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Installed Mazda Speed short shifter

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Old 03-09-07, 08:34 PM
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Installed Mazda Speed short shifter

I installed my short shifter to day at work. I drove home and how great it feels. I have read that this shifter cuts by 60%. to me it feels like 80%. No cluncking or griding. I think it feels a little stiff, but should brake in the more I drive.

I also have a RE A short shifter. I was going to install this one after I drove with the MS, but I do not think I will change to RE because the MS feels relly good.

If any one want to buy the RE let me know . It is new. Never installed.
Old 03-09-07, 09:32 PM
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I have short shifters on both my fc/fd.
sometimes i just want the original back
And I do have the good aftermarket ones. . .

Old 03-09-07, 09:37 PM
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I'm trying to understand short shifters... is the post the **** goes on simply shorter or is there more?

The pros are that you can shift quiker...
Cons are....?
Old 03-09-07, 09:52 PM
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Originally Posted by TMadlem84
I'm trying to understand short shifters... is the post the **** goes on simply shorter or is there more?

The pros are that you can shift quiker...
Cons are....?

No, there's more to that ^
It's the fulcrum.,
It reduces the 'throw' . .I'm sure you can search for detailed explanation . . .
and I don't know about quicker shifting., somehow, it's slower to shift haha
Ever seen these drifters use short shifters? Just a thought . . .

Old 03-09-07, 10:00 PM
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I installed one too a month or two ago and posted my impressions here:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...aspeed+shifter

As you said, even though the nominal throw reduction is 60%, it feels like much more. Almost more like a switch than a shifter.
Old 03-09-07, 11:34 PM
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Originally Posted by TMadlem84
I'm trying to understand short shifters... is the post the **** goes on simply shorter or is there more?

The pros are that you can shift quiker...
Cons are....?
Just try this:

Take a pencil or pen and find a inch gap between some desks or something like that. Now use your left hand as the fulcrum about one third of the way up the pencil. Now with your right hand shift it back and forth fully noticing how far the top of the pencil moves back and forth. Now shift your left hand to the middle of the pencil and shift it again.

That's how it works...
Old 03-09-07, 11:52 PM
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Originally Posted by TMadlem84
I'm trying to understand short shifters... is the post the **** goes on simply shorter or is there more?

The pros are that you can shift quiker...
Cons are....?
It's quicker to shift and your hand is closer to the fulcrum- i personally think it makes the shift more precise. Though i think my shifter is still stock. I've liked the effect on several other cars i've driven.

Cons are- you don't have as much leverage so it takes more elbow grease to shift (many short shifters come with weighted ***** for just this reason)
Old 03-10-07, 12:15 AM
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Thumbs up

Originally Posted by def3
I installed my short shifter to day at work. I drove home and how great it feels. I have read that this shifter cuts by 60%. to me it feels like 80%. No cluncking or griding. I think it feels a little stiff, but should brake in the more I drive.

I also have a RE A short shifter. I was going to install this one after I drove with the MS, but I do not think I will change to RE because the MS feels relly good.

If any one want to buy the RE let me know . It is new. Never installed.
Glad to see you found one . Sorry for not replying back to your PM, I didn't have a lead for ya.
Old 03-10-07, 07:20 AM
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pics!!
Old 03-10-07, 10:08 AM
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I will try to post pics. I will only have pis of the MS in the car.

I can take a pice of the RE next to the stock, but that has been done.

The shifts are more precise. I find my self whanting to make sure I am in the right gear. I will have to get use to this. To me the shifting is much better then stock. The stock shift **** is weighted.

The RE shifter is not ust shorter in lenght, but also has a bent in the rod. The bent is not as much as the MS. If some one is looking for a suttle change in the throw the RE would be good.
Old 03-10-07, 10:09 AM
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Originally Posted by moconnor
I installed one too a month or two ago and posted my impressions here:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...aspeed+shifter

As you said, even though the nominal throw reduction is 60%, it feels like much more. Almost more like a switch than a shifter.

I read what you had said and got the MS due to your write up.

