Shifter mod?

[ehansen007]

Has anyone modified the shifter yet? I'm considering shortening it and rotating the angle towards the front. Wanted to see if anyone tried to get that splined main rod out yet. Thanks.

[Canadian818]

Check out longislandwrx's build thread.

[Mechie3]

I've taken the mechanism apart but did not press apart the rod itself. I don't know if the splines are truly matching splines. My gut feeling says they're just a straight knurl meant to provide better bite for the press fit just like wheel studs. Longisland installed his shifter underneath the rails and bought an aftermarket shift lever meant for this shifter assembly.

[RM1SepEx]

Eventually I'm going to chop mine about 2 - 2 1/2 inches shorter I think. I want to try it for a while in the stock position

[StatGSR]

Shorter shifter? your doing it wrong....

From my track car

[Xusia]

Shorter shifter? your doing it wrong....

So what if you're NOT racing, and don't like reaching into the stratosphere to shift? Then what?? I know... SHORTER shifter! FTW!! :)

[StatGSR]

So what if you're NOT racing, and don't like reaching into the stratosphere to shift? Then what?? I know... SHORTER shifter! FTW!! :)

Its great on the street too, though it does make cd changes a little more interesting. Regardless you should have two hands on the steering wheel more often than not, and this will be closer to you and your hands. After having this you will always feel like you are "reaching" for any shifter that isn't near to the steering wheel.

[Mechie3]

I trimmed my shifter housing last night, but need to fab up a bracket today for it to be able to attach the the rails. My rails are too far apart to use even the offset washers. I haven't cut the stick down. It puts it around 4 or 5 O'clock on the wheel vs 2 or 3.

[Xusia]

Regardless you should have two hands on the steering wheel more often than not, and this will be closer to you and your hands.

I thought that might be the reasoning, and of course, that IS safer. Still, this is one of those rare times where I'll choose looks over outright function or safety. That doesn't happen often, but this isn't as critical, so I'm sticking to it! :)

[ehansen007]

My rails are too far apart to use even the offset washers.

Really? They should be the same for everyone. I was able to get mine attached no problem. Still on the fence here about mounting it below the rails. It appears that if you do this you have to run a straight shifter arm other wise the knob will be in your lap in 2nd gear. I'm wondering can this steel be heated and bent or will it just snap? Getting it out of the ball is not easy.

[Mechie3]

I was pretty sure my shifter lever angles away from the driver. Could be remembering wrong. If I put the bolts right on the edge of the rails it will just barely fit. Any slight amount of wobbling of the drill bit and it's cutting the wall. I ran into the same problem before trying to mount it on top which is why I ended up welding in cross bars.

[RM1SepEx]

Craig, it angles towards the driver... It's much closer to the wheel and driver than my Miatas, and 2.5 -3 inches higher

[ehansen007]

If you've got the shifter lined up right with the cables going out the front then the shifter arm/shaft is angle towards the driver. I went ahead and fixed this by heating up the shaft (after removing it from the housing) and bending it straight.

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/4D9EDF55-E8FF-4CD2-B19D-1A55D207B893-13099-000013CC35F58D81_zps8cb8f8af.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/4D9EDF55-E8FF-4CD2-B19D-1A55D207B893-13099-000013CC35F58D81_zps8cb8f8af.jpg.html)
Then I built a platform and bolted it to the subframe using Rivnuts.

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/7096B2D9-CC64-4079-AC5C-951E3944E661-13099-000013CC3D3AFA22_zps2f0557a1.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/7096B2D9-CC64-4079-AC5C-951E3944E661-13099-000013CC3D3AFA22_zps2f0557a1.jpg.html)

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/FF9D5E0C-AF55-407F-8D1C-8308780A2FE9-13099-000013CC450C9DBE_zpsb7df46d8.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/FF9D5E0C-AF55-407F-8D1C-8308780A2FE9-13099-000013CC450C9DBE_zpsb7df46d8.jpg.html)
You can see the spacers I used. I actually got them from Ace hardware and doubled them with spacers inside for strength.

