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I’m 6’4 and find both the steering wheel as well as the shifter require too much reach. The steering wheel is easy (save the distance of the stalks- which does bother me because I drive at night and want the high low within reach.)
The shifter- how can I get that further back? I’m thinking of getting the longer rs version (though I fully list after the cae unit) heating it and putting a slight bend in it.
Am I the only one who has this problem? Any other thoughts or suggestions?
I have the taller function first shift **** that may help it Feel easier to reach. Just a thought. I may be selling as it doesn’t work with the new rubber shift boot that onelove ( swine eleven ) is selling.
At 6' 4", I used to have to position the seat too far back just to turn the steering wheel and operate the clutch without my knee hitting the wheel. Seated far back is not an ideal driving position. If you're reaching for the shifter, you're probably reaching for the clutch as well. When you extend your arms naturally your wrists should lie comfortably atop the steering wheel. The Cup/Mod 7 steering wheel with a smaller diameter and 70mm dish will allow you to sit closer to the action and may solve your shifting problem as well. And yes, the Cup steering wheel takes some getting used to when you need to reach for the turn signal stalk.
5th gear with my current seats (factory sport seats.) The wheel is just a bit far in this position but as you can see my legs are pretty close to the wheel already. Even at this position I have to bring my shoulder away from the seat a bit to reach. It may be that the shorter throw of the rs shifter would solve the problem but probably just barely. Changing the seat is at the top of the list (as you know Jim) but not being able to try before buying has really held me back. The new seat will definitely have to be lower to sit far enough foreward to make the current shifter work or my helmet will be right at the headliner. With the current seats I just have a enough support at the front of the seat below the knees but its maxed out adjustment-wise. I want to go with a full harness setup and keep the belts tight.
Mine is a 1990 so the rs shifter requires a bit of work to fit but I think its the next step in the search for proper ergonomics. Add in a steering wheel quick release or a mod 07 and we how it all goes. Thinking of trying to heat and bend the stalks to keep them within fingers reach. Heating and bending the rs shift lever is totally doable if all else fails!
Bending the stock shift lever is doable, but will require a fair amount of work to get it out.
it will have to be heated with axel torch as are bending at widest part not narrow ( would be a side ways bend) you want to bend to back.
CAR will raise shift lever but not move it back towards you.
Smaller steering wheel sounds like good option to help clear legs.
Is the RS shifter long enough even with heating and bending ? Expensive solution I know, but I'd be asking CAE to supply me with a 964 kit with the G-Model gear stick (if possible).
If it was me —— I would remove shift boots - mark position of shift rod reference a point on center tunnel. Then figure out how far back and how much higher I wanted the lever to be. Make note of increase height and distance reward. Then I would cut shift lever off at point where it tappers for gear shift ****. Then cut piece of heavy stock the height and at an angle reward to be what I want. Weld all back together and you are good to go. While doing this might replace plastic fittings with rod end bearings for a tight shift.
Look at the design of the CAE. While it raises the shift **** considerably and reduces throw it DOES NOT move the shifter to the rear. They may offer a bend in the shift rod, but you have the second vertical rod that connect directly to the trans immediately behind the shift rod. So the bend would be close to top.
I wonder, since it uses it's own geometry and mounting while merely passing through the tunnel, if it would be easier to shorten the shift rod using the CAE. I haven't looked closely at either design lately, just throwing ideas around based on memory.
You need to understand the CAE. The rod going to the transmission already requires some tunnel modification and sits about as far back as possible in the stock tunnel housing. The gear shift shaft itself has the reverse lock out on it near the top. I don’t see this as an easy task to bend backwards.
Moving/bending or reselling the stock shift rod would be much easier as it is flat steel about 3/16 to ¼ inch thick and can be worked much easier than redesigning the CAE.
The 964 CAE with the 930 lever would be pretty sweet. The thing about the Cae is that it becomes the centerpiece of the interior and while I love the mechanical look I also appreciate the sleeper-ness (new word) of the stock unit.
I didn’t mention it but I have the forward rod adjusted so that the stock lever is maxed to the rear. The limiting factor is the rear lip of center console shifter opening. I’d love to chop the center console at the handbrake and relocate the switches regardless of the shifter problem anyway so one thought is to go ahead and delete the front half of the console, get the longer rs lever (providing of course a shorter throw) and further shorten the forward rod angling the rs lever back a bit more. If thats not enough then get out the torch.
This shifter seems the best of both worlds in terms of function and style and in black would fit a console deleted 964 nicely.
Moving/bending or reselling the stock shift rod would be much easier as it is flat steel about 3/16 to ¼ inch thick and can be worked much easier than redesigning the CAE.
For what it's worth, that's exactly what I was trying to suggest.
11-24-2018, 07:09 AM
Need to move the shift lever futher back