Thanks
Old 03-10-07, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by GoodfellaFD3S
Glad to see you found one . Sorry for not replying back to your PM, I didn't have a lead for ya.
No worries,

I should be installing those intake mans with in the next month. I am waiting to get my v-mount and then I can install all my parts I have.
Old 03-10-07, 04:57 PM
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I can't upload pics. Says files are to big. Each pic is 3.3mb
Old 03-10-07, 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by TMadlem84
.....The pros are that you can shift quiker...
Cons are....?
Shifting quicker....I suppose it is a little quicker. I have the PETTIT which is identical to the MAZDASPEED and mostly just like the feel. The switch vs. shifter is a good analogy, and it feels positive. Can't imagine missing 2nd to 3rd anymore.
Con's: (a) Increased effort required because of the loss of mechanical leverage.
(b) The shoulder (where the shaft widens below the threaded portion) of the MS/PETTIT/RX7store shifters is more abrupt and there is less room between it and the threads. This can lead to difficulties in threading the stock shift **** on, because it hits the shoulder before the threads start. My stock **** was looking a little worn anyway, so I bought a 5-sp RX8 ****, and that solved the issue.

Old 03-11-07, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Sgtblue
The shoulder (where the shaft widens below the threaded portion) of the MS/PETTIT/RX7store shifters is more abrupt and there is less room between it and the threads. This can lead to difficulties in threading the stock shift **** on, because it hits the shoulder before the threads start. My stock **** was looking a little worn anyway, so I bought a 5-sp RX8 ****, and that solved the issue.
I had no problems whatsoever threading my stock shifter **** onto the MS shifter. There was plenty of room to start on the threads.
Old 03-11-07, 01:20 PM
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Originally Posted by NissanConvert
....Cons are- you don't have as much leverage so it takes more elbow grease to shift (many short shifters come with weighted ***** for just this reason)
One more con: Because of the additional pressure that you must apply to shift, a leather shift **** will wear out much quicker with a short shifter.
Old 03-11-07, 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Kento
I had no problems whatsoever threading my stock shifter **** onto the MS shifter. There was plenty of room to start on the threads.

Same here, no prblem with installing the stock shifter on the MS.
Old 03-11-07, 04:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Kento
I had no problems whatsoever threading my stock shifter **** onto the MS shifter. There was plenty of room to start on the threads.
Maybe my aftermarket shift boot is thicker, or this is yet another issue that isn't universal among these cars... or a combination of both. But mine would only bite on a few threads.
Old 03-12-07, 12:39 PM
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...or possibly the Pettit SS isn't quite an exact replica of the MS unit...
Old 03-12-07, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Sgtblue
Maybe my aftermarket shift boot is thicker
I have an aftermarket boot and the MS shifter-no problems at all.
Old 03-12-07, 04:16 PM
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I used to have the Mazdatrix shifter, which I believe is a copy of the MS. After about a year the screws that attach the shifter to the perch stripped (due to vibration, I assume). It's quite a shock to be driving down the road at about 35, shift to third and have the shifter come loose in your hand.

I don't know how you'd prevent this... perhaps Mazdatrix didn't supply a long enough bolt, but keep and eye on them.

-Scott
Old 03-14-07, 04:48 PM
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so does anyone have before and after pics
Old 03-14-07, 05:21 PM
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A short shifter is NOT to shift quicker. It is to drive more comfortably. Less actual motion of the arm during shifts. Plus, a shorter shift requires more effort to shift... forcing you to be more precise, since it is now harder to accidentally grind a gear. At least, compared to having more leverage to screw things up with.
Old 03-14-07, 07:21 PM
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Actually, I found I had to more precise with the stock shifter, because of that leverage. IMO, it's a lot more difficult to flub the 2nd-3rd shift now, because you're able to feel the engagement better with the slight increase in effort involved.
Old 03-14-07, 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Monkman33
A short shifter is NOT to shift quicker. It is to drive more comfortably. Less actual motion of the arm during shifts. Plus, a shorter shift requires more effort to shift... forcing you to be more precise, since it is now harder to accidentally grind a gear. At least, compared to having more leverage to screw things up with.

You said it's to 'drive' more comfortably. But how can you drive more comfortable when you said it requires more effort? I think it's more precise with the original shifter. The fulcrum is higher than the stock, that's why it feels like short throws.
The shorter the actual shifter and higher fulcrum, the harder it will get.
I don't care about lenght of shifter, but the throws. So I use a long shift ****. Really easy to shift with short throws.

Here'r some pix.
I cant post the pix of the rest coz last time I did that I got banned for a week.

BTW this is my FC but I see no diff on any others
The Honda short Shifter are so smooth.
I think because they have the rod thingy (forgot what its' called)



Ball ****:

CLICK HERE

Long ****:

CLICK HERE

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