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/C31E3016-6648-4959-A047-8DCCCBA33B8B-13099-000013CC55028ACD_zps115642e1.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/C31E3016-6648-4959-A047-8DCCCBA33B8B-13099-000013CC55028ACD_zps115642e1.jpg.html)

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/74210262-2CF0-4A85-8292-DDE24E5A6D1D-13099-000013CC4CDA1047_zpse520d9f2.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/74210262-2CF0-4A85-8292-DDE24E5A6D1D-13099-000013CC4CDA1047_zpse520d9f2.jpg.html)

Look how much happier he is!
From my perspective, this is an easy thing to do and should be way better than mounting it to the top. It doesn't interfere with the seats and should make building a custom center console much easier.

[RM1SepEx]

did you move it forward too? I wouldn't be able to run my harness with that shifter position...

[Junty]

very nice work.

[Mechie3]

It is moved forward. You can see the original rivnuts on top. You have to move it forward or chop up the plastic more si ce the vertical supports for the rails get in the way. I did mine tonight. I'll post pics tomorrow. The harness fits on my setup only because I did so much work to trim and organize it. I much prefer the new position for feel and looks. My plastic is almost all fully beneath the rails.

[Mechie3]

From my build thread:Did the "longisland" mod on my shifter. The CNC was tied up for a few days so I went with simple manual mill parts and shelved my fancy looking CNC designed bracket.

Details:
Rods are ~3"long, .75" dia, 1/4-20 thread top/bottom, 12 degree slope cut on bottom face.
Aluminum washers mount underneath the shifter housing also cut with a 12 degree slope.
(I never liked how we were bolting straight through but the top and bottom of the housing was angled).

Front bracket (near cable mount): 4.045" center to center for rod mounting holes
Rear bracket (near lever): 3.945" center to center for rod mounting holes, material cut away .5" from centerline of mounting holes to clear shifter housing
Both brackets have tapped 1/4-20 holes on 4.5" centers to mount in the middle of the rails. Through holes for screw to attach to rods are countersunk. Threaded holes offset enough to clear chamfered hole (~.625")

Bracket and Rods:
http://i.imgur.com/e52Wguw.jpg?1

Top view showing offset mounting holes:
http://i.imgur.com/GHnB9rO.jpg?1

Clamped in place, top view:
http://i.imgur.com/f2NrINa.jpg?1

Clamped in place, side view. Just enough room for the wires:
http://i.imgur.com/aAOPDh8.jpg?1

[Junty]

Awesome work, great job.

[indiana818]

is your shifter hanging?

[Mechie3]

Mine is.

[wleehendrick]

is your shifter hanging?


Mine is.

Too many responses come to mind... but I don't want to get in trouble from the moderators.

[ehansen007]

Lol. Very nice Mechie

[Mechie3]

Too many responses come to mind... but I don't want to get in trouble from the moderators.

You must be referring to the dual ball bearing model. haha

[indiana818]

Mine is.

Lov that low slung shifter wil work great with my custom console

[nkw8181]

Very nice! I might do something similar

[ehansen007]

seriously. So much cleaner. Can't wait to build my center console now.

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/818/818%20BUILD/E11480F2-517E-46DE-A3AB-A5446308B7EA_zpsg9jgwe5f.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/818/818%20BUILD/E11480F2-517E-46DE-A3AB-A5446308B7EA_zpsg9jgwe5f.jpg.html)

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/818/818%20BUILD/C53ED1A6-53F8-4995-8A5F-0F0612B62D47_zpsyrrczrme.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/818/818%20BUILD/C53ED1A6-53F8-4995-8A5F-0F0612B62D47_zpsyrrczrme.jpg.html)

[Mechie3]

That looks.....rather excellent!

[nkw8181]

Very nice very nice!

[Scargo]

Why are the cables going towards the front when this is possible?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ncmaxYd1WNI

[Greg G]

This may have been covered elsewhere and if so, sorry! Also, I haven't tackled this so I am going off observation and theory :)

As I have seen from pics of builds to-date, there seems to be concern with how close the shifter assembly is the rear fascia. I also would be concerned that light impact to the rear could cause lots of damage to the shift mechanism.

