Porsche 997 or Porsche short shift
 

I am trying to decide which shifter to go with. Has anybody tried both? I have a B+M right now which I am not too fond of. It actually slows me up some in certain changes.

I am leaning toward the Porsche short shift but I am afraid of it having the same action as the B+M

Any thoughts?

Any brand of short shifter that I experienced ( B&M, Schnell, Porsche ect...) all had the same kind of "notchy" feel to them. I guess the only thing positive is that they do decrease the amount of throw considerably. The issue with the Porsche model is that its 3 or 4 times the cost of any of the others.

I put the 997 shifter in a month ago, and just finished a PCA performance driving school this weekend, quick shifting 100's of times...I love it. Not notchy, a little shorter throw than my 986 shifter, but much more positive (especially 2-3 shift). $180 form Suncoast.

i did the 997 shifter upgrade...NOT the "short" shifter, just the standard shifter that is in the 987/997. compared to my 986 shifter (which is 10+ years old) the new one is great.

it is NOT what I would call a "short" shift kit, but shifts were shorter than they used to be on my 986 assembly. overall, i felt it was a nice improvement for hte money. the "short" shift kit is $350+.

if money is no object, I would have gone the more expensive short shift kit route, but I'm looking for "bang for the buck" mods and on my car, the 997 assembly was the right choice. shifts are crisp, feel better, marginally shorter..maybe 10-20% shorter max.... if you go into it thinking your going to ge ta "short shift kit" by doing the 997 kit, you will NOT be happy. if you jsut want it to feel "better", then you will like it. keep your expecations "simple".... it's not a short shift kit, but it does make it enough shorter that you can tell it's shorter.

good luck!

FYI - my bro in law has a 1998 996 with a B&M short shift kit on it. I HATE how his car shifts. it is VERY VERY VERY short compared to my 986, but OMFG it is hard to shift, notchy, and not what I want. if you could hav;e the same shortness with the fluidity/smoothnes of my shifter it would be GREAT... but between HIS and MINE - I'd pick mine. just my subjective opinion....

And you want to do this for improved performance? Aesthetics? Coolness? FWIW most of the Boxster Spec race cars just use a stock 986 shifter and make sure it is adjusted properly and well maintained. The short shifter is more often found in the Cars & Coffee crowd. No judgment here. Just not sure what your end goals are.

I put in a B&M several years back, hated it and got rid of it. A few months ago I got the 987/997 standard shifter and I like it much better. About 15% shorter than stock and maybe a very slight increase in shift effort. A nice upgrade over the 986 shifter especially if it has a few miles on it and getting sloppy.

The majority or short shift kits around are based off the B & M design,as is the OEM short shift kit,eBay clones and the 'in house' brand offered by Suncoast.(not sure about the 9x7 generation thought).

Loved the feel on my 5-spd,99'. HATED the feel on my 01' 6-spd. I will NEVER touch one of those again on a 6-spd,they are much too picky to be messing with. I tried adjusting the cable so many different ways and it just sucked no matter what I did. Too notchy and too hard to find gears.

I have the B&M on my 6-speed, and while notchy, I still find it very accurate and don't mind the added effort. However, I think the way to go, if it's within affordability, is the 9X7 short shifter.

Thanks all for your input. I have 6-speed so it more finicky that the five...I was after performance and driving feel; the fluidity is not there at all. The shifter is a major interface so.....

Yes I am a bit leary of the Porsche SSK being too close the B+M. 2nd to 3rd is nasty! Just wondering if had tried it at 410(suncoast)

I've got the short 9X7 shifter in my car and I love it. Got it from Sunset Porsche in Oregon. I think it was around $350.

Prior to this, I had one of the Ebay knock-off shifters installed. The short 9X7 shifter was a huge improvement, in terms of smoothness and slop-reduction vs. the Ebay shifter.

I've got the Schnell SSK in my 04 base, took a little to get it right, but love it now. Also, each September, Sunset Porsche has a garage sale. Picked up a take off (used) 997 stock shifter for $10. They had 3 or 4 of them. Try calling them and see if they have any used ones left laying around. You never know.

I'll be the dissenter here... I have a B&M shifter and LOVE IT. However, it is VERY notchy when the car is cold. Annoyingly so. If you only drive the car 2 miles at a time, you'll hate it.

