Short Throw Shifter - Rattle Free
01-17-13, 09:20 PM
#1
Short Throw Shifter - Rattle Free
Hey everyone,
Just wanted to share my finding on a rattle free short throw shifter.
This will not be for everyone.
I wanted a Shorter Throw yet keep my leverage in the factory height shifter.
I also wanted a rattle free shifter too.
I've owned the mazdatrix short shifter in my previous 88 TII.
I did not want the same experience.
I did enjoy the shorter throw but did not like the shorter stick. It made it too notchy and too hard to shift.
So in a quest to get what I really wanted... a short throw shifter and stockish height with of course no notorious rattle.
I made my own short throw shifter with success.
So here it goes, love the idea or hate it.
First I did some research lots of research but I'll save you the boredom and get to the point.
I did not know where the rattle of the store bought shifter comes from, and neither does MazdaTrix no offense to them its on their site too.
I thought it may be resonating from the tranny into the handle. I also thought it may be the spacer under the lower bushing.
So I decided to keep as much as the factory components as possible.
Things you'll need to buy
ARP Stud part No. AJ-2.500-1b I got mine from Jegs for less then 10 bucks.
Acetal-Delrin Round Rod 2.75" Diameter and 10 " long 34 bucks shipped from
OnlineMetalSupply.com
3 bolts M6 X 30mm I chose Allen bolts Stainless Steel $4.50 at ACE hardware.
BEFORE YOU START MEASURE YOUR FACTORY SHIFTER.
Your going to first drill and start to tap the little ball at the bottom of the factory shifter. there is already a hole started for you and this helps line everything up.
once you have done this cut off the little ball and grind it to the area that looks like a good place to stop. You'll know when you see it.
Next, carefully grind off the extra off the fulcrum ball. Again you'll see an area where its flatter and a good place to stop.
KEEP THE SHIFTER COOL, DO NOT LET IT OVERHEAT. wrap it in a wet towel and dip it in water frequently. This will ensure you don't heat up the rubber isolator in the factory shifter. This is important because I feel this is the reason it doesn't rattle.
Drill and tap the fulcrum ball.
As far as what size to drill use the recommended drill bit for the tap you are using.
The tap will be 5/16 - 16 and 5/16 - 24
The course thread goes into the shifter ball(small)
The fine thread goes into the fulcrum ball.
You just drilled and tapped each ball.
Install the ARP stud
After everything is tight with red locktite. Measure you total shifter now.
Simple the difference between the new one and the old one is the thickness of the spacers you'll be making.
Take your Delrin Rod, Vise it vertical wit a rag around it to keep off the scratches.
Use your top plate for your shifter as a template for hole alignment. Don't forget to mark you three little bolt holes for mounting the top plate.
Always use a pilot hole for every hole drilled. i also used a punch to center the drill bit.
Using a 4cm hole saw (or 1 5/8" I think) Cut dead center in the rod. Make sure you go deep enough to have a through cut.
Make sure you cut slow not to heat up and melt the Delrin.
Put the Delrin rod in the vise now but horizontal place a hose clamp on it at the precise thickness you need.
Using a vise and a wood saw start cutting.
When done drill out your three holes that you marked earlier. I used the top plate and sandwiched the delrin together and drilled right through them both. The top plate guided the drill bit perfectly.
Next Place the delrin Vertical in the vice were going to make the spacer that raises the lower shifter bushing.
drill out the center of the Delrin Rod with a 1 1/4 hole saw, making sure you go deep enough to saw through the thickness and keep in mind not to heat up the plastic.
then in the same center hole drill out with a 1 3/4 hole saw.
Now Delrin horizontal hose clamp on at the correct thickness and using the wood saw cut off you spacer.
With ALL of these hole saws you'll need to file and make the holes to actual specs.
I used a large rat tail file for the inside diameter and the bench grinder allowing the spacer to spin slightly to keep a true circle.
Almost done two more things:
You'll need a stud to keep the shifter from spinning in your hand. Take you bigger Delrin spacer you made and take it to the transmission. you'll have to recreate that stud sticking out.
I just took a torx bolt I had laying around and grinded the tip to the correct size to smoothly fit in the slot.
Now you'll have to drill and tap the spacer in the correct place. I just put it in the center of the big Delrin adapter and it worked.
Lastly, you need to be able to get the small spacer into the trans slot and past the factory stud in the trans.
Drill your small spacer and use a razor blade to cut open the slot. Making a u in your small spacer.
Assemble everything and enjoy.
If its too tight you may have to sand down the thickness of the small spacer. If too loose you have to make another small spacer a little thicker and sand it til you get it right.
Good luck like I said it's not for every one but may help some of you that just don't want to settle.
Now I did find a shop with a lathe and for 45 bucks he'll make it to spec. Well worth it but I wanted to show you how to get it done on a budget too.
Just wanted to share my finding on a rattle free short throw shifter.
This will not be for everyone.
I wanted a Shorter Throw yet keep my leverage in the factory height shifter.
I also wanted a rattle free shifter too.
I've owned the mazdatrix short shifter in my previous 88 TII.
I did not want the same experience.
