$59 short shift kit - looking for reviews - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Homeboy981 · 10-02-2012, 06:57 AM

Top Speed SSk is the way to go!

I did mine a couple months ago. Got a great price! Installation was simple but time-consuming. Take my word for it:

MAKE SURE YOU MARK THE CABLES BEFORE YOU TAKE THE FACTORY SHIFTER OFF!!

I marked mine in the wrong place so it was like not having it marked. I struggled by having to take everything out, put the cables at 100% rest (or in the middle) and start again. Test it BEFORE you start the car and go. Once you do start the car, engage the car in ALL gears, let clutch out to "biting point" to ensure all gears are good!

It DID TAKE SOME TIME TO GET USED TO "TIGHT" GEARS. So give yourself a week. You will not look back. Even I wondered how I would ever get used to it….now I could not think of getting a Box and NOT ADDING IT, especially for $59!

It DOES IMPROVE your gears shifting times, or times between gears without the engine engaged. In other words, IT IS MUCH QUICKER - LIKE TWICE AS FAST!

Great upgrade….Top Speed's price makes it a no-brainer.

Do it, if you have not already, and you will thank me later.

Think about this too. It is a Shifter Linkage and should be considered a complimentary upgrade to the SSK - didn't say it was FREE! It costs $45 OUCH! PM me if you need the supplier. It takes some of the SLOP out of the shifter cables and ensures the "cheap Factory plastic piece" will not give out when you need it most. It is made of Billet Aluminum and will further "refine" your SSK. It secures tightly around shifter cable.

Most track guys do this mod because a blown shifter CAN RUIN your day! Here's a pic….

tony_fury · 10-02-2012, 07:21 AM

Top Speed doesn't list their Short Shifter any longer..

Bala · 10-02-2012, 07:33 AM

They have it on Ebay now.

@Homeboy981,
Mine are a little tight and I tried to loosen the side nuts and got some relief. Can you please explain how you made the adjustments, why and the resulting effect? I'm sure quite a few would find it useful including me. For me at least I'm not sure adjusting what does what to the mechanisms actually.

Homeboy981 · 10-02-2012, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bala

They have it on Ebay now.

@Homeboy981,
Mine are a little tight and I tried to loosen the side nuts and got some relief. Can you please explain how you made the adjustments, why and the resulting effect? I'm sure quite a few would find it useful including me. For me at least I'm not sure adjusting what does what to the mechanisms actually.

This may or may not be one thing to look at but…

GREASE!!! The thing needs lots of grease in the right places BEFORE you install it and BEFORE it is torqued down. In other words, take it out (if you have not done it), loosen the bolts on the sides and the top and bottom. Poly Moly was what I had at hand. Grease it up, tighten hand tight OR LESS and wipe of all grease.

Then, torque down the shifter nut using (?? wrench) on the sides so that it is "just right" (not too tight but not too loose either). Not sure of the ft/lbs needed. That will REMOVE side-to side slop.

To relieve the "slop" on the ends (or more precisely at the end of your shift throw) you will tighten that down with an allen wrench AFTER you installed in it the shifter console. Again, I do NOT know the torque but it just enough. You will be able to tell how tight it is as more grease is replaced by tightening it down. It is plastic on the console so DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN. Having said that, it DOES require you to ensure the SSK is "bedded" by trying to physically "rock" the shifter after you tightened it. Rock it a little more and re-tighten.

One other thing too…I installed the cable end out of billet Aluminum (see previous pic) and it "hits" the underside of the shifter console lightly when I put in reverse. DOES NOT EFFECT SHIFTING…but this will depend on your cable length. AND the Cable End Piece DOES NOT HAVE ANY SLOP IN IT WHEREAS THE STOCK PLASTIC PIECE THAT GOES ON THE END OF THE SHIFTER THAT CONNECTS THE FORWARD GEARS HAS A LOT OF "GIVE" IN IT! The plastic piece is junk…the replacement is almost the cost of the SSK.

To me it is worth the price paid. And I KNOW the WHOLE SHIFTER IS SOLID NOW!

Mine is rock-solid but is not too tight. If that makes any sense.

Hope that helps!

Bala · 10-02-2012, 08:52 AM

Thanks. I think I'll have to add some grease. Console is out for painting so would be the right time to do what you have described.

Homeboy981 · 10-03-2012, 06:30 AM

That is when I did mine. There is NO HURRY! That console takes AT LEAST a week to cure, because it is plastic or something like that.

If you still feel shifting is the least bit sloppy, it may be due to the Shifter Linkage,

Schnell makes the ones I found, they seem to be the least expensive, here's the link:

Boxster 996 Shifter Linkage Upgrade By Schnell: Shifter Pedal Assembly &amp Shifter Assembly Related

Happy Shifting!

Stroked & Blown · 10-03-2012, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeboy981

If you still feel shifting is the least bit sloppy, it may be due to the Shifter Linkage,

Schnell makes the ones I found, they seem to be the least expensive, here's the link:

Boxster 996 Shifter Linkage Upgrade By Schnell: Shifter Pedal Assembly &amp Shifter Assembly Related

Did you use these on both cables, or is it only designed for one? If the latter, which one? Any pics of the install?

Mig · 06-09-2016, 08:16 PM

I bought the same shifter for my Cayman. I didn't care for the tilt so I disassembled the rod, put it in a vice, and bent it to a position that is pretty much the same as the stock unit.

It's mild steel and can be bent to your liking. I wouldn't do it too many times though. ;-)

Disaster · 06-10-2016, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mig

I bought the same shifter for my Cayman. I didn't care for the tilt so I disassembled the rod, put it in a vice, and bent it to a position that is pretty much the same as the stock unit.

It's mild steel and can be bent to your liking. I wouldn't do it too many times though. ;-)

Looking at photos of the B&M, in the install procedure, it looks like it has no bend either. I recall the official Porsche shifter does. I personally like it with the same bend as the stock shifter.

P.S. The one I got looks like it is chrome plated. Bending it would crack the chrome plating but would work harden it...making it stronger...until it fatigues and fails. :-)