In light of the above, would the following be feasible/possible/realistic?

1: The shift shaft looks to be way longer than is needed for the travel shown in the video. Looks like 1"+ could be trimmed with no ill effects.
2: #1 above would obviously require modification to the brackets to compensate. Could you also make the lever that comes off the shaft in such a way that it comes FORWARD around the side/over the top of the tranny? There only appears to be a couple inches of rotation total. From there, you could easily fabricate a rear end cover that extends beyond the linkage that would protect the assembly from incidental damage and do so in the same or less space as the current setup consumes.

Ideas? Am I seeing this wrong?

[Erik W. Treves]

That's why you buy the VCP shifter kit :D

[07FIREBLADE]

How much room does the VCP shifter kit give between the linkage and the rear bumper.

[Mechie3]

Why are the cables going towards the front when this is possible?
eo]

Needs a different linkage. That one has the forward/back pivot at the bottom and the cable attaches in the middle. The FFR linkage pivots in the middle with the cable on the bottom. Turning it around makes the forward back motion reversed. There are a few linkages that work like the one in the video but I dont believe that any of them are currently manufactured.

[Scargo]

That's why you buy the VCP shifter kit :D
OK, so the one cable's throw is reversed with the shifter's mechanical design and the other cable actuates the lever on top rather than on the bottom (FFR style). Correct?

[Mechie3]

OK, so the one cable's throw is reversed with the shifter's mechanical design and the other cable actuates the lever on top rather than on the bottom (FFR style). Correct?

From what I've seen, the shifter does the forward back correctly (like the lever on top, not the FFR on the bottom version) and for the rotation Wayne flipped the bracket on the trans selector shaft to make that work.

[rori]

How much room does the VCP shifter kit give between the linkage and the rear bumper.

Same as FFR's setup. This is not changed.

[Xusia]

Since I'm planning a front gas tank, I'm trying to minimize, if not completely eliminate, anything routing through the front of the center tunnel. This means the shifter cables must be routed rearward. I haven't ruled out the VCP shifter, but I think I can use the FFR supplied shifter with custom linkage at the transmission end. Craig (Mechie3) posted this previously, and it's what I plan on having my father-in-law help me fabricate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJZiZfE_IoE&feature=player_embedded

With the FFR supplied shifter turned around, I would need to press the handle out of the ball, rotate it 180*, and press it back in - so that it is angled properly (toward the driver).

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Since I'm planning a front gas tank, I'm trying to minimize, if not completely eliminate, anything routing through the front of the center tunnel. This means the shifter cables must be routed rearward. I haven't ruled out the VCP shifter, but I think I can use the FFR supplied shifter with custom linkage at the transmission end. Craig (Mechie3) posted this previously, and it's what I plan on having my father-in-law help me fabricate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJZiZfE_IoE&feature=player_embedded

With the FFR supplied shifter turned around, I would need to press the handle out of the ball, rotate it 180*, and press it back in - so that it is angled properly (toward the driver).

Hey Xusia
I have the same shifter issue as you with the front gas tank.
I'm going to look at shaft with u-joints shifter linkage.
Bob

[Scargo]

If you think about it, all you need to do is to reverse the direction for the "in and out" movement at the transmission. Rotation reversal is easy by pointing the cable in the clockwise push direction.
The FFR supplied shifter has the "in and out" lever attachment point below the shifter's pivot point. In the MR2 shifter used in the video, the cable connection for the "in and out" is located above the shifter lever's pivot point.

The stock supplied shifter will work if:
1. the cables can be routed out the back of the assembly or it can be turned around 180 degrees and
2. the in and out cable can be attached to the shift lever above the pivot point and high enough to have the same motion ratio as before or
3. you use a bellcrank to reverse the "in and out" movement (and create any ratio you want).

I don't have a shifter to measure or physically look at, but sounds like Xusia is saying the shifter can be rotated.

