Short Shift Kits - Options
08-01-2003, 10:47 AM
#16
Burning Brakes
I installed s/s kit from Weltmeister. Looks like very good quality piece. Improved shifting feel a lot.
I bought it from Performance Products
Product page
Installation takes 1 hour approx.
I bought it from Performance Products
Product page
Installation takes 1 hour approx.
08-01-2003, 12:36 PM
#18
I have the “Weltmeister” kit as well, but it was purchased from and installed by the people who make them for Performance Products. It wasn’t in the catalog at the time. Like the other aftermarket kits, it’s a copy of the factory stuff. It sits at the same height as the stock shifter. I’ve had no problems with it at all, and it’s been in the car for several years and probably something like 20,000 miles. This was in the before time: before Gert, before Rennlist. If I were to do it over again, I’d probably go with a factory part rather than aftermarket. There’s nothing wrong with the aftermarket stuff, but the piece of mind is worth the price difference to me.
One of the main improvements from these kits is getting rid of the bogus plastic ball and socket joint that comes on the stock shifter. This is the weakest link in the stock shifter. I looked at my old plastic joint when it came out. There was a LOT of play. The plastic had really worn down. This makes for a lot of slop while shifting. Look at the picture that Jack posted. You can see the spherical bearing on the end of the rod in the top picture. This is the replacement for the bogus joint I’m speaking of. If this is the extra rod in Gert’s kit, it’s well worth it. As far as I know, all the kits replace this joint with a better alternative. Don’t waste your time going in there and replacing things unless you also get rid of this joint.
Martin S. once mentioned that you can use only the parts that replace the plastic joint, and throw the rest away. This would improve shifting quite a bit, but not change the throw. This is not a bad idea, as shortening the throw increases the effort required to shift a little bit. On the other hand, I have no problem with the shifting effort with the SS kit. I’m not sure which pieces are necessary for the joint replacement, as you need to replace both the ball and the socket.
Before I had the kit, it was too easy to get into reverse. I’d slide the lever to the left for first, end up all the way over, and go into reverse. It was kind of embarrassing a couple of times. I’d be sitting at a red light, my mind a million miles away, so when it turned green, I’d go backwards. The other thing that would happen was a missed third to second downshift. I’d go down and left, and end up over by reverse. I’d try to move down from there, but there was nothing there! Sometimes it would take a second or two to find second gear. This problem is completely eliminated with the kit. Now the reverse gate feels like it should. It takes a good push to get it there.
Tom
’95 993
One of the main improvements from these kits is getting rid of the bogus plastic ball and socket joint that comes on the stock shifter. This is the weakest link in the stock shifter. I looked at my old plastic joint when it came out. There was a LOT of play. The plastic had really worn down. This makes for a lot of slop while shifting. Look at the picture that Jack posted. You can see the spherical bearing on the end of the rod in the top picture. This is the replacement for the bogus joint I’m speaking of. If this is the extra rod in Gert’s kit, it’s well worth it. As far as I know, all the kits replace this joint with a better alternative. Don’t waste your time going in there and replacing things unless you also get rid of this joint.
Martin S. once mentioned that you can use only the parts that replace the plastic joint, and throw the rest away. This would improve shifting quite a bit, but not change the throw. This is not a bad idea, as shortening the throw increases the effort required to shift a little bit. On the other hand, I have no problem with the shifting effort with the SS kit. I’m not sure which pieces are necessary for the joint replacement, as you need to replace both the ball and the socket.
Before I had the kit, it was too easy to get into reverse. I’d slide the lever to the left for first, end up all the way over, and go into reverse. It was kind of embarrassing a couple of times. I’d be sitting at a red light, my mind a million miles away, so when it turned green, I’d go backwards. The other thing that would happen was a missed third to second downshift. I’d go down and left, and end up over by reverse. I’d try to move down from there, but there was nothing there! Sometimes it would take a second or two to find second gear. This problem is completely eliminated with the kit. Now the reverse gate feels like it should. It takes a good push to get it there.
Tom
’95 993
08-01-2003, 01:10 PM
#19
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Kristoffer, I'm not sure what you mean. 
Performance Products wants $280 for a weltmeister short shifter, Schatz motorsport wants $360 for an OEM, Gert (at today's exchange rate) wants $308 and RUF is $225. That's why I was surprised when I bought the RUF -- I expected it to be one of, if not the, most expensive short shifter option. When I saw it was the cheapest, and knowing the reputation of RUF, I figured it was worth it.
If you are asking if the upgrade itself is worth it, I'd say I'm happy with it. Its not a huge difference, but its noticeable, I use it everyday, and its not that expensive compared to other upgrade options.
By the way, I'll be at the rennlist gathering this weekend and other folks on the board will have chance to see/feel the difference compared to their shifter. They can chime in with their thoughts . . . in the past some folks haven't felt much of a difference, others immediately realized something was different.
Performance Products wants $280 for a weltmeister short shifter, Schatz motorsport wants $360 for an OEM, Gert (at today's exchange rate) wants $308 and RUF is $225. That's why I was surprised when I bought the RUF -- I expected it to be one of, if not the, most expensive short shifter option. When I saw it was the cheapest, and knowing the reputation of RUF, I figured it was worth it.If you are asking if the upgrade itself is worth it, I'd say I'm happy with it. Its not a huge difference, but its noticeable, I use it everyday, and its not that expensive compared to other upgrade options.
By the way, I'll be at the rennlist gathering this weekend and other folks on the board will have chance to see/feel the difference compared to their shifter. They can chime in with their thoughts . . . in the past some folks haven't felt much of a difference, others immediately realized something was different.
08-01-2003, 02:20 PM
#20
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Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Originally posted by tom_993
.
The other thing that would happen was a missed third to second downshift. I’d go down and left, and end up over by reverse. I’d try to move down from there, but there was nothing there! Sometimes it would take a second or two to find second gear. This problem is completely eliminated with the kit. Now the reverse gate feels like it should. It takes a good push to get it there.
Tom
’95 993
.
The other thing that would happen was a missed third to second downshift. I’d go down and left, and end up over by reverse. I’d try to move down from there, but there was nothing there! Sometimes it would take a second or two to find second gear. This problem is completely eliminated with the kit. Now the reverse gate feels like it should. It takes a good push to get it there.
Tom
’95 993
