I was reading some information on short shifters. I heard short shifters f**k up your tranny and syncros, but i also heard that its perfectly fine to use.

i read on this website about how short shifters are bad

"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."
(http://www.fastlineperformance.com/shifter.htm)

are these statements true?

also, would using a OEM shifter from another car do damage? would it have shorter throws? or sit lower? (ex: DA with GSR shifter)

thanks

 

I can't shed much light on this topic, but i'm in for some good responses!

 

Yes, it is all true. Shifting too fast can damage the transmission.

And it is also true that short shifters do not actually make you shift faster. They do allow you to try and do so though, at the expense of the tranny.

Really, if you want to shift faster, learn how to properly match revs and shift. Still want faster, then use a lighter flywheel (allows RPMs to come back down faster).

And I too, prefer the shorter throw. But I am certainly not going to spend money to achieve that when I would still have to shift at the same speed anyway. And then it looks to be even more of a waste when one considers that "short shifters" move the **** even further from the wheel and you hand, making it take longer for the entire shifting procedure, defeating their claimed purpose.

 

just going on what i believe the opinion of the more intelligent people on HT think on this topic is that it's a bad idea. Personally there already seems to be a problem with the 3rd gear synchro wearing out before the rest, why put more stress on it. That's just my opinion and i will be staying away from the short shifter. Another personal opinion, the b series gearbox has always gotten excellent reviews, why mess up a good thing.

 

 

im sorry but unless im road course racing i would not buy that shifter... i understand the pitch, is it 80% true.. you can also adjust the forks and shifter inputs for better shiftin

 

s2 dual bend and weighted ****... i love that combo... it's not short and it has an amazing feel to it. shifting faster is overrated . if you need to shift that fast then a sequential gear box is your friend

 

While I respect the guys at Fastline and that shifter definitely looks like a well-designed and well-built piece, I DO NOT agree that short shifters damage transmissions. People who can't shift smoothly damage transmissions. Period!

I personally can't stand the "rubbery, floaty" feeling I had with the stock shifter. The o-rings and bushings in the bottom of the stock shifter are pure crap.

Now consider the $40 AutoZone dual-bend short shifter I have in my car. I installed it back in 2001 with less than 100K miles on the engine and transmission. Today I'm still using the same shifter, with over 276K miles on the engine and transmission, with all original internals, and no grinding whatsoever, except for when I myself cause it to grind. Sometimes I engage the clutch too soon when upshifting into 4th gear and will get a slight scratch. I've been using GM Synchromesh Friction Modified fluid since about 145K miles, and the transmission shifts flawlessly, at all temperatures.

The shifter itself above the pivot point is the same height as stock. Using the stock shift ****, the **** is in the EXACT same location as it was with the stock shifter.

My short shifter also has solid bearings in the bottom, which I used with a couple of spacers and a lock washer to prevent rattling. The spacers also allow the through-bolt to be fully tightened with no effect on shifting effort, i.e. no binding whatsoever like can happen if you over-tighten the bolt on the stock shifter. Shifting is precise. Some may think it feels "notchy" but I personally like positive engagement. I don't like when a shifter slides into a gear and feels like it could just slide right out again at any time.

So those are my thoughts and experiences, posted once again, as I do every time a short shifter thread comes up. The idea that short shifters cause transmission damage is a straight myth! Just like the idea that negative camber causes tire wear and HID kits are the best thing since sliced bread all all myths.

This pic shows the throw from 3rd through neutral into 4th with my stock shift ****.

 

I love that pic. I've seen it many times and it never gets old. I would like to create a pick like that of my TWM shifter. Did you use Photoshop to do that? If so, what effect did you use to merge the 3 pics? If not Photoshop, then what software?

 

That's actually a recent pic using my stock shift ****. I take 3 pics on a tripod (obviously), then open all the pics in Photoshop. Then I copy/paste the 3rd and 4th gear pics on top of the neutral pic, then copy/paste the background pic (neutral) to make a duplicate layer that's on top of everything. Then I erase all around the shifter in the upper layers, and change the transparency settings of the layers. Merge and Save As a new JPEG image.

 

FWIW, we have never had a customer complain that their FLP shifter caused any problems in the 5 years we've been selling them. This shifter just feels smooth. It feels like you are shifting effortlessly, and really that seems conducive with being gentle on the equipment.

 

Fastline makes great shifters. Any chance for a group buy, I would really like one for my other car?

 

I have a short shifter in my 94 teg and a stock shifter in my 92 teg. Both feel the exact same to me.

 

well said patrickgsr94 ive had a short shifter(skunk 2) for about 5 years and my car has over 160k miles and not one problem i drive like a granny though

 

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