I've been using a B&M type short shifter I bought from a forum member and today I replaced it with the RE Amemiya and the difference is night and day!

The B&M type has the shortest throw, just clicks into gear but requires much more effort and rattles at certain rpm plus doesn't have a rubber boot to seal it so I could smell the tranny fluid.

The RE Amemiya, which uses the stock shifter housing and has a brass bushing, does not rattle and has a throw somewhere between the stock and the B&M but feels so much easier and buttery smooth to shift! I didn't realize how much of a difference a shifter can make.

 

sweet

 

how much did that run you?

 

Yeah thats what my short shifter is like, its nice bcz the throw is sooo short...but u can smell tranny fluid and hear it rattle...it gets annoying.

 

I would imagine the RE-A is a rebadged Mazdaspeed or possibly a replica (like Mazdatrix makes). I saw one on ebay a few weeks ago. Is anybody using the M'trix replica?

 

I have a real MazdaSpeed shifter and its pretty nice but I haven't tried anything else so I'm not sure how it compares.

I can say its solid with no little rattles or tranny fluid vapors though.

 

Thx for the info... i'm looking into short shifters and this post helps alot hehe.

Jeremy

 

I've got the M'Trix. Short throws are nice, but a pretty decent amount of effort is needed every shift, and it rattles like a 78 Toyota Celica, Buzzzzzzzz. I hate it. Need to figure out the rattle. Interestingly, it only rattles if there is something on the end to amplify the sound. If I remove the shift ****, it's pretty much quiet.

The G/F bought it for me, so I feel bad when I curse it, but it really makes the car sound cheap. Sigh... Plus the hard shifting reduces my PsYCHo MaD SHiZZZIFfFTin', yo!

Um, yes.

 

^ What kind of handle do you have? I have a B&M on my CRX with the plastic B&M T handle and it rattles alot so I rest my hand on it. I beleive the weighted handles like the OEM one on my RX7 with B&M replica prevent the vibration echo since I have no rattle with it.

 

I don't know where the rattle came from, all I know is the RE-A doesn't rattle at all and doesn't smell!! Very Happy. The RE-A was $185 from a forum member, check the FS section.

I'm using the stock shift ****, soon to be replaced with the RX-8 one that I had and broke so need to fix first.

 

Good to hear. I got my RE-Amemiya shifter from 87gtr last week, but the car is stored, so I haven't put it in yet. I'm glad to hear it works well!

 

i have always loved the stock shifter in the FD. all my friends have th B&M but when I drive their cars I just can't stand the amount of effort it takes to click into gear. yea, it's short, but it actually slows down my shifts. I'd be interested to feel the RE-A shifter, or see some pics atleast (pre-installation of course)

 

here

 

I'm with Stoked - I can't STAND short shifters. I think it's a personal preference type thing, though. The FD has a VERY short shift pattern stock. Cars I've driven with short shifters are typically harder to get into gear and the pattern gets so tight it's hard to find a gear at times.

I think this is one of those mods that many people think is neat enough that it blinds them to the downsides.

For me, a good quality shift **** is all I need. The stock shift **** on my FD is still in good shape, so it's got some life before it gets replaced.

If you think the FD needs a shorter shifter, drive an FC some time. They have a HUGE shift pattern if you have the stock **** setup. On the '86-88s, if you get an aftermarket **** that moves it farther down the shaft, it's all good.

Dale

 

Agreed. Every short shifter I've driven sucks, some just suck more than others. They are all notchy and feel terrible compared to the stock shifter.

People have to feel like their working hard in order to increase performance. Everything on the car has to be stiff, hard and loud. If you're too comfortable something must be wrong

 

good point! IMO a lot of people get it because it's relatively cheap, and it's one more thing they can add to their mod list. The way i see it, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

 

I just put a B&M Shifter on my car and I think I'm going back to stock.. I can't stand the rattles at high rpm.. it sounds like my car is falling apart.

 

Well I just took it apart again and it looks like the shifter was rubbing against the body.. like where the hole meets tranny, so I bent the metal out of the way and am gonna go test it out in a little bit, hopefuly the rattle goes away.

 

If the shifter is rubbing against the body, you need to realign the driveline. The manual has to steps on how to do it.

 

i had the b&m replica short shifter (ebay ones) and i thought it sucked..IMO

i had short throws but it was very notchy and not "race" feel like..it felt like i was fighting against the handbrake everytime i shifted..so i sold the thing and went back to stock..

my friend is going through the same thing, he might sell his too..

 

Also, you need to take that little plastic bushing off the end of the stock shifter and put it on the B&M...Mine doesn't rattle at all....But it is knotchy....I want a more buttery feel. Will leave it for a while.

 

I love a short throw, but I have always been turned away by all the notchy/rattle comments... this RE-A shifter looks like a compromise.

After driving a miata, the fd's stock shifter feels like I'm driving a truck, lol.

 

i have the ebay replica. it only shortens the throw 35% from stock and i like that alot. it is a bit notchy, but so was the stock, you just didnt notice it as much. the down side to the BM is that it doesnt fit the stock boot without modification. you can easily fit the boot over the shifter though, i just got the thick padded insulation tape and wrapped the bottom of shifter so that it was close to stock size, then placed the rubber boot right over. i really like the feel. its not hard to shift, but it is a bit quicker, and more solid.

 

I reinstalled my MK1 ebay B&M replica today. Throw is about 50-60% less. Effort is at least twice as much. Clicks in to each gear, so there is some noise but no rattle. Only fitment issue was front/passenger corner hex bolt. I had to trim the corner of the opening to drop the bolt in. Maybe needed driveshaft realignment but that was easier. I had no problems installing the double rubber boots over the tunnel cover. I reused the insulation, so heat is the same as with the stock unit (almost none). I also used liquid gasket in between the base and the trans'. There is no smell entering the cabin. I would prefer the RE-A but it's another $150 more then what I paid.

 

I give the B&M thumbs up.

My B&M was notchy and rattled a little when I first put it in. The novelty of the new shifter made the initial "notchiness" perceived as a "raciness" but the rattling was hard to put up with... BUT, honestly, the B&M unit definately gets much better as time goes on (break-in) and it does not rattle at all anymore.

I would not consider swapping it out, as my install is as proper as GoRacer's.

David