BUT...

Once the car warms up, the shifter loosens up considerably, and the shifts are very smooth yet very positive. No more notchiness.

Your mileage may vary. I've installed six different shifters in four of my cars over the past 15 years, so I had some idea of what I was looking for, and what to expect. :cheers:

I have the 997 Tequipment short shifter and like it pretty well. It was a distinct improvement over the worn, sloppy stock 986 shifter. It is smooth and precise, with no troubles "finding" any gears. There is a definite increase in shift effort, which is to be expected given the reduction in travel. I got lucky and bought my shifter "lightly used" from a guy who had removed it prior to trading in his 997. For only $200 shipped, it was a deal. I wouldn't have paid full price for one - the stock 987/997 shifter is good at 1/2 the price of the short shifter.

I put the OEM 997 short shifter into my '01 Boxster (5 speed) a few years ago (this was before people started putting the stock 9x7 shifter into older Boxsters). At first I thought the shift reduction was too short, but after driving it for a few days it felt perfectly normal. It shifts very smooth, not at all "notchy," and I don't have any trouble shifting even when it's cold. I can shift with just one finger. I tried someone's B&M once and hated it.

A few weeks ago I test drove an '07 987S for a friend. It had the stock shifter and the shift throws felt noticeably longer.

Agreed holeheartedly. A lot of people do these mods just to be different or it's "an improvement from stock" but often don't understand what affect aftermarket parts have to the vehicle.

So true.......Often in forums we read about guys changing everything and anything to whatever is different or new. They seem to think "different than stock = better". Lots of $s down the crapper, and oftens that devalues the car as well. The beauty of these forums, besides getting good advice from fellow readers, is learning from other's mistakes. Those who share their mistakes here (and we all make 'em) are appreciated by all.
Re shifters, I kept the stock 986 and think it's fine, but because it felt so high, I cut 7/8" off the shifter and it feels so much better....my arm is in a lower more natural and comfortable position when resting on it, and it does effectively shorten the throw as well. Looks more sporty as well, but that's just a plus. Cost=$0.

I cannot fathom why Spec Boxster racers would run the stock 986 shifter, when they could be running a properly engineered unit such as the 987/997 Tequipment short shifter. I guess they don't mind the long, flowing arm motions that the stock shifter provides. Maybe after buying wheels ($$$), tires ($$$$) suspension ($$$$$$$), etc they don't have any car prep budget left. My view on competition cars is that any action you take to make the driver more comfortable, or reduce the driver's workload, is a positive thing as long as it doesn't impact the speed or durability of the car. A short shifter is a driver ease and comfort enhancement as far as I am concerned. I used to race in SCCA's Showroom Stock C class, and I would have run a (factory accessory) short shifter if it were allowed by the rules.

The downsides to a correctly engineered (not notchy, works smoothly) short shifter are:

1. more effort is required on the lever

2. can cause more rapid synchro component wear, because you are expecting the synchro to do the same amount of work in less time

Issue #2 is not terribly relevant on a track car, because the driver is moving the lever quickly anyway - they just have to move the stock shifter faster to achieve the same result as the short shifter.

Stated differently: If the 986/996 shifter is ideal, why did Porsche change the design to shorten the throw on 987/997 cars? Why do they sell the short shifter?

I think decisions between stock shifters and the various available short shifters is like asking "What's better, apple pie or pumpkin pie?" Everyone has their own opinion, and nobody is "right". I think Porsche, like all car manufacturers (some doing a better job than others!), tries to assess what's popular or enticing amongst its (potential) purchasers and then go with it. "What's gonna sell more of our cars?" is a question they probably ask themselves on a daily basis. In order to be perceived as innovative and progressive, they no doubt feel pressure to change something (or a number of things) from one model year to the next. In the Boxster, they want to make it "sportier" (whilst being ever mindful they mustn't encroach on 911 territory), at least as perceived by the majority of people at least entertaining the notion of buying one.

Bobiam, your idea is an interesting one. I, like you, am not unhappy with my original shifter. But the idea of shortening the lever arm of the shifter sounds interesting. Never having taken apart a shifter, I'm going to ask a dumb (or naive) question (my second one in the last 20 minutes!): Which end did you shorten? Are there tools other than a hack saw involved? (I suspect so...)

