I measured the hole and got 15.96mm/0.629". I used a 5/8" 0.625" four flute end mill bit and worked it through the hole by hand. The bit did not go through the hole easily at first. All of the four flutes had some material on them after the bit turned freely in the hole. Measurements afterwards gave 16.02mm/0.632".

I suspect the lever is in a vise when the hole is bored and that there is some deflection of the material since the hole is close to the edge and so the hole becomes out of round after it is removed from the vise. It is likely that the transmission shaft is 16mm in diameter so this lever hole has a close tolerance to the shaft.

I appreciate the close machining and overall quality of the short shift kit. My garage was not equiped to handle this problem. If I can prepare other purchasers of the kit for the possibility that their kit might not slide on then I think I have helped.

I am not ingrateful nor am I trying to be a whiner. I am pleased with this purchase and do not want to return the part. I will have to perform this task twice and hopefully this thread will save somebody else that aggravation.

 

Whoa, Dal, crank back the noise a notch. Several people with 968's had issues, so 944Racing offered, very nicely, to take them back and modify the part. I'm always leery of small firms making parts like this, so I waited to see if anyone else had a problem with the install. Others did, so I saved paying a mechanic twice to do the job. Or else I'd have had to ask for the vendor to pay for the labor, which would've been a difficult situation for both of us. How is that whining??

 

I just got mine installed. My mechanic said the hole was not "true". He had to remove some burrs and machine the piece so it would fit. Even after machining, it was a tight fit (I stood there and watched him). He had to tap it on with a hammer. This was on an 87 951.

I think people should be aware that this is not a guaranteed fit, and it may take significantly longer than the quoted 15 minutes to install.

 

I haven't tried to install mine yet. The only concern I have is that it looks like it is going to corrode badly very quickly. Anybody have any thoughts on that or even give a ****?

 

You're not. I got NOTHING from this group buy. I was just nice enough to let YOU GUYS into it.

It just really pisses me off when you get whiners complaining without a reason to complain. Did you contact 944racing BEFORE posting to the list? No, you sent them a link to this post, dragging the name of this company through the mud without even letting them send you another one or figuring out what the problem (if there was one) was.

The "problem" with the 968 kits is not relevant to this problem, as you know the 968 transaxles had three (YES 3) different castings. One of them caused a small interference with the shift kits. As I recall, 944racing figured out the problem (with the help of 968 enthusiasts) and modified the SSK - which no one else bothered to even make - and stood behind their product.

I have personally installed a number of these kits for my friends, and the worst problem that I had was when one 944S2 had two part epoxy on the shaft. The rest were easily installed when I cleaned off the corrosion on the input shaft.

I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but it seems like there are always some people out there who will post to a board before even attempting to talk to the vendor. Then there are those jackals that will jump on it, even without seeing the product. All the way during this group buy I encouraged people to contact the vendor or myself (since I feel responsible for the success of the group buy) with any questions of problems.

If that level of responsibility makes you NOT want to do business with me, then that's fine, I don't have a business on the rennlist anyway. Again... THIS IS NOT MY PRODUCT!! I GET NOTHING FROM THIS GROUP BUY! I THOUGHT I WAS BEING NICE TO LET EVERYONE IN ON IT! I won't make that mistake again. I've seen some really nice products that this vendor has in the pipeline, stuff that other people aren't making and things that are needed.

Read my sig. I DO follow it.

/rant

Oh, and Manning, I haven't seen any corrosion on the SSK's. Mind you I live in an area that rust is not a major issue. The moving parts of the SSK are stainless steel, they shouldn't rust at all. If you're worried about it you can coat it with a nice little layer of WD-40 or some other oil. I haven't seen the need to do that yet.

Dal.

 

Manning, I have one in both cars and there is no evidence on either one of rust. It did take some emory cloth to get them in but I would rather have them be tight instead of loose. I am very happy with the way the cars shift now.

 

im with dal he let us in on the group buy and saved me 120 bucks cuz i was gunna get a SSK and yes some of them may not go one perfect but most likely it is the shaft i know my shaft was a little bigger because i had a hell of a time to get my old one off but the new one slid right on after a emery cloth on the shaft which i would have done anyway to take out any imperfections

o and dal thanks again for this oppurtunity if you get a chance for some shift boots or shift ***** or white faced gauges let me know thanks

 

Dal and Aribop,

Excellent, thanks. I won't be driving my car in winter anymore, but the salt still lingers after the snow has gone. A little Boeshield should keep things happy.

 

It's not just the 944racing unit that needs bored out a bit. My Weltmeister unit needed a bit of dremeling, and others with the autothority kit have too. Nothing for anyone to get too worked up over.

 

Yeah, It was a small problem. I had to find out after I jacked up the car. The input shaft was completely clean. Then because I needed the car the next day I reinstalled the original. So now I have to do the whole process over again. I won't have the short shift for my drive this weekend. So yeah I was pissed.

I don't care who you are I don't think taking a hammer and tapping it on is the right thing to do to a transmission input shaft. What I found out yesterday at work and what others have reported here could help 944Racing in the future. Certainly with the sample you have here your 99.9% no problem statistic is not accurate. A second pass throught that hole might give the correct close tolerances.

I sent them a link so they could respond. 944Racing looks like a fine company and as I have stated I want the kit. It was not my intention to drag their name through the mud. Fault me all you want it appears that the hole sometimes does not come out correct and that is a problem.

 

I don't understand what the big deal is. So the part wasn't an exact fit. It would have been nice if the no modification was necessary, but so what. Geez, Dal. No one has said **** about 944racing or you, just their experience with the product. WTF?

 

I'm not bitching about having to dremel it, I dont care, i enjoy modifying parts. However, I WILL NOT HAMMER a part on, when the original didnt have to be.

 

I have a feeling that if every one of these shift kits were cleaned up with a second reamer by 944racing that there would be just as many people complaining that the part was too loose. Next thing we'll all want motor mounts, thermostats, and 1-piece cross-over pipes that install themselves. I agree with a few of the responses, always talk to the vendor first with a problem and give them a chance to respond; if you get the bum's rush then ask for help here.

 

I received mine on Tuesday (pretty much exactly when 944Racing said I would) and I installed it last night on my '87 951. When I took the part out of the box, my first word was - "sweeeeeet". Very impressed with the worksmanship. The shaft fit on mine was tight, but just as it should be. Took some finger pressure, but it slid on with a slight interference fit, exactly as intended.

I took the car for a good ride this morning, and I was smiling the whole way. This is without a doubt the best thing I have done to this car.

Thanks Dal for organizing the group buy !!!

 

Hey Brad, yeah I have mine installed now and really like the way it shifts. Mine required further modification with a dremel tool to make it fit. That was after my first mod with a 5/8" mill bit at work so I don't know.

I was going to let this thread die. My initial reaction and reason for posting was that perhaps there were different transmission shaft dimensions but that is unlikely. I also called 944Racing before I posted and the number on the website was disconnected. I definetly got one that was too small as it required removal of quite a bit of material. For that I guess I am a whiner and complainer. Oh well.