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-   -   Short Shift Kit Advice? (http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/16551-short-shift-kit-advice.html)

blinkwatt 09-19-2008 02:29 PM

Let me clear some stuff up.

THE NEW GENERATION 9X7 STOCK SHIFTING ASSEMBLY IS A REDUCTION FROM THE STOCK 9X6 ASSEMBLY.

As far as I know the OEM 9x6 short shift assembly is the same as the 9x7 short shift assembly. I can't verify this though. The B & M part no for them though is the same and B & M makes the OEM short shift kits.

blue2000s 09-19-2008 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt
Let me clear some stuff up.

THE NEW GENERATION 9X7 STOCK SHIFTING ASSEMBLY IS A REDUCTION FROM THE STOCK 9X6 ASSEMBLY.

I think that's been stated three or four times already.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt
As far as I know the OEM 9x6 short shift assembly is the same as the 9x7 short shift assembly. I can't verify this though. The B & M part no for them though is the same and B & M makes the OEM short shift kits.

According the Geoff, that's not the case. The 9x6 and 9x7 SS are clearly of different construction and from his statement, they are different in geometry. B&M does not make the 9x7 SS, only the 9x6 version.

blinkwatt 09-19-2008 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue2000s
According the Geoff, that's not the case. The 9x6 and 9x7 SS are clearly of different construction and from his statement, they are different in geometry. B&M does not make the 9x7 SS, only the 9x6 version.

Who makes the 9x7 Short Shift Kit?

blue2000s 09-19-2008 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt
Who makes the 9x7 Short Shift Kit?

Looks like it's a Porsche design. Check out his link a few posts up.

geoff 09-19-2008 05:05 PM

Here are a few pictures that might help with understanding what the 9x7 short shifter looks like. To compare to a 986 shifter, lift up your leather shift boot and look inside. I took these pictures before I installed it a while ago, and it has the alignment tool snapped on. The OEM 9x7 short shifter comes in the shifter housing and also comes with a handy little alignment tool that helps you get the shift cables adjusted if you have messed them up or they have stretched. As far as I know, nobody has ever come up with a cable adjustment tool for the B&M short shifter, the Porsche 986 short shifter, Schnell or any of the other knockoffs

I hope these pictures help clear up any confusion as to what the 9x7 short shifter looks like. I haven't seen one of the regular (i.e., not short) 9x7 shifters, so I can't compare the two

Here is the assembly viewed from the left side. You can see the construction is like the stock 986 short shifter except the plastic is blue instead of white and there is a metal reinforcing or stiffening plate

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...xster/left.jpg

And here is a view of the right side. You may or may not be able to tell that the bolt that the shifter pivots on is higher than the original 986 shifter

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...ster/right.jpg

and just to help visualize how this fits on, here is a picture of the alignment tool that comes with the setup

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...taligntool.jpg

blue2000s 09-19-2008 06:16 PM

Here's the standard 9x7 on my 2000. You can see, the pivot point is just slightly higher than the 9x6 stock, maybe a bit less than 1/4", and it uses the metal plate, like the 9x7SSK on the side-to-side.

<a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/bellylint/Boxster/?action=view&current=HPIM1230.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/bellylint/Boxster/HPIM1230.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/bellylint/Boxster/?action=view&current=HPIM1231.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/bellylint/Boxster/HPIM1231.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I had the B&M clone before I installed this and thought I was happy. But after using this shifter, I have absolutely no desire for anything else.

sb01box 09-27-2008 11:09 AM

I decided to buy 9x7 standard shifter.
using all the recommendation and steps outline here, the effort took only 2 hours. hardest was pulling the knob off (fear of breaking anything).
did some measurements on the original 9x6 shifter and 9x7.
as blue2000 pointed out, the piviot point is about 1/4 of an inch higher. I did my best to measure from the piviot point to the ball end of the shifter where the adjuster piece is pressed in.
9x6 is about 3 inches, 9x7 is 2.5 inches.
no re-adjusting necessary the first time. very very happy.

thanks to blue2000 et al.

sb01box 09-27-2008 11:12 AM

correction, 9x6 is about 2.5 inches, 9x7 is 3.0

blue2000s 09-27-2008 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sb01box
I decided to buy 9x7 standard shifter.
using all the recommendation and steps outline here, the effort took only 2 hours. hardest was pulling the knob off (fear of breaking anything).
did some measurements on the original 9x6 shifter and 9x7.
as blue2000 pointed out, the piviot point is about 1/4 of an inch higher. I did my best to measure from the piviot point to the ball end of the shifter where the adjuster piece is pressed in.
9x6 is about 3 inches, 9x7 is 2.5 inches.
no re-adjusting necessary the first time. very very happy.

thanks to blue2000 et al.

