Help Tightening Up Short Shifter?
10-31-2021, 04:54 AM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Help Tightening Up Short Shifter?
I've had a Schnell Short Shift Kit (https://schnellperformance.com/produ...ft-kit-schnell) on my C4S for 3 months now. The side-to-side movement while in gear (seen in the attached video) really bothers me. I want this thing to feel rock-solid like SSK's I've had on other cars in the past.
Is there anything that can be done? New bushings or something? Or do I chalk the $130 SSK up as a loss and buy a nicer one?
Appreciate any input!
Is there anything that can be done? New bushings or something? Or do I chalk the $130 SSK up as a loss and buy a nicer one?
Appreciate any input!
10-31-2021, 07:40 AM
#2
I had the same (worse actually) with that ssk and replaced it with a 997 oem shifter.
The play is between ball on the shifter rod an integral part of said and the white plastic guide due to wear in the latter. Not much one can do to alleviate that apart from replacing the relevant part(s).
The play is between ball on the shifter rod an integral part of said and the white plastic guide due to wear in the latter. Not much one can do to alleviate that apart from replacing the relevant part(s).
10-31-2021, 09:47 AM
#3
Rennlist Member
Or replacing the shifter with something better...
10-31-2021, 09:48 AM
#4
I've had a Schnell Short Shift Kit (https://schnellperformance.com/produ...ft-kit-schnell) on my C4S for 3 months now. The side-to-side movement while in gear (seen in the attached video) really bothers me. I want this thing to feel rock-solid like SSK's I've had on other cars in the past.
Is there anything that can be done? New bushings or something? Or do I chalk the $130 SSK up as a loss and buy a nicer one?
Appreciate any input!
Is there anything that can be done? New bushings or something? Or do I chalk the $130 SSK up as a loss and buy a nicer one?
Appreciate any input!
But... for very cheap what I did at first was take the shifter apart and wrap the bottom portion of that plastic bracket with electrical tape. It tightened it up pretty nicely for the year after I did it until I bought a Numeric. I never intended it to be permanent, but I wanted to see if that would work. Since it did, I just stopped there and put it back in. Looking back, I would instead have mixed up a little bit of clear epoxy and filled in the little divot that the ball created in the plastic and added a little bit of a layer to it to take up the space. We are not talking about a huge gap here. For example, when I wrapped it with tape, I think I might have wrapped it twice and that was enough. I didn't wrap the whole plastic piece, just looped it around the opening.
Sorry, I don't have pics. I no longer have the shifter.
Last edited by barbancourt; 10-31-2021 at 09:50 AM.
10-31-2021, 02:28 PM
#6
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
There are some things you can do. Most likely the ball on the left that goes into the plastic piece has ground away some material causing the slack. The first and most obvious thing you can do is buy the Function First shift right kit, or you could buy a Numeric like I did. Both would be permanent fixes.
But... for very cheap what I did at first was take the shifter apart and wrap the bottom portion of that plastic bracket with electrical tape. It tightened it up pretty nicely for the year after I did it until I bought a Numeric. I never intended it to be permanent, but I wanted to see if that would work. Since it did, I just stopped there and put it back in. Looking back, I would instead have mixed up a little bit of clear epoxy and filled in the little divot that the ball created in the plastic and added a little bit of a layer to it to take up the space. We are not talking about a huge gap here. For example, when I wrapped it with tape, I think I might have wrapped it twice and that was enough. I didn't wrap the whole plastic piece, just looped it around the opening.
Sorry, I don't have pics. I no longer have the shifter.
But... for very cheap what I did at first was take the shifter apart and wrap the bottom portion of that plastic bracket with electrical tape. It tightened it up pretty nicely for the year after I did it until I bought a Numeric. I never intended it to be permanent, but I wanted to see if that would work. Since it did, I just stopped there and put it back in. Looking back, I would instead have mixed up a little bit of clear epoxy and filled in the little divot that the ball created in the plastic and added a little bit of a layer to it to take up the space. We are not talking about a huge gap here. For example, when I wrapped it with tape, I think I might have wrapped it twice and that was enough. I didn't wrap the whole plastic piece, just looped it around the opening.
Sorry, I don't have pics. I no longer have the shifter.
10-31-2021, 02:55 PM
#7
Nordschleife Master
The numeric is 100% all new shifter mechanism so yes anything u do with your current unit will be replaced.
