I have heard several people and read several posts lately saying that short shifters can and will cause damage to transmissions/transaxles. Now, I really dont see any validity to this statement, so I was curious what info people have. I am not really looking for opinions, but more for hard evidence that shows whether the supposed damage is due to the equipment or the operator.

I am torn, as I can see how changing the flucrum point may adversely effect the transaxle. But, I also know a number of people who use a SS with no real issues. So, again, if there is any "conclusive" or "hard" evidence, please bring it forth.

And yes, I did search the topic and found several marginal threads on the topic at hand.

 

i've never heard anything bad about short shifters, other than some might hit the exhaust sometimes. i've had short shifters in all of my cars and have never had any kind of problems.

 

I too have been told by people, shops even, that short throw shifters cause damage to tranny's. I would like some clairification on this topic.

Jai

 

See this is about what I have heard, I really love the feel of a short shifter but cant bring myself to install one in my 01 because obviously my tranny is in great condition and I would hate to jepordize it. Keep the opinions comin guys!


Jai

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JustROLLIN &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have heard several people and read several posts lately saying that short shifters can and will cause damage to transmissions/transaxles. </TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by INTEGRAJAI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I too have been told by people, shops even, that short throw shifters cause damage to tranny's. I would like some clairification on this topic.</TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Palmy Blue &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">From what ive heard is that they love to eat away at your syncros and really arent too good. Ive always had my short shifter and im on my 4th tranny....maybe its just my driving or a combination of both...</TD></TR></TABLE>
LIES!! all lies! no, but seriously. damage to transmissions are completely user error, not due to the shifter itself. common problems are that people shift too hard. there is lots of info. dont forget the archives.

 

i think it is all operator because i have no problem shifting my car but other people get in it and miss and grind gears The only was i can c it messint up your tranny is if u get a cheap 1 and the piviot ball is set to high then it wont go completely into gear which would mess syncros up but no proof on that, just my opinion.

 

Thanks for the opinions all. Anyone else have any statements they would like to make. I have a SS laying on my floor and I am really nervous about installing the bugger.

 

From what people say in the EG+ section, fucked trannies with short shifters are--as someone said already--due to user error. Short shifters, as you probably know, do not quicken engagement time but simply make the throws from gear to gear shorter and usually better feeling. A lot of people make the mistake, though, that having a short shifter automatically makes their transmission into some kind of super-quick racing beast, so they slam the shift lever hard and quick while driving. This is what most often causes the synchros to wear out.

Personally, I have used a DC Sports short shifter in my old EJ8 and had no problems at all. I used it while all-motor, kept it while turbocharged on the GReddy Z6 kit, and still had it for a little bit afterwards when I sold the turbo. Shifting was fine, and I had no problems with my synchros because I understood that only the throw distance was shortened. As long as you don't try and speed shift your away around the city, you should be okay. I eventually sold mine, though, because it sat so damn low. I wanted the **** up higher to my hand, so I went back to a stock shifter but added Prothane bushings.

I started driving a GS-R a few days ago, and man, the throws are really nice, solid, and short for OEM. I can't imagine what it would feel like with a short shifter. Definitely feels way better than my EJ8's tranny ever did. Maybe down the road I'll get a short shifter and see what's up.

 

well I have to say that I hated the stock shifter and bushings on my GS-R. I've been running an AutoZone short shifter almost as long as I've owned my car (over 100K miles now) and have no issues whatsoever. I'm also using ES bushings and GM Synchromesh Friction Modified fluid (been on that for probably 40K miles, on my 2nd fill now). My tranny has the mileage you see in my sig, no grinds whatsoever, as long as I'm not doing m4d tYt3 F&F double-clutch shifting y0!

 

A couple comments. First, thanks again for all the opinions. I know this has been covered before, but I was looking for a little hard evidence.

Secondly, I dont want to kick a lying dog, but using a SS will increase your shift speeds. Physics tells us that if something is covering the same amount of ground in a shorter amount of time, velocity has increased.

