Short Shift Kit Advice?
 

Hi,
I hope this topic is not worn out, but I am looking for advice on a short shift kit. I have a '99 086 5-speed and want a more precise shift feel. I was looking at the Schnell kit, which can be had for a very reasonable price and includes a billet shift linkage to replace the OEM factory one. Any comparison to the B&M kit? I also see alot of "clones" out there. Not sure that is a good idea!

Thanks

i recently installed the schnell.. the alum piece is not needed. its nice, and i thought that i really wanted it. after opening everything up. its really not necessary.

other than that, the schnell and everything else is probably really similar. its shorter by far, notchier, esp when cold. but pretty nice when warm.

the only thing i don't like.. the ball that goes into the left right selector, there should have been something else there, because as is, there is too much slop.

Thanks Benny. To clarify, does the assembled shifter have too much slop moving left-to-right?

Lots of areas for slop
 

I thknk all the short shift kits use the ball alone rather than the ball and block like factory. I installed the blue generic and am delighted with it, very good quality, and again just the ball. I think at some point this might be a wear issue, but the fix would be fast and easy. It doesn;t add any more slop than factory because the factory ball and block have slop as well.

I've read a lot of comments about fanatical efforts to build close tolerance bushings etcetera to get things tight and once you look at the entire assembly you'll see there is so much room for slop it'll never be truly tight. Just the nature of the cable link is sloppy, then the connections to the cable, the connection from the shift lever to the cable receiver...on and on. Lots of places for slop. The bushings on the shifter I installed were sloppy but there is an adjustment to take up the slack and make it so tight you can't even shift, so no problem there. I wouldn't worry about the ball on the left-right roller block, or the bushings. Install the eighty buck shifter and be happy.

By the way I also did not rotate the handle 180 degrees and I love the thing leaning to the left. Much closer to the wheel and a more natural rotation of the right forearm for comfort. Leave it the way they built it.

I just had a short shift installed on my 2002 Boxster S along with a new clutch. The love affair is back, I love it.

I recommend the stock shift console out of a 997. Easy, inexpensive, precise and short enough without the balky feel of the other shift kits on the market. It's buttah. :)

+1 John V, the 997/987 short shifter is an excellent add-on that keeps your ride under warranty and gives it a shorter, firmer feel that I enjoy. In some regards, it feels I think something similar to my old Triumph. :cool:

Cheers and good luck with whatever you go for. :)

the slop isn't so bad as to make me want to modify it. its just bad enough to make me think how great my other SSKs for my other cars have been : )

I don't think John's talking about the 997 short shift kit but is referring to the 997 standard shifter. The 997 short shift kit travel is the same or nearly the same as the 986/996 version but made slightly differently as far as I can tell.

All the slop and play adds up. The more little bits of imprecision there are, the more loose and unpleasant the whole thing is so even though there is some play that you can't avoid doesn't mean you don't want to eliminate what you can.

Thanks to all for the advice. John V and eqs: do you have a recommended source to find the 997 console? About how much would these cost?

Thanks

It's like $147 from Sunset Imports.


www.****************************************************.com

DO IT! :cheers:

Mine is a '02 Boxster S with Schnell SSK.

i installed the maxspeed short shift kit. and LOVE it. probably one of the best things you can do to your boxster. whatever brand you decide to choose, make sure you get it done. trust me you won't be disappointed :)

I installed the factory kit and, to be honest, I was quite disappointed at the difference. I expected a lot more (although I admit I was always spoiled by the shift action in my Miata and you can't expect that from the Boxster linkage.)

BUT - when I later drove a friend's 99 Boxster, the difference was much more apparent. The short shift kit may not be that much shorter but it is much less rubbery. When you use the short kit hard, it almost feels (and sounds) like a bolt-action. But I still think they should have taken another inch or so out of the travel.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I think I am going to try the 997 console from Sunset imports. I'll post when I get it installed. :dance:

I did just install the 997 (010 series) shifter over the weekend. All I can say is WOW. After all the short shift kits I tried in Miatadom I was leery of getting something "notchy", but this is amazing. By my measurement w/out the shiftknob the 1 - 2 shift on my S has gone down 1 inch. Doesn't sound like much, but feels amazing because shifting is much more precise, and there is no notchiness whatsoever.

Thanks Blink, sorry it took so long. :cheers:
Kevin

PS. I did much research on the install, and getting the shiftknob off is the hard part. I went right for the brute force and ignorance method - top-down stand with one foot on each side of the console and pull straight up. If it doesn't come off -pull harder :eek: .
It came off on the second try for me with this method. :D

i have the schnell ssk and its notchy and difficult to shift

but

much shorter throw

so is this a part I get at the dealer b/c it's an OEM porsche part? or is this an aftermarket part? I'm confused....