[Mechie3]

You can't rotate the shifter. You can physically rotate the handle so the bend is in the correct direction but it doesn't reverse the in/out action. On the stock subie setup the pivot is the bottom of the lever and the linkage attaches in the middle. Pushing forward into first pushes the linkage inwards. On the FFR setup pushing forward pushes the cable attachment point towards the rear. If you dont loop the cable to effectively reverse the direction then everything is flipped. First on the lever becomes second on the trans. Third becomes fourth. Fifth becomes reverse.

The old style mr2 (not spyder) levers will do what you need.

[Scargo]

Just bought '93 MR2 turbo shifter for $47, shipped. No p***y-footing around.

[Xusia]

I want to make my own linkage at the transmission end anyway (truth be told, I'd prefer to buy one from Craig, but since I doubt it will be done by the time I need it... LOL), so I will address the "reversal" on that end. It's as simple as inverting the triangle. Simple. Clean. Elegant. Just like I like my solutions to be! :)

[Mechie3]

It's as simple as inverting the triangle. Simple. Clean. Elegant. Just like I like my solutions to be! :)

All the designs I've seen the triangle is used only for the rotation motion. The push/pull is still a direct push/pull.

[Xusia]

Oh sorry, I misunderstood what was being said. I got it now. That's easily dealt with by using a pivot lever.

[Mechie3]

That's easily dealt with by using a pivot lever.

Yup, which is what the MR2 shift assy is (and the factory Subie one, but that's not a cable drive).

[Doowop]

I have been looking at that and I really do not want the cables to go forward to go backward so the MR2 shifter seems to be the solution. What about the cable? Do we have to have new ones made or can the stock one be shorten? thanks

[Xusia]

I'm not confident I understand your question as written. if you are asking whether or not you need new cables if you use a different shifter, the answer is yes if you intend to go straight backwards as opposed to out the front and around the site. You can't shorten them. if you intend to do that, I recommend k-tuned shifter.

[Wayne Presley]

I have been looking at that and I really do not want the cables to go forward to go backward so the MR2 shifter seems to be the solution. What about the cable? Do we have to have new ones made or can the stock one be shorten? thanks

If you want short cables that go back, I can sell you the cables that I use on my K-Tuned kit. THey would be $185 for the pair

[Scargo]

If you want short cables that go back, I can sell you the cables that I use on my K-Tuned kit. THey would be $185 for the pair
How about a six-speed coupled with the MR2 shifter? I have the MR2 shifter and can mod it or are you coming out with a kit for the six-speed? I'd be interested in some or all parts required. I'm getting the 80743 WRX STI AWD-TO-FWD ADAPTER with my kit.

[longislandwrx]

this has been posted before but...

Subaru trans with mr2 shifter

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/lofiversion/index.php?t102887.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncmaxYd1WNI

[Scargo]

Right, and I appreciate that, but it's for a five-speed. I'm guessing the six-speed is a little different since folks have been talking about various ways to do the reverse lock-out?

[longislandwrx]

I wasn't responding to your question, I was just posting general information.

I have seen manual reverse lockouts... a metal lockable detent that prevents the lever from hitting that spot. That may be simple to implement

http://k-tuned.3dcartstores.com/5th-Gear-Lockout-for-Billet-RSX-Shifter_p_266.html

something to get the brain going.

[Kurk818]

I ordered an extended reverse lock out cable from a company in LA. I sent them my factory one and had them extend it to 10ft in length. I should be receiving it back any day now. I will be cutting off the reverse lock out portion of the STI shifter and welding it on to the FFR supplied one to have everything looking OEM.

[Boog]

If you want short cables that go back, I can sell you the cables that I use on my K-Tuned kit.

Whats the approx. length of the cables? I'm curious about the different routing options.

[Wayne Presley]

I'll have the brackets for the 6 speed.

[Doowop]

Thanks Wayne, I'll keep that in mind.
Anybody know how the MR2 shifter is, as far as feeling, quality, precision, etc...
I really do not see the point spending the money on the K-tune just because it is billet aluminum and "pretty", I actually think it is very ugly.. :)