Glad to hear it.

23109VC 09-30-2008 10:02 AM

so has anyone directly compared teh 987 standard shifter to the 987 *short* shifter to see the differences in feel?

I drove a 911 that had an aftermarket SSK in it and it had a VERY short throw, but it was really stiff and notchy.

It sounds like several people here have done the STANDARD 987 shifter and are very happy with the feel, but the throw is not that short. it's not miata short, but they like it.

would the 987 Short shifter be JUST Like hte standard one in terms of feel only shorter? or do you wind up with it being notchy and stiff too?

if both are direct swaps, and both feel the same, it would seem the 987 SHORT shifter woudl be better choice as you would get even shorter throws....

do they cost the same?

thanks!

23109VC 11-12-2008 09:45 AM

I"ve narrowed my choice for changing my shifter to the two Porsche 987 kits.

the "standard" 9X7 shifter: 997-424-010-00
or
the short shift 9X7 shifter: 997-424-983-00

i haven't priced BOTH. are they the same cost?
do they both "drop in" in terms of installation? i assume from the pictures posted above by geoff and blue2000 that they both pretty much just drop in.

apparently, no one here has tried both.

for those who "understand" how these both operate - does it appear that the Porsche SSK (997-424-983-00) will be "notchy" like hte B&M and toher aftermarket shifters out there?

the big benefit to the 9X7 standard shifter is that it still feels smooth and NOT notchy - but shortens the throws somewhat.

if costs are the same, and FEEL is the same, why not go with the 983 series part and get teh good feel AND a shrter throw??? unless you don't get both with this setup and it actually will be stiff/notchy???

blue2000s 11-12-2008 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC
I"ve narrowed my choice for changing my shifter to the two Porsche 987 kits.

the "standard" 9X7 shifter: 997-424-010-00
or
the short shift 9X7 shifter: 997-424-983-00

i haven't priced BOTH. are they the same cost?
do they both "drop in" in terms of installation? i assume from the pictures posted above by geoff and blue2000 that they both pretty much just drop in.

apparently, no one here has tried both.

for those who "understand" how these both operate - does it appear that the Porsche SSK (997-424-983-00) will be "notchy" like hte B&M and toher aftermarket shifters out there?

the big benefit to the 9X7 standard shifter is that it still feels smooth and NOT notchy - but shortens the throws somewhat.

if costs are the same, and FEEL is the same, why not go with the 983 series part and get teh good feel AND a shrter throw??? unless you don't get both with this setup and it actually will be stiff/notchy???

Call suncoast and ask them about the prices, these things change often. The SSK is probably more expensive.

As the lever increases, so will the force required to move it. There's no way to get around it. You can somewhat mask it with friction or counterweights, but overall force required HAS to go up, it's a matter of physics.

I'm surprised you haven't made a decision on this yet. I'd hate to know how long you spend on a trip to the grocery store :)

Boxtaboy 11-12-2008 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC
I"ve narrowed my choice for changing my shifter to the two Porsche 987 kits.

the "standard" 9X7 shifter: 997-424-010-00
or
the short shift 9X7 shifter: 997-424-983-00

i haven't priced BOTH. are they the same cost?
do they both "drop in" in terms of installation? i assume from the pictures posted above by geoff and blue2000 that they both pretty much just drop in.

apparently, no one here has tried both.

for those who "understand" how these both operate - does it appear that the Porsche SSK (997-424-983-00) will be "notchy" like hte B&M and toher aftermarket shifters out there?

the big benefit to the 9X7 standard shifter is that it still feels smooth and NOT notchy - but shortens the throws somewhat.

if costs are the same, and FEEL is the same, why not go with the 983 series part and get teh good feel AND a shrter throw??? unless you don't get both with this setup and it actually will be stiff/notchy???

I've tried out the B&M, Schnell, 997 standard, and 997 short shift kits in various friends' cars at Pcar events. Here's my take:

B&M: Too notchy for my tastes. I did not like the feel of this shifter. It did not feel refined or smooth. Very short feeling throw though.