I drove a 911 that had a short shift kit and it felt hard and notchy to shift. i hated it. yeah the throws were short but it felt like $hit.

i want stock feel for smoothness, just a short throw. whatever you are refering to here sounds like what i want.

where do i get it?
can i install this myself - is it relatively easy or do i need a dealer/mechanic to put it in?

this is just the shift parts of ra stock 997?

I've got a brand new B&M Short Shift Kit available for sale if you, or anyone else is interested... PM me!

what is the difference between the 997 series 010 SSK that is mentioned a few posts above, vs the B&M or Schnell or other aftermarket kits?

I do NOT want it all stiff feeling.

I just want the throw shorter and I want the feel of the shifter to be more precise. right now the shifter is loose/sloppy feeling and the throw is too long.

any suggestions?

is this an easy DIY project? if I wuss out and paid a dealer or shop to do this, what is a FAIR (not stealership) price?

I can tell you now all the aftermarket SSK's are notchy and they increase shift effort. The install is not that hard if you have a few simple tools and you're fairly mechanical. I've never tried the 997 shifter, but it sounds like the way to go.

Unlike all the SSK out there, the 9x7 shifter assembly is literally a drop-in item. I did it in little over an hour following the DIY instruction and I was trying to be overly cautious not to break/scratch anything.

http://www.turbo911.com/showthread.php?t=282

if my question is redundant, please accept my apology.
I'm considering upgrading the shifter unit of my 01 boxster mainly to replace the plastic fastener of the main shift cable with aluminum/steel unit (EVO or Schnell). at the same time change to a shorter throw.
in reading discussion threeads here and at other forums, it seems that most aftermarket units just extend the bottom part of the shifter rather than 997 short shifter which moves the pivot point higher while maintaining the shifter to linkage position inline with the cable. to me, it seems that the 997 short shifter is a better solution and prevents unwanted bending of the cable and possible drag on the tray and carpet under the shifter. (if in error forgive me, no real hands on, just reading and pictures)
if my assumption is correct then my question is "why the aftermarket mfgs do not duplicate the mechanical dimension of the 997 ss?" 25% versus 35% reduction?
thanks in advance
tad :)

All short shifters other than the "swift shift kit" from Evolution motorsports move the pivot point up. To the best that I can tell, the B&M, clones, and 9x6 factory short shifters all have the same geometry. The Schnell is a little shorter on the linkage side and probably doesn't move the fulcrum as far from stock as the others. None have problems with the pivot point getting too close to the floor.

From the pictures I've seen, the factory 9x7 short shifter also uses the same geometry as B&M, but uses a plastic housing rather than the aluminum 9x6 version.

Many of us have discovered that the standard shifter noted earlier provided on most 9x7 cars provides a nice, shorter shift without excessive notchiness and is the preferred alternative to the standard 9x6 shifter. This is not a short shift kit, it is standard on most of the newer models. This part also includes the shifter housing and the plastic cable ends, so you wouldn't need to buy the aluminum parts you talked about.

blue2000s,
thanks much for the clarification.
looking down this thread, i see reference to 997 (010) but nowhere can i find the full part number for the standard 997 shifter assembly.
Elsewhere in the www, i found reference to a part number 997-424-983-00.
is this the part number for the standard 9x7 shifter that will reduce the throw by about 20+% over '01 986 boxster?

lastly, any thought about using EVO roller bearing end caps for the shifter piviot?

again, thanks much
tad

all I want is a shorter throw shifter that is still smooth and feels good - instead of making it all stiff and notchy...

sounds like hte 987 shifter is the way to go. my car is a 2000. so i'm assuming it will make the throw shorter, but it will feel better?

on another note - the "slop" that develops in a shifter as a car ages..that wiggle that it gets... will changing to a short shift kit goign to remedy that...or is that somethign else that is worn which I can change or is it someting deep down inside the transmission that you can't fix?

making the throw shorter is one goal. it would nice to make the shifter feel less wiggly....

if i were to go this 987 shifter route - can I just take it to the dealer - and tell them to do it?

what would i get charged for the part and labor?

I'm on an iPod right now so searching is a pain for me but if you look up 997 shifter on renntech, John V gives out the part number. The throw reduction is more like about 10-15%

I don't have experience with the aluminum nuckle but those parts look like they'd work fine. Search on ebay, there are less expensive manufacturers.

Sloppiness can come from a number of different places. It's impossible to tell without looking at the car.

