Well, I bought a short shifter from JTC Customs and after only a couple months of non-abused usage, the select rod broke off and jammed in my shifter while I was driving, causing me to have to shift using both hands (not safe, lol) by pressing on the gear select rocker and moving the shift lever to engage the gear at the same time. Anyway, I got it welded back up and reinstalled with no issues, but the welds on this thing were weak, just tiny tacks, no real penetration. Look at the pics and it should be clear. So if you have this shifter, just be aware this might happen and you might want to go ahead and fully weld both the select rod and the shift lever. to JTC for selling a product that costs $$$ and breaks after a month. If anyone else has had this problem, plz chime in.

GL and happy luding!

Mike

 

Did you contact them about it? I've seen and used their stuff before and has always been good quality. Unfortunately **** happens sometimes, you should try contacting them before trying to make somebody look bad on the internet. I'm sure they'll take care of you.

Goodluck man, sorry you got a bad one.

 

from what i read this is pretty common and he replaces them for free with a stronger version, either way im glad i never got one i love my forbidden short shifter

 

Where did you read that at?

 

never had any issues with mine...shifting it very hard as well...im sure there welded by hand and sometimes there is human error...

 

Yeah, I had not heard anything but good things about this shifter, which is why I posted what I did. Yeah, I guess I should talk to JTC about it, but I had to fix it as this is my DD and had to get it going for work, so I don't have time to ship it back. Also, if anyone else has one of these, can you check the welds on it and see if mine was just a fluke? I hope it was, but at any rate I thought this was picture post worthy, if for no other reason than people like to see carnage, lol. Bottom line, if you have this shifter, please check that it is welded properly, ie fully around both the shift lever and select rod, because it coming apart while driving was very dangerous (trust me).
Mike

 

Same thing happened to mine. First the ball popped off then the part that held the ball. Had to visit a local welder twice. Seems fine now.

 

You should let JTC know. His stuff is good but not perfect. No doubt he can take care of it though just give him your info and send him pics of what happened and he will replace it. The dude is like Craftsmen; Good quality but sometimes it breaks, return get another one. Lol

 

I already fixed it, so returning it is out of the question. I have contacted JTC but have yet to hear a response. He may be away for the holiday already, busy, etc. No big deal. I appologize if I sounded overy harsh in the first post, but it is rather dangerous to have your shifter break off while trying to navigate through traffic. I do still like the product and to JTC for still supporting this platform. I more just wanted to warn people who had this product to look and make sure the welds were in good shape and recommend re-welding/adding weld to the joints to make sure this doesn't happen again.
GL and happy luding!
Mike

 

Looks like I need to get in touch with JTC again, been trying for a week. I was just moving my car in the driveway and the shifter snapped off just beside where the little ball goes into the plastic cube... I hope he will send me a replacement (again!)!... Only around 5,000 miles on the shifter and I've been good to her...

My first JTC shifter was one of the early ones and the little ball popped off (so he started welding instead of press fitting it), but this time it just snapped off before the little black box... I'll have to reinstall the stock shifter if I don't hear something soon.

I also like the shifter, but I agree it's not too safe if it breaks... glad I was in the driveway.

more on my experiences: http://www.preludezone.com/buyer-sel...r-reviews.html

 

will update when issue is revolved.

 

I never did hear back from JTC about this issue, but it doesn't bother me, since I had it welded back on it has not failed, this has been over a year and I suspect it won't fail in normal operation.

 

Can't repair this one

I need to get a new little black box so I can put my stock shifter back in. Know what it is called? I can check with Honda, but I thought I might look online too.

I just hope Tommy is okay... I've sent him quite a few messages and was perturbed, but he's disappeared and I wish him the best.

Anyway, I'm not sure I want to put another JTC back in if it might break again in the same spot while I'm cruising down the freeway....

 

Ok... another month gone... prelude just sitting... no word from JTC/Tommy in my email or on forums.... he still hasn't been here since April... I hope he and his family are ok...

I am getting ready to order some fresh bushings (including the little black cube and the 4 main bushings [9 pieces from majestic honda]... should run around $35 I think.... hoping to stiffen the shifter back up some since going back to stock is disappointing...

Unfortunately I can no longer recommend this shifter... this could be a design flaw that others will start to have trouble with, and it could break with someone on the freeway instead of the driveway... At the spot it broke the stock shifter is beefier... If I would have gotten customer support, it's likely I would have continued to support and recommend JTC customs, but as of now I am off the bandwagon....

It was a fun ride... thanks for 2 years of short shifter JTC.

 

why a short shifter to start with? they are so useless in my opinion

 

I have needed to set the record straight for a while now, but I've been busy with my little sister's pregnancy, my wife's chronic lyme disease and the issues it causes, among other things...

At first I felt patient about the shifter breaking because I had the misfortune (and ironically good fortune) of having one of the earliest JTC shifters that needed a little tweak in design, Tommy was very quick to address the problem and not only sent a new shifter with bushing attached, but also threw in an extender kit and stickers for the troubles. I was very pleased. Customer service doesn't get faster or better; the new shifter was even slightly customized...

Then I began to feel impatient (and retrospectively feel bad about my negative posts) due to so much time passing with no word from Tommy. I think it was a couple months give or take... As the time passed my impatience turned to concern and I found out no one else had heard a peep either....

So, hoping things were okay with Tommy, I decided to reinstall the stock shifter so I could get the lude roadworthy again (I'd been driving the wife's 2012 Civic Si)... I then had to go out of town for a few days to see my sister and you can imagine my surprise when I came home to find a new JTC shifter waiting for me... I noticed Tommy had messaged me the day I reinstalled the stock shifter; had I known I would have saved myself some work! He indeed proved to be the better man as I found out he had family issues of his own. I felt bad about my earlier impatience.

I'm trying not to ramble on too long in hopes you might read this... but bottom line is I withdraw my statements suggesting people not give JTC a shot... The newest (third ) shifter has a weld that should prevent another failure like the last...

Another bottom line.... I never knew how much I loved this shifter until I had to go back to stock.... WOW...

Here's why... (notice extender)... it's not scientific, but I think you can get the idea... JTC shift is shorter AND smoother....

Oh yeah... I also deleted my bushings and it did eliminate some play... just order 4 bolts like those that hold down the ebrake (ones on the shift plate are not threaded to the top...) and have some big washers on hand... unfortunately the holes through the shift plate are a bit big (thus the extra washers), but if you line it up carefully and crank it down tight I don't foresee any issues... I hope I don't ever have to take it off again; it's been a few times!

Stock 3rd, N, 4th (3rd pics misnamed 1st on photobucket)







JTC 3rd, N, 4th







another comparison





...and my old JTC versus the new... notice the big weld on the shift selector rod... also notice how my old shifter was customized shorter...



below you can see how much extra short my old shifter was... it's the one that sticks down further because the connector was welded on higher.. cables barely cleared... threw my console in the dumpster because when I moved from the middle to top hole even trimming didn't work well, and aesthetics don't mean much to my lude.

 

Can't wait to install mine when I get the motor back in my car!

 

p.s.

Don't throw away those old shift plate bushings! My dish drainer did not drain properly... the edge of the sink held up the end that should drain and backed the water up. So....




problem solved.