ERAU-944

so i'm sitting here with a few old worn out shift levers. and a dremel.

the plan is to cut out the old pin, and get some shouldered bolts in there to replace that with, and then two nuts or a locknut on there, and keep the wavy washer. i'll be cutting an inch or an inch and a half off of the shifter stalk, then putting the notches back in for the dampening rubber bit so i can have the stock shifter(which i will also be shortening a tad) on there.

has anyone else done anything similar? this would be a GREAT replaceable alternative to the $50 i just ponied up for a new shift lever (still with some play) a few months back.

-Michael-

ERAU-944

oh, duh, looks like the pin will need to be an inch in lengh (the shouldered part of the bolt) and 3/8" in diameter.

can anyone confirm these measurements?

Riff

Erau-

Just measured my old one. Shoulder length should be a min. 1", Pin dia. on mine (unworn part) is .49"

HTH,

ERAU-944

almost half an inch??? is this in your S2?

JediAgent

Paragon has a nice write up on this.
I did it no problem, and now my car feels sexy again.

However, i would not recommend stainless steel, unless you want to destroy 2-3 cutoff wheels in the process.

Lousailor

Actually the idea behind a short shifter is to reduce the shift lever throws. The device that is normally sold for this accomplishes the differnce at the trans. In order to reduce the throws at the shift lever end, you can cut off the lever to make it short (in reality only shortens the throws overall due to reduction in height), or move the pin up so the same required latteral movement takes less angular shift lever change. You have to careful in that moving the pin up, may cause binding of the shift bar that attaches to the trans.

Bhj0887

Good ideas, I'll try it [u]after[/i] I buy a new one, whichever one I like better stays.

Now, I'm really think about making a really short shift, I mentioned this in another post. I would use the device that goes on the trans, as well as the short shifter itself (authority maybe). I figure it would shorten it a great deal, and defenitly reduce rattles and small vibrations.

Lousailor

see diagram below: same shift mechanism movement requires different shift lever throws

ERAU-944

i get where you're going. cutting down the shifter also acts to move the pin upwards, speaking in percentage of total lever height. it would be much easier to just shorten the **** a bit than it would be to relocate the pin, and the danger of binding things up is gone. i know the lever shortening is probably going to be less effective than the transmission shifter, but i'm not going for massive shortening, just enough to make a bit of difference. as was said before, if i don't like it i can always sell it and/or use another non-shortened lever.

if this project goes well i'll consider rebuilding them for a nominal fee (something like $25/handle)

maybe rennbay can carry this as a product/service... hmmm

-Michael-

Luis de Prat

What about at the tranny end? I read the write up in Pelican or Paragon, but can't figure out what to tighten or replace back there besides the new shift lever I just put in from Ian's Euro just to keep the stock configuration.

TIA

Riff

Erau-

Whoa, my bad. Read the dial on the caliper wrong. ONLY .39"
Sorry about that....

ERAU-944

hehe thats a bit better, as for the tranny thing i have no idea.

-Michael-

JediAgent

I'll build them all day long for $25/lever. Send me old one and i'll have it back by, say, two days for labor. I don't know what that would be with shipping delays.