Anyway, I am still unsure if I am going to install the SS or not. 99% of the time I am very gentle on my car, but I would really hate for something to happen. Call it paranoia, call it what you want, I love my baby. LOL.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JustROLLIN &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Secondly, I dont want to kick a lying dog, but using a SS will increase your shift speeds. Physics tells us that if something is covering the same amount of ground in a shorter amount of time, velocity has increased. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Only the throw is decreased, not the actual shift time. From Fastline Performance:

1. The aftermarket wants you to believe that the solution to the problem is shifting faster. 'Short shifters' do this by decreasing the shift throw, allowing you to feel like you are shifting faster. In reality, the transmission regulates how fast you can shift, not the shifter. Shifting too fast causes synchro wear ('crunching' between shifts), and forcing the shifter into gear (easy to do on short shifters) bends or breaks the shift forks inside the transmission.

 

So if the length of the throw is decreased, but it takes the same amount of time to shift, then that would mean that we are actually shifting slower with a short shifter (velocity of the shifter movement is slower). I really don't think this is the case. I know on my car with my 7.5 lb. flywheel, when I have the A/C running, my short shifter helps me get to the next gear before the RPM drops too much. I know if I was still running the stock shifter, I would really have to shift alot faster to keep the RPM from dropping too low between shifts when the A/C is on. Either that or I would have to rev-match upshift every gear.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well I have to say that I hated the stock shifter and bushings on my GS-R. I've been running an AutoZone short shifter almost as long as I've owned my car (over 100K miles now) and have no issues whatsoever. I'm also using ES bushings and GM Synchromesh Friction Modified fluid (been on that for probably 40K miles, on my 2nd fill now). My tranny has the mileage you see in my sig, no grinds whatsoever, as long as I'm not doing m4d tYt3 F&F double-clutch shifting y0! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Why is it that every time you post a reply to reinforce one of your modifications, I have the sudden urge to go out and buy it? Damn you Patrick...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So if the length of the throw is decreased, but it takes the same amount of time to shift, then that would mean that we are actually shifting slower with a short shifter (velocity of the shifter movement is slower). I really don't think this is the case. </TD></TR></TABLE>
See, this was my argument, too. Not exactly the same but pretty much so. But then I've been hearing the opposite from local shop techs and the mods from the EG+ forum, so I don't know. What I can say is that I absolutely loved my DC Sports short shifter, but as I stated previously, it sat too damn low. Wasn't really that uncomfortable but just slightly annoying. No breakage like some people have experienced with their aluminum SS, either.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Daniel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">See, this was my argument, too. Not exactly the same but pretty much so. But then I've been hearing the opposite from local shop techs and the mods from the EG+ forum, so I don't know. What I can say is that I absolutely loved my DC Sports short shifter, but as I stated previously, it sat too damn low. Wasn't really that uncomfortable but just slightly annoying. No breakage like some people have experienced with their aluminum SS, either. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hmm I dunno... my shifter looks pretty much the same as a DC shifter, but the **** sits at the same height as stock inside. The throw is very short, shorter than a 6-speed Miata shifter in fact.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Alexander &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Why is it that every time you post a reply to reinforce one of your modifications, I have the sudden urge to go out and buy it? Damn you Patrick... </TD></TR></TABLE>

lol maybe I should be a salesman? Or maybe companies should sponsor me with free parts, cuz I could get other people to buy their stuff just cuz I said it's great.

 

Short shifters + broken trannies = bad driver

Things like lighter flywheels, that make your engine rev up faster also make your engine slow down faster for shifts.

Now, you can also get carbon coated synchro's, from GearSpeed, and the coating acts as a braking material that matches gear speeds faster allowing quicker shifts without grinding.

Me personally, I like a short throw. I don't slam it into gear until the tranny is ready for it, but I don't have to move my hand as far to do so. I also have the carbon coated synchro's in my civic's tranny, and have yet to grind a gear on upshifting.

 

ppl are to quick to blame the shifter. when most of them are trying to jam it into gears &lt;shakes head&gt;