Schnell: Smoother action than the B&M, but still not smooth in action as I like. It was a bit of a longer throw than the B&M.

997 standard shifter: Very smooth and buttery. Nice action. I like this shift feel, although it is longer in throw than the B&M and Schnell.

997 short shifter: Short throw and yet very smooth. IMO, this is the best of them all. Precise, smooth throw, and refined feel. It's a winner. However, it is also like $400 bucks from the dealer I think.

23109VC 11-12-2008 11:09 AM

i went to ****************************************************.com and confirmed the 997 SSK is $419

the "standard" 9X7 shifter is $169.

I haven't had the opportunity to try them all. I don't know if the 997 SSK is twice as good to justify the $250 premium... is it THAT much shorter????

I guess if you were to rate my 986 stock shifter as a 5/10

is the 987 standard shifter only a 6 but the SSK is a perfect 10?

or is the 987 standard more like an 8 nd the SSK is a 9.5??

bang for the buck, I'm guessing the 987 standard shifter is the way to go.

Boxtaboy 11-12-2008 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC
i went to ****************************************************.com and confirmed the 997 SSK is $419

the "standard" 9X7 shifter is $169.

I haven't had the opportunity to try them all. I don't know if the 997 SSK is twice as good to justify the $250 premium... is it THAT much shorter????

I guess if you were to rate my 986 stock shifter as a 5/10

is the 987 standard shifter only a 6 but the SSK is a perfect 10?

or is the 987 standard more like an 8 nd the SSK is a 9.5??

bang for the buck, I'm guessing the 987 standard shifter is the way to go.

It all depends on how short a throw you want/need. Both the 987/97 standard and SSK versions are smooth in action. The SSK version definitely feels shorter, but I can't give you an exact measurement of how much shorter.

My personal rating given your questions would be:
986 stock shifter: 5/10
987/97 standard shifter: 8/10
987/97 SSK: 10/10

23109VC 11-12-2008 12:58 PM

it's tempting to spend the extra money for the "best" SSK I can get - given that the shifter is one of the few parts that you use/touch/interact with EVERY time you drive the car.

maybe I'll go into a porsche dealer and sit in a standard boxster, play with the shifter, and see if it's "good enough" to make me happy and save $250.

23109VC 11-17-2008 03:21 PM

just ordered the 997/987 STANDARD shifter. will post a review when I get it.

ekam 11-20-2008 09:49 AM

Porsche factory SSK on sale now at suncoast.

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code =99742498300&Category_Code=TeqSale

23109VC 11-20-2008 03:00 PM

i cancelled my order of the standard kit - and am now debating if I should shell out the extra for this SSK which is on sale. $169 for the "regular" one and $350 for the OEM SSK. now it's only $180 more.... arrgghh..

maybe I'll wait for Santa to bring it and get the more expensive one....

23109VC 02-03-2009 09:01 AM

i put a review in another thread....

i ended up doing the standard shifter anyway. I've had it in the car long enough to say that overall - it was a great mod.

I might have liked it a bit shorter. but for $169 - it was a good deal.

shift FEEL is a lot better.

roadracer311 02-04-2009 02:20 PM

Sunset Porsche in Oregon has the 9X7 short shifter (997-424-983-00) for $343.85

They had both the 9X7 and 9X7 short version in stock when I contacted them this morning.

They had mine shipped and sent me the tracking number less than an hour after I ordered it.

This is definitely faster than normal, but the service and prices from Sunset have been excellent, every time. (I have no affiliation with them, other than buying parts from them about 10 times over the last 18 months).

http://www.sunsetporsche.com

Fastback 02-06-2009 06:45 AM

For those who have installed the standard 987 shift kit:

On a scale of 1 - 10 how hard is this to do yourself?

blue2000s 02-06-2009 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fastback
For those who have installed the standard 987 shift kit:

On a scale of 1 - 10 how hard is this to do yourself?

Depends on an individual's mechanical prowess. I'd recommend that you look through the instructions posted on this board and elsewhere and decide for yourself.