Trending Topics
10-31-2021, 04:18 PM
#8
Of course do I spend the $150 for this piece and have something better, or just spend (alot) more for Numeric shifter and cables, and have something great? Hmm...
10-31-2021, 04:20 PM
#9
The Schnell Performance product is just the same as all the other cheap Chinese B&M knockoffs. You can buy eaxctly the same thing made in the same factory for $40 on Ebay.
I was interested in improving my shift, so I'm in the process of taking one of these cheap Chinese shifters as far as it can be improved. I've shimmed the pivot for the fore/aft movement to remove slop there. I've designed and 3D printed bearing carriers that use needle roller bearings for the side to side movement instead of the nylon plain bearings that ship with the short shifter kits. I've also discovered the white bellcrank is a massive source of side to side play - the rectangular slot in it for the ball can be tightened up with shim stock, or sheet metal from a beer can. The pivot is full of slop, so I drilled a hole down the pivot pin and cut off the inner end. I then passed an AN4 bolt through the centre of it and put a half height nylock on the end of it. I was then able to tighten up the pivot and remove all slop. The pivot at the bottom of the bellrank that the shifter cable attaches to is also a source of play. I removed the play, but I can't quite remember what I used there.
All those steps have resulted in a shifter that is 100% slop free, just like a Numeric, but for a fraction of the cost.
I've also mounted the gear **** three inches higher up the stick. This puts it in a far better position ergnomically, and it allows the shift travel to be similar to the 997 shift, i.e. shorter than the 996, but nowhere near as irritatingly short as the cheapo SSK.
I don't really like the white plastic bellcrank, so I'm currently developing an aluminium one that will run with ball bearings and rod ends to translate the side to side movement, doing away with the sliding ball arrangement that is a wear point in the Porsche shifters, the cheapo SSKs and the quality kits like FF and Numeric. This isn't to say that rod ends don't wear, but you can select some very high quality bearings in rod ends.
I was interested in improving my shift, so I'm in the process of taking one of these cheap Chinese shifters as far as it can be improved. I've shimmed the pivot for the fore/aft movement to remove slop there. I've designed and 3D printed bearing carriers that use needle roller bearings for the side to side movement instead of the nylon plain bearings that ship with the short shifter kits. I've also discovered the white bellcrank is a massive source of side to side play - the rectangular slot in it for the ball can be tightened up with shim stock, or sheet metal from a beer can. The pivot is full of slop, so I drilled a hole down the pivot pin and cut off the inner end. I then passed an AN4 bolt through the centre of it and put a half height nylock on the end of it. I was then able to tighten up the pivot and remove all slop. The pivot at the bottom of the bellrank that the shifter cable attaches to is also a source of play. I removed the play, but I can't quite remember what I used there.
All those steps have resulted in a shifter that is 100% slop free, just like a Numeric, but for a fraction of the cost.
I've also mounted the gear **** three inches higher up the stick. This puts it in a far better position ergnomically, and it allows the shift travel to be similar to the 997 shift, i.e. shorter than the 996, but nowhere near as irritatingly short as the cheapo SSK.
I don't really like the white plastic bellcrank, so I'm currently developing an aluminium one that will run with ball bearings and rod ends to translate the side to side movement, doing away with the sliding ball arrangement that is a wear point in the Porsche shifters, the cheapo SSKs and the quality kits like FF and Numeric. This isn't to say that rod ends don't wear, but you can select some very high quality bearings in rod ends.
Last edited by Martin996rsr; 10-31-2021 at 04:21 PM.
10-31-2021, 05:56 PM
#10
Burning Brakes
Started with the Schnell and it ended up completely popping out on a 2-3 gear shift entering on a highway ramp. Thankfully was noticed quickly and could coast into the first rest stop. Ended up with a $120 tow bill to get it back to the garage.
Swapped it with 997 and have been much happier.
Swapped it with 997 and have been much happier.
10-31-2021, 07:00 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
This is great. I have an aftermarket shifter (not sure which one, came with the car, which is great, bolt action, front back, but sloppy side to side. I had been looking for a replacement to the side plastic piece.
Of course do I spend the $150 for this piece and have something better, or just spend (alot) more for Numeric shifter and cables, and have something great? Hmm...
