Short Shift Kits???
 

I'm looking to put a short shifter kit into my '93, and wanted to see what the brand preferences are and why.

So far, I've seen only a B&M shifter and a MazdaSpeed shifter advertised. Does anyone have experience w/ one of these, and are there others I should consider????

Thanks for the help!

I'd say go with Gotham Racing's short shifter, that is the one I plan on buying. 160 bills (which is pretty damn cheap) and from what I heard good build quality. I believe it is pretty much the same thing as the B&M kit except for the blue colored lever. A lot of FD guys are big fans of Gotham.

C's also makes a shifter, but it is pricey.

EDIT: www.gothamracing.com

I have the B&M shifter. I really like it. Nice crisp short throws, although it can be a bit "notchy".

The RX-7 Store now sells their own kit:

http://66.216.67.51/product.asp?0=207&1=293&3=709

It's suppose to shorten throws by 50% (most other kits are 33%). I have one on order. When I get it (and get it installed), I'll let you know what I think of it...

I've had my B&M in for two days and love it...Haven't missed 3rd since...Although it's rattling :mad: ...Hopefully it goes away.

i got the c's from jason at jt imports. i love it... might be a lil more expensive but is the the bomb

I use a Pettit Short Shifter and I love it....real small gates though, but it is so tight and crisp when you shift. Great shifter.

I have a C's aswell. Nice short strokes, but I still do miss 3rd once in a long long while. I dont have a torque brace though.

Is there anything wrong with cutting like another 0.5" off my B&M...it's short but I think I would almost like it a little shorter...I have the Momo shift knob and it doesn't require threading to keep it on so less threads isn't a problem...

What do you think?

I have a B&M and I love it. I have had it for a year now and the only gear I have ever missed was 4th and don't ask me how that happened. It is a bit notchy but it is a lot better than stock.

As for the rattling apneablue may be talking about, it is common if you don't replace the bushing at the bottom of the shifter. I suggest doing that any time you replace your shifter because it is relatively cheap ($4 or so) and it keeps it from rattling.

I've had the Mazdatrix, and now have the Mazdaspeed unit in my FD. The Mazdatrix has the shorter throw, but it takes more effort to shift. Since I do track events, the effort was too much, IMO. Very good build quality.

The Mazdaspeed unit has a nice short throw that requires only marginally more effort. Also, good build quality.

I didn't know I was supposed to put that on there! :eek: Where do you get that bushing anyway?

Here's a photo of the B&M just before the beautiful thing gets covered up. :(

pettit has the shortest throw (cuts it up to 60%). had c's before that and it was good too.

apneablue: I'm sure it's fine if you cut down the shifter height a bit.

I have a Mazdaspeed shortshifter and I cut mine down about another half an inch. Nice short and crisp throws. It shortened it about 40% and it's feels as smooth as the stock shifter. That's if you aren't a fan of the racier notchy feeling. :)

I got the bushing straight from Mazda. It was relatively cheap like I said and they had it in the next day. It is one of the few parts that I would gladly get from them again. The new one snaps right on the end of the shifter. Good luck and that should get rid of your rattling.

With the short shifter, are there any issues with the shift being too fast for the synchros? This was a big issue on a board on another car that I have. Some people had problems with it and some didn't. Since I liked the way the stock tranny shifted, I didn't bother. The 7's shifter feels slow to me and seems to take more effort than on my Integra but the throws don't feel too long but still, it's a mod that's always on my mind.

I wouldn't do it.

I was thinking about doing the same thing. I decided that I didn't want to ruin it. Just incase I wanted to resell it later. Someone might want to use it with an OEM or Mazdaspeed shifter knob.

Pettit Short Shiter here. nice unit, crisp, and very tight.

i often think that it takes too much effort to shift as it almost feels like "CLICK-CLICK"

Ummm, see the next post.

My 02.:

1) Cut the stock shifter 1" with your Dremel - I know that sounds like alot. You'll need to buy a die and cut more 10/25 threads down to the taper. $5.00 for the die.

2) Toss in a new OEM bushing. $4.00.

3) Get a Voodoo brand spherical Magnum 2.00 inch polished aluminum knob. $35.00. Screws right on.

4) Pull the ashtray - make a platform that fits in the space and build it up with 1" of high density foam and cover it with Ultrasuede (avaiblable from me in any color you can imagine for only $50....)

5) Change the fluid to NEO. - or any old synthetic you can find - for 1/2 the price.

It sounds like a lot of work, but then again what is snick-snick worth?;) AHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh.

C`s is nice...

I heard there was or is a GB going on somewhere

B&M is one of the best in my opinion.

group buy on nopistons.com for the c's......it might be over though.....anyways i got the c's and i love it. smooth and crisp.

I'm a complete fool...I managed to not push the momo knob all the way down as it has a ruber spacer inside it...So I just turned it like I was screwing it on and it went down to a satisfactory level...I also pulled the shifter and put the stock bushing on the end of the B&M and it's really tight now...no more rattling! yeah me!

How do you change the oil in that case anyway...Turkey baser? :confused:

http://mahjik.homestead.com/files/FD...r/MVC-003S.JPG

Just posting an image of the RX-7 Store Short Shifter with the stock on next to it. I wish I had an assembled stock setup to set next to the assembled RX-7 Store shifter.

Don't ask me how it feels, my tranny is still on the garage floor....

