BlackZenki82

well folks i just got my early model B&M short throw installed..... holy moly talk about a world of difference. the stick is soooo firm now, no looseness, almost Zero play in neutral, or any of