter replacing the plastic bearings. The 'play'/'slop' in the shifter was reduced drastically and the shifting feels more tactile and precise. No more accidental shifting into the other gears. I'd definitely recommend this product to upgrade the driving experience. (Porsche should have designed it this way to begin with.)