I did enjoy the shorter throw but did not like the shorter stick. It made it too notchy and too hard to shift.
So in a quest to get what I really wanted... a short throw shifter and stockish height with of course no notorious rattle.
I made my own short throw shifter with success.
So here it goes, love the idea or hate it.
First I did some research lots of research but I'll save you the boredom and get to the point.
I did not know where the rattle of the store bought shifter comes from, and neither does MazdaTrix no offense to them its on their site too.
I thought it may be resonating from the tranny into the handle. I also thought it may be the spacer under the lower bushing.
So I decided to keep as much as the factory components as possible.
Things you'll need to buy
ARP Stud part No. AJ-2.500-1b I got mine from Jegs for less then 10 bucks.
Acetal-Delrin Round Rod 2.75" Diameter and 10 " long 34 bucks shipped from
OnlineMetalSupply.com
3 bolts M6 X 30mm I chose Allen bolts Stainless Steel $4.50 at ACE hardware.
BEFORE YOU START MEASURE YOUR FACTORY SHIFTER.
Your going to first drill and start to tap the little ball at the bottom of the factory shifter. there is already a hole started for you and this helps line everything up.
once you have done this cut off the little ball and grind it to the area that looks like a good place to stop. You'll know when you see it.
Next, carefully grind off the extra off the fulcrum ball. Again you'll see an area where its flatter and a good place to stop.
KEEP THE SHIFTER COOL, DO NOT LET IT OVERHEAT. wrap it in a wet towel and dip it in water frequently. This will ensure you don't heat up the rubber isolator in the factory shifter. This is important because I feel this is the reason it doesn't rattle.
Drill and tap the fulcrum ball.
As far as what size to drill use the recommended drill bit for the tap you are using.
The tap will be 5/16 - 16 and 5/16 - 24
The course thread goes into the shifter ball(small)
The fine thread goes into the fulcrum ball.
You just drilled and tapped each ball.
Install the ARP stud
After everything is tight with red locktite. Measure you total shifter now.
Simple the difference between the new one and the old one is the thickness of the spacers you'll be making.
Take your Delrin Rod, Vise it vertical wit a rag around it to keep off the scratches.
Use your top plate for your shifter as a template for hole alignment. Don't forget to mark you three little bolt holes for mounting the top plate.
Always use a pilot hole for every hole drilled. i also used a punch to center the drill bit.
Using a 4cm hole saw (or 1 5/8" I think) Cut dead center in the rod. Make sure you go deep enough to have a through cut.
Make sure you cut slow not to heat up and melt the Delrin.
Put the Delrin rod in the vise now but horizontal place a hose clamp on it at the precise thickness you need.
Using a vise and a wood saw start cutting.
When done drill out your three holes that you marked earlier. I used the top plate and sandwiched the delrin together and drilled right through them both. The top plate guided the drill bit perfectly.
Next Place the delrin Vertical in the vice were going to make the spacer that raises the lower shifter bushing.
drill out the center of the Delrin Rod with a 1 1/4 hole saw, making sure you go deep enough to saw through the thickness and keep in mind not to heat up the plastic.
then in the same center hole drill out with a 1 3/4 hole saw.
Now Delrin horizontal hose clamp on at the correct thickness and using the wood saw cut off you spacer.
With ALL of these hole saws you'll need to file and make the holes to actual specs.
I used a large rat tail file for the inside diameter and the bench grinder allowing the spacer to spin slightly to keep a true circle.
Almost done two more things:
You'll need a stud to keep the shifter from spinning in your hand. Take you bigger Delrin spacer you made and take it to the transmission. you'll have to recreate that stud sticking out.
I just took a torx bolt I had laying around and grinded the tip to the correct size to smoothly fit in the slot.
Now you'll have to drill and tap the spacer in the correct place. I just put it in the center of the big Delrin adapter and it worked.
Lastly, you need to be able to get the small spacer into the trans slot and past the factory stud in the trans.
Drill your small spacer and use a razor blade to cut open the slot. Making a u in your small spacer.
Assemble everything and enjoy.
If its too tight you may have to sand down the thickness of the small spacer. If too loose you have to make another small spacer a little thicker and sand it til you get it right.
Good luck like I said it's not for every one but may help some of you that just don't want to settle.
Now I did find a shop with a lathe and for 45 bucks he'll make it to spec. Well worth it but I wanted to show you how to get it done on a budget too.
01-28-13, 10:58 AM
#3
Pretty cool. This is very similar to a DIY that somebody did many moons ago, with the difference that you are using plastic for your spacers. Is it rattling?
I already have a short shifter, and yes, it rattles. If the plastic bushings are keeping yours from rattling, I might attempt to make my own out of plastic.
Thanks for the thread!
I already have a short shifter, and yes, it rattles. If the plastic bushings are keeping yours from rattling, I might attempt to make my own out of plastic.
Thanks for the thread!
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02-06-13, 01:31 PM
#11
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I'm pretty convinced that the bushing all the way down in the shifter turret, where the ball joins the selector rod, is the cause of the rattles in solid shifters. When I made a new bushing for my setup, the rattles stopped.