I followed geoff's lead and put in the short 9x7 shifter:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=7371&hl=

thanks for all the feedback.....like the link clickman fantastic

okay just to be clear...I was originally talking about the porsche factory SSK (99742498300A) which I think has a black metalic bushings/body and looks very much like a B+M. I was not wanting to try the same thing I have (B+M) unless it has been found to be fantastic...! (410 @suncoast)

the fellow in the rennlist link writes about the 9x7 short shifter.....which take to mean the just the regular 9x7(997SCU)....is this correct?? It looks like there are ones with blue plastic as well as black with metal plates on the side

i am getting confused ......is there another specific 997 short shifter that I am missing here??

basically I want it fairly short and smooth :)

Just remember there are two "stock" Porsche shifters made for the 997 and 987 (hence 9x7) that also fit the 9x6. One is the basic shifter (997-424-010-00) and the other is the short shifter (997-424-983-00) that geoff and I (and many others) have installed.

Both come from Porsche as a complete tower unit, including the alignment tool. The short shifter is more expensive. I bought my short shifter from Suncoast on special.

The B&M and knockoffs require you to use your existing tower and swapping out the stick. It's relatively irreversible as you have to destroy the original bushings.

Thanks this is exactly what I was after.

So how do you like the factory SSK over the standard 9x7 or in general; or as compared to the B+M? Is it worth it for the driving feel? I want to stay away form notchiness this time around.

Where is the best place to buy either one. It strange that suncoast shows the standard shifter as a different part number; I will ask Suncoast what the deal is.

J

I've tried the B&M in a 2001 S 6-spd and thought it was too notchy. I tried a 987 in the dealer lot and found it didn't do enough for me (throws still too long). I found my 9x7 Porsche short shifter on my 01 5-spd notchy at first but that was comparing it to the ridiculously long, soft throws of the original worn shifter. I've since grown to love it. Always remember that physics means the shorter the shift, the more shift effort is required.

Go into a Porsche dealer and try the shifters in their cars on the lot. They might have a short shifter in one of their cars. Check around TO clubs and see who might have one you can try. (That's how I got to try out the 01S B&M.)

If you're having shifting problems now you may have other things that need checking out - cables not adjusted properly, rear attachment problems, tranny problems.

And do a search of 986forum and renntech; there's tons of info.

As I said, I bought my short shifter at Suncoast on special. The other guys with great parts pricing in the states are Sunset in Oregon, but they got burned once with a guy from Canada screwing them, so now they want enough personal information from Canadians to make a privacy guru freak out. Don't forget you're going to pay brokerage and taxes at the border, as well as the currency exchange.

The one good thing about buying a complete unit from Porsche is that if it really turns you off (after giving it a real chance, of course), you can easily swap back in the original tower and possibly sell your new one at close to what you paid for it.

My thoughts exactly. I installed a B&M on an S and when I drove it, it was way too notchy and I couldn't tell what gear I was in some of the time. I drove another non S with a short shifter and it was fine. I purchased the Schnell short shift kit with billet linkage. I installed it all at the same time and have since gone back to the stock linkage. I could never get that billet linkage adjusted correctly and now it just sits in my toolbox. My mechanic also told me, he's never seen the stock linkage fail and it smoothes out the shifts. When I went back to stock it was smoother and I actually like the short shift kit I've got now.

Ahhh this is what was confusing; have a look at this link:

http://www.drivepoint.net/paddock/ShortThrowShifter.html

This porche short shifter looks like a black B+M. Very unlike the blue plastic of the 997SSK???? Are they one and the same?

:confused:

It is my understanding that the Porsche 986/996 short shifter is actually made by B&M. The Porsche 987/997 short shifter appears to be made by whoever makes the stock shifter, but the center section is made from bright blue plastic and has modified geometry for shorter lever travel.

Forget the colour! The B&M style, including knockoffs, comes in black, blue, purple and probably other colours.

What you should be asking yourself is:

Do I want a short shifter? TRY THEM OUT if you're not sure.

