Dinicod

So thinking of swapping out the shifter in my car. I realize there are numerous threads on this, but based on my searches they're all a number of years old... so I know there's the Porsche option (997, etc...) - seems too expensive. Then there's the B&M, Schnell, and others, including the eBay knock offs.

What's the latest on these options? The B&M seems to be a safe bet, but at less than 1/2 the price, is the Schnell and others a viable choice?

Any feedback would be great!

Quadcammer

get a used 997 shifter. Cheap ($100), easy to install, and a 15-20% throw reduction.

alpine003

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/835548-short-shifter-advice.html

Nothing has changed since this post. Yes I dug up the most colorful thread in good ol RL fashion. Have at it.

dwhitlow

See the other thread that Alpine bumped and referred to as well. Lots of good info in there, and based on that, I just purchased a 997 shifter from eBay for ~$112. I'm going to put that in this weekend and see how I like it.

Another option that looks interesting if the throw reduction winds up being right, is to fit the 997 shifter mechanism with metal bushings, which essentially makes it like the 997 GT3 shifter.

I found some here: https://phenixengineering.com/shop/p...t-bushing-kit/

Even with those at $65, it still comes out cheaper than any of the GT3 shifter options I could find on eBay or elsewhere.

On a side note, does anyone know where else to get metal bushings like those above?

Dinicod

Thanks guys. Yeah, let me know what you find dwhitlow.

dwhitlow

I was able to swap out my original 996 shifter for a standard 997 one today. Swap was easy and took about an hour, plus a little screwing around to fine tune. I've got to say, I really like the feel and shortened throw of the new shifter. Easy and cheap upgrade for one of the things I interact with the most while driving the car. Highly recommended, at least based on the ~hour of so of driving I did today.

Not sure how much the feel would change if I swapped in metal bushings. The shifter I bought came off a 987 with ~85K miles on it. There's no play in the bushings at this point, so I guess I don't feel a big rush to swap them out just yet.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Valkuri

So, educate this rank amateur: Used 997 shifter (not the linkage/cables) from a 997 fits a 996 and reduces the throw?
Sorry for the very basic question, but I'd rather admit my ignorance than act upon knowledge that I lack.

Quadcammer

Yes it bolts in and is about 15 to 20% shorter

Schnell Gelb

This option may interest you -from "Ben". The Numeric shifter is x3 Ben's price !Last price I saw was around $120.
http://986forum.com/forums/diy-proje...t-shifter.html
Post #56 has a large photo of the parts

Dinicod

So "Ben" has developed a ssk with ball bearings at a fraction of the cost of aftermarket manufacturers? The ball bearing version being better than other systems?

PelicanParts.com

If you need a DIY we have one here. It discusses a bit about the Porsche factory short shift kit. Here is that kit along with a few other options such as the EVO (Shortens Shift Throw by approximately 35%) and Schnell's Short Shift Kit.

islaTurbine

Keeps your eyes open for on in the classifieds. The 987 shifter is the same as the 997. I recently scored one with 30,000 miles on it for $50.

scott240

I have the B&M in my 911, quite happy with it.

dwhitlow

Thanks for the info Isla. I should have noted, my shifter actually came out of a 987 (not a 997) (now fixed in my original reply), but as you mention, the unit is the same part number.

If you can find one for ~$50, that's an even better deal than what I got, and even more worth it at that price point.

Now that I have a couple more days of driving under my belt with the new shifter, I really like it. The throw is definitely shorter and crisper than my original 996 unit.

islaTurbine

I can't wait to install mine. Just waiting for my shifter alignment tool to arrive....and for this stinking DFW weather to go below 100 degrees.