I have the Mazdaspeed. It is very notchy and the throw is extremely short. I took that a step further
I wanted a little shorter than it already was over stock. So I actually cut about 1" off the post of the mazdaspeed shifter and ran a die over it to re-thread it.
It works great now. Shifts are a flick of the wrist and it sits in my palm with my arm reesting on the center console.

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...postid=1769800

I have the B&M and am very happy with it, although it is noisy - lots of tranny and engine sounds come up through the aluminium, but it shifts great. And Mazda Performance sells an aluminum bushing for the end that replaces the plastic, cost about $10.00.

Here's an illustration on how the short shift kits do their magic..

Stock needs 30 degrees of defelction,
Short only requires 20 in this example, if it was a true 50% reduction it would need 15 degrees...

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...postid=2548022

Copied from the other thread:

Ok, but you are also forgetting the amount of movement needed to move the handle in that direction.

Take one stick at 5 ft tall, and one at 1 ft tall.. With your hand at the top of each one, how much effort/distance is require for each one to achieve a 30 degree angle?

;)

You have a 5' shifter ??? :eek: :worship: :worship: I'm not worthy !! :rlaugh:

Where's the seat, on the roof ?? :D

Nope, but it proved a point.

Adjusting the pivot point, shortens the throw. Adjusting the top, shortens the effort of the shift. They both work together to provide an overall short shift effect.

I love debating wth you Mahjik, you're not easy to pull one over on ! :D

oooh, can you tell me the difference between the two? these are the 2 that im considering. i heard theyre almost identical but that my not be true....

also i will be using the mazdspeed leather shift knob... to me it seems to sit higher than the stock one so maybe i should get a shifter w/ a little less shift stroke to compensate for the height?? any thoughts or expieriences with this knob anyone? i put it on the stock shifter just for fun to try it out.... it feels strange, and sloppy compared to stock... i wonder if its the weight or height, and if a shorter shifter will make it feel less sloppy?? its a little wider too and i dont have ginormous hands so it feels a little strange to hold too compared to the stock one......... maybe ill get used to it???

I had the B&M short shifter kit but found that it rattles so I switched to the Mazdaspeed short shifter kit which is so much better and doesn't rattle!!

Mahjik,
Now that a few months have passed since you installed your RX7 store shifter...how do you like it? Rattles?

Well, here's my honest impression.

At first, I was highly disappointed. Not in the quality or craftsmanship of the product, but in the shortness of the throw. It felt reduced way too much for what I wanted.

However, after driving it for a while, I do enjoy it. I can't imagine going back to stock after using it. I was using a Sparco Techno shift knob with my stock shifter; it didn't fit with the short shifter. I ended up switching to the Razo Weighted CF Shift Knob. I did have a slight rattle as the knob sat too far down on the shaft and rattled against it. This had nothing to do with the actual shifter though. I used some tape on the shaft where it widens to seat the knob on it and it's been purring ever since. :)

The throws are extremely short. If you are just looking for just a little reduction in your shifting, the B&M would be a better choice. If you want about the shortest shifter around, the RX-7 Store/Pettit is your best bet. ;)

On the subject kind of. If you get a Short shifter and want to improve shifting. Get the engine torque brace, get a HEAVY ASH shift knob.

Short shifters--MS, RX7Store, C`s and I know im forgetting one are all the same.........

If you shifter notchy, its new right? Yes NORMAL No Change tranny fluid and check again.

I have the B&M it gives a nice click-click tight feel no rattles or viberation put a new shifter bushing in during the install.

I'm not unhappy with the performance at all, as a matter of fact I'd just say "F" it and tear it out if that was the case, cause I'm having issues with the stock shift knob, and how it fits on the Rx7Store / Pettit shifter..
On the other hand, I've only had 450 Miles on the shifter, engine, clutch, polyurathane engine mounts, etc.. everything is VERY tight, and the only thing ratteling are the fillings in my back teeth :rlaugh: and the loose change in the ashtray... but other than the knob issue I'm very happy and "Giddy" to try the whole schebang on the track... :D

It is something you have to want to try give it a chance... if you just sit in it and try to drive it, it'll feel very odd, I hadn't driven my car in over a month, and when I got back in, it felt weird, but so did the whole car... so I've decided to give it a chance, 1K mi, then try it on the track, and if I hate it I'll toss it or sell it.. but that looks highly unlikely right now... :D

from the pettit website:
SUPER SHIFTER (SHORTENS THROW 40% OR 60%) 275.00

so do i have a choice???

im going to place an order by tomorow... its gonna be pettit $275 or C's $235 .... which one would you get and why?

this may be WAY off but if the only thing all of these "SHORT SHIFTERS" change is the actual height of the shifter,

to save mega $, why don't you just hack the top of the stock one off and thread the damn thing?

i love my B&M, almost as much as I love TWINS!!

Take a look at the picture I posted at the top and also the conversation between myself and DCrosby in this thread.

wiblergt--not true 100%, long story but yeah like Mahjik said.

i thought the C's, Rx7store, Trix were all exact copies of the Mazdaspeed? but these are shorter than the Mazdaspeed version?

Did you bother changing the bushing on the bottom of the shifter? That was probably the reason your shifter rattled.

RX7Store--says its a copy of the MS one
C`s--Not a copy (shifter company before) most likely the shifter came from here for MS either way doesnt matter looks exactly the same as the MS

Trix--Dont know, I havent see it.

Is anyone getting rid of a pettit short shifter?

B&M is the best they r always worked for me and my friends