Which one do I want? The B&M style like in that ad, where I've got to do surgery on my existing shifter tower to install it? Or the stock units for the 9x7 that are easy to install and smoother shifting? And easily reversible if I really can't stand it.

That linked ad price is a joke. If you insist on the B&M style like that, I've seen them on eBay for as low as US$50, but again it's more work to install and notchier than one of the 9x7 stock units. And you can't go back if you don't like it.

I've heard of the stock 9x7 shifter going for around US$150 and I bought my short 9x7 shifter for US$280 on special. One of those will take no more than a couple hours to install, and most of that is getting the centre console off and on.

Bingo.

The 9x6 factory ssk is made by b&m and is anadized black aluminum. It is identical in geometry to the b&m. This has a 996 part number. Most of the knock offs are copies of this version. The 9x7 ssk is made from a blue plastic and has a 997 part number.

Everyone should keep in mind, the 6 speed in the 986 is a different transmission than the 987. So the any particular kit may feel differerent whether its in a 5 or 6 speed and 986 or 987.

Ahhhh thanks; yes so the black is actually a Porsche 9x6 model very much like the B+M i have now. ......finally getting to the route of it!

What I need to try are the 9X7s stock and short.

Yes I have a B+M now on a 986 s 6-speed. For some gear changes it is fine but a lot the time it is pretty notchy especially 2 to 3.

Great suggestion on heading to a showroom. Ususally they dont let you shift stationary cars

j

There's not much point to sitting in a stationary car and shifting gears. The car's got to be moving.

This ad just burns me up no end. This is a great example of how dealerships get called stealerships. Their "deal" is $670, with 40% off. So the regular price is over $1100!!!

You can buy the knockoffs on ebay for not much more than $50. Even if you bought it from B&M it's no more than $300. You don't have to be that handy to install one yourself; the B&M instructions are excellent.

$1100?? Come on!

Yeah in a perfect world the car should be warmed up etc but you can still feel the throw length and get a pretty good idea of shift effort.

No, you really can't. The gears and syncros have to be spinning or you can't tell anything useful.

No. My B&M shifts like absolute crap when the car is cold, let alone cold and stationary. But drive it around, let the car warm up to operating temperature, and the shifter feels completely different. You'd be hard pressed to tell it's the same shifter.

Their $670 price is With Installation.

I may be digressing here, but I find my B&M coupled to the 6 speed in my S to be very precise; albiet slightly notchy, but I like it that way.

I drive alot of other 98X and 99X cars as an instructor and always felt the throws were long and slightly vague...even driving my friend's new 997 CS.

Maybe I just got lucky, but mine suits me just fine and you're not supposed to slam the gears, anyway. I've tracked 911s for years and learned shifting is always a two step process to the next gear; works the same way in the Box.

Must just be a thing with the 2002 Boxster S's. ;) :D

I think it's mostly a matter of taste. I had the B&M on the same car as you do and was perfectly happy until I installed the 997 mechanism and liked it much more. I like the advise of trying it out in someone else's car to see if you like it, you just have to try it in a moving car with the same transmission as the one you're going to put the lever in to.

I'm not sure if it's been explicitly said or not, but in general the short shifter won't enable you to shift any faster. The shift throw will be shorter and the shift effort will increase. Basic physics, since there's no power assist on the shifter. The synchros in the transmission only spin up so fast, and shoving a short shifter into the next gear as hard and fast as you can force it won't do anything good for your transmission.

The main difference with the short shifter is feel. As many posts have pointed out, a short shifter is harder to use when the car is cold. I suggest you try a car with a short shifter in the coldest conditions you expect to drive and see if you still like it then. It all boils down to personal preference for the shifter feel, and Porsche, in their infinite wisdom, set up the stock shifter feel to appeal to what they expected most drivers would be happy with. The same rationale applies to lowered, stiffer suspensions - preferably by enthusiasts in the minority, but less comfortable for mainstream Boxster drivers.

In today's economy, dealers work all kinds of specials. If you find a good price somewhere for the OEM 9x7 short shifter, definitely shop around and see if anyone will beat the price. Your local dealer might surprise you, especially if you have been a good customer in the past.

If my local dealer were to come up with a "special", unfortunately I wouldn't be able to take advantage of it because I'd be dead from a heart attack brought on by the utter shock.