This is a very easy diy. There are instructions that take you through it. Don't waste the money on labor.

thanks much for answering repetitive Q's. found the PN for 9x7 standard and the short shift kit, 997-424-010-00 and 997-424-983-00 respectively.

So, does that mean a 9x7 assembly with a 986 B&M SSK is actually the same throw as installing the B&M on the stock assy? i.e. Most of the benefit to the 9x7 is in the teal colored plastic part which is replaced with the B&M(?).

Under that assumption, to get an even shorter throw with the 9x7 the only option is the Evo extension? Does the Evo ShiftLink shorten up shifts, or just make them more precise?

This thread has me thoroughly confused.

I've seen people talk about the 9x7 shifter assembly, and a 9x7 short throw shifter. are these the exact same item, only one has a shorter throw?

or is the 9x7 shifter the entire assembly, and the 9x7 short throw shifter is just the insides to make the throw shorter? meaning, you would have to buy BOTH to essentially get a 9x7 "short throw" OEM shifter? or are these the same thing, just one is a short throw and one is not?

if they are the same thing, one is a short throw, one is not (but both are shorter than a stock 986), is there any real downside to the stock OEM short throw? is it as stiff and notchy as the aftermarket SSK's?

i also noticed someone else post that on the 986 5 speed cars, the B&M shifter is NOT all that stiff and notchy, but it IS on the 6speeds. is this true?

for ME - I have a 2000 base 5 speed. would it be better to get a B&M or get the 9x7 OEM shifter OR the 9x7 short throw shifter?

I'd like the throws to be shorter. i'd like them to feel better. i don't want it to be notchy and stiff. i drove a 996 that had SOME kind of SSK in it, no idea which it was - and it was VERY difficult to shift into first gear when I stopped at light - it felt stiff and notchy. i liked the short throw, but the way it FELT was NOT good and I did not care for it. i'd suffer with a longer throw to avoid the overall "feel" this car had. i do NOT want this on my 986.

it sounds like a lot of people here are opting for the OEM part. so back to my question - is the 9x7 shifter the same thing as the 9x7 short throw shifter - only with a different throw length...or are these parts different things?

if this isntall is so easy - how long shoudl it take? I am not mechanic, but I am more than capable of basic auto repairs. I have done brakes/rotors/shocks/springs/exhausts. bolt on / bolt off I can do. is this a one hour job or a half day deal?

if the center console comes out, maybe that would be a good time to paint it???? :)

Definitely yes, the base (big black plastic part) has the same pivot locations between the 9x6 and 9x7. The difference is always in the shifter itself.

The bases are a little different, the 9x7 has an additional screw-down point for something in the 9x7 console, but it doesn't interfere with anything on the 9x6.

Just to avoid confusion, I'll state again, there is a stock 9x7 shifter and a 9x7 short shifter, two different assemblies.

The 9x7 comes stock with only a slightly shorter shifter than the stock 9x6. It's about half way between the B&M and the stock 9x6. If you put a B&M in the 9x7, you will definitely get shorter shifts.

The EVO extension probably works with the 9x7 too, but you'd have to ask them, I don't know how long it is. By lengthening the lever arm at the bottom of the shifter, it shortens throws.

Right....So is a B&M in a 9x7 is essentialy the same as a B&M in a 986 assembly?

Worthwile options seem to be:

B&M / knockoff in stock 986 housing $50 - $200 (short but notchy)
987 assembly $160 (Smooth & slightly shorter than stock, easy to install)
987 SS assembly $??? (can't find prices)
987 assembly w/ Evo extension $360 (short & smooth)

Evo swift kit is listed at $219.

And Schnell, which fits somewhere between B&M and 9x7 stock.

sounds like the best route for us 986 guys is to just do the standard 987 assembly.... and if you still arent happy, then do the evo thing later.

I have an '01 Boxster and installed the 9x7 short shifter. It comes with the shifter housing and is not the same as the OEM short shifter originally sold for the 986/996. It is a blue plastic shifter and is not the same as the B&M. Very smooth shifting and the shift distance is reduced about 25% compared to what I started with. Details of my install with pictures are on renntech.

I don't think the stock 9x7 shifter installed in a 986 reduces the shift distance nearly as much

I tried a B&M on somebody's car once and didn't like it at all. Way too notchy. Given how many people have installed short shifters now, I suggest you try the various options you are considering on other people's cars if you're unsure before switching what you've got. I did not like the short shifter for the first week or so of driving, but quickly got used to the shorter shift throws. A short shifter will not help you shift any faster, it just reduces the shift throw distance.

Kevin, did you installed 997 shifter into your Boxster S? I didn't know that you can do that. Did you have to replace the entire shifter module? Thanks.
Dai