Of course do I spend the $150 for this piece and have something better, or just spend (alot) more for Numeric shifter and cables, and have something great? Hmm...
The Schnell Performance product is just the same as all the other cheap Chinese B&M knockoffs. You can buy eaxctly the same thing made in the same factory for $40 on Ebay.
I was interested in improving my shift, so I'm in the process of taking one of these cheap Chinese shifters as far as it can be improved. I've shimmed the pivot for the fore/aft movement to remove slop there. I've designed and 3D printed bearing carriers that use needle roller bearings for the side to side movement instead of the nylon plain bearings that ship with the short shifter kits. I've also discovered the white bellcrank is a massive source of side to side play - the rectangular slot in it for the ball can be tightened up with shim stock, or sheet metal from a beer can. The pivot is full of slop, so I drilled a hole down the pivot pin and cut off the inner end. I then passed an AN4 bolt through the centre of it and put a half height nylock on the end of it. I was then able to tighten up the pivot and remove all slop. The pivot at the bottom of the bellrank that the shifter cable attaches to is also a source of play. I removed the play, but I can't quite remember what I used there.
All those steps have resulted in a shifter that is 100% slop free, just like a Numeric, but for a fraction of the cost.
I've also mounted the gear **** three inches higher up the stick. This puts it in a far better position ergnomically, and it allows the shift travel to be similar to the 997 shift, i.e. shorter than the 996, but nowhere near as irritatingly short as the cheapo SSK.
I don't really like the white plastic bellcrank, so I'm currently developing an aluminium one that will run with ball bearings and rod ends to translate the side to side movement, doing away with the sliding ball arrangement that is a wear point in the Porsche shifters, the cheapo SSKs and the quality kits like FF and Numeric. This isn't to say that rod ends don't wear, but you can select some very high quality bearings in rod ends.
I was interested in improving my shift, so I'm in the process of taking one of these cheap Chinese shifters as far as it can be improved. I've shimmed the pivot for the fore/aft movement to remove slop there. I've designed and 3D printed bearing carriers that use needle roller bearings for the side to side movement instead of the nylon plain bearings that ship with the short shifter kits. I've also discovered the white bellcrank is a massive source of side to side play - the rectangular slot in it for the ball can be tightened up with shim stock, or sheet metal from a beer can. The pivot is full of slop, so I drilled a hole down the pivot pin and cut off the inner end. I then passed an AN4 bolt through the centre of it and put a half height nylock on the end of it. I was then able to tighten up the pivot and remove all slop. The pivot at the bottom of the bellrank that the shifter cable attaches to is also a source of play. I removed the play, but I can't quite remember what I used there.
All those steps have resulted in a shifter that is 100% slop free, just like a Numeric, but for a fraction of the cost.
I've also mounted the gear **** three inches higher up the stick. This puts it in a far better position ergnomically, and it allows the shift travel to be similar to the 997 shift, i.e. shorter than the 996, but nowhere near as irritatingly short as the cheapo SSK.
I don't really like the white plastic bellcrank, so I'm currently developing an aluminium one that will run with ball bearings and rod ends to translate the side to side movement, doing away with the sliding ball arrangement that is a wear point in the Porsche shifters, the cheapo SSKs and the quality kits like FF and Numeric. This isn't to say that rod ends don't wear, but you can select some very high quality bearings in rod ends.
10-31-2021, 11:10 PM
#12
You don't need to do this yourself. You can just buy the already made options or do what I said in the first post and mix a little bit of $5 epoxy and fill in the space. Can't be easier.
11-01-2021, 12:50 PM
#13
Rennlist Member
I have the Shift-Right kit in my Turbo and I highly recommend it if you have a factory (996 or 997) shifter and don't plan on going the Numeric route.
Keep in mind it is not compatible with aftermarket short shifters unless you modify the short shifter quite a bit as the "ball" is a different size than on the factory shifters. I had to grind/reshape/polish my short shifter to work with the Shift-Right, but it works great and eliminated about 90% of the side to side slop.
Keep in mind it is not compatible with aftermarket short shifters unless you modify the short shifter quite a bit as the "ball" is a different size than on the factory shifters. I had to grind/reshape/polish my short shifter to work with the Shift-Right, but it works great and eliminated about 90% of the side to side slop.
Last edited by Capt. Obvious; 11-01-2021 at 12:52 PM.