23109VC 02-06-2009 04:06 PM

it's NOT hard at all. I'm mechanical enough to change brake pads/rotors. I painted my own bumperettes and also installed the 987 shifter console.

i used the B&M instructions which I found online through this site - it made it pretty easy. I took a long time to do mine because i was very slow, didn't want to break anything, put all the little bolts into zip lock backs, marked the bag so I knew what place it came out of...very anal....

now that I have done the install once - I could get the part out and redo it in a couple hours MAX. none of it was HARD.

if you want to get the part - I would say go for it. If I can do it, I think pretty much anyone with a remote degree of mechanical ability would be able to do it very easily.

i bought a kit from sunset for removing interior panels - it had all kinds of little plastic pry tools which made it a bit easier - teh tools don't scuff/damage the plastic body panels....

most of the parts just popped right out and when i put it back together, they all snapped back together very nicely. nothing broke - so dn't be afraid to pry/pull on the stuff you need to.

i would not have been able to figure it out w/out the instructions I had though - I needed that to figure out how to take the center console out. if you get those instructions and follow them you'll be fine.

roadracer311 02-06-2009 05:04 PM

Sweet. I ordered my 9X7 short shifter Wednesday morning and 48 hours later it arrived. (UPS ground, Beaverton Oregon to San Francisco)

I plan to install mine this weekend and then compare it to the cheap e-bay short shifter I have installed presently.

roadracer311 02-08-2009 06:03 PM

Today I un-installed my $60 ebay short shifter and installed my 987 short shifter (the shorter of the two 987 shifters).

The new shifter is definitely nicer. It shifts much smoother than the ebay shifter. It also has a lot less play to it. Even when my ebay shifter was in gear it still had about an inch of side to side play. The new shifter had less than half that much play when in gear.

Since the 987 short shifter is around $350 I can't say it's a better bang-for-the-buck upgrade than buying the ebay shifter. But if you've got $350 burning a hole in your pocket and you want the best possible shift feel... I think this is it.

dmcutter 02-09-2009 09:02 AM

I was all set to buy the 9x7 short shifter but I changed my mind and spent the money on another pistol (one o' them there hi cap jobs you can't get in CA). Truth to tell, I like my 6 spd just fine. I once read a Boxster review that described the shifter as having the precision of a rifle bolt, and I think it feels very much like that. If I rush it sometimes 3rd is a little hard to find, but on balance I couldn't justify spending $350 for the shifter.

Christeon 02-18-2009 07:40 PM

I bought a cheap clone off ebay and replaced the pivot Bolt with a shoulder bolt that made the center portion tight and smooth the rest was good.

http://www.suburbanbolt.com/images/-0030.jpg

Blue-S 02-22-2009 06:38 PM

another satisfied customer
 
Add another satisfied customer for the 9x7 short shifter. The shifting is very direct and smooth, with a reasonable increase in effort. It's the way the car should have left the factory!

My stock 65K mile shifter had some play in the crossover (left-right) portion of the shifter itself, due to wear in the plastic parts. That is probably a key reason why the short-shift kits that just replace the lever itself do not reduce play in the system: they re-use the shifter base and the white plastic rectangular crossover lever with its link.

It was my first time removing a console from a Boxster, but I had the job done in less than 2 hours, including time spent cleaning the console and repairing one of the shifter cable tabs. I marked the cables where they entered the adjustment sleeves, instead of removing the sockets from the end of the levers. This way, I could keep the new parts on the shifter instead of re-using the worn pieces from the old shifter. Actually, the shifter was nearly new: I bought the 9x7 short shifter as a used piece from an ad on the Pelican Parts message board for only $200 shipped!

Adam 03-18-2009 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

Where else can you find the standard 987/997 shifter for a reasonable price? I tried Sunset's website and it looks like you have to request a part and price. I didn't even see where you could order it on their website. I tried to google it and didn't come up with much at all for the standard shifter. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

23109VC 03-18-2009 09:28 AM

I bought mine from suncoast. the shift throw is shorter than my stock 986 shifter, but NOT as short as the truel 987 Short shifter. for the money I spent, I'm happy. I am sure I would have liked the actual short shifter "better", but it wasn't worth it enough to spend twice the money. my shifts are definitely shorter than stock, and the feel is much firmer/tighter.

here is link to the place I bought mine.

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

Adam 03-18-2009 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC
I bought mine from suncoast. the shift throw is shorter than my stock 986 shifter, but NOT as short as the truel 987 Short shifter. for the money I spent, I'm happy. I am sure I would have liked the actual short shifter "better", but it wasn't worth it enough to spend twice the money. my shifts are definitely shorter than stock, and the feel is much firmer/tighter.

here is link to the place I bought mine.

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

Found it! Thanks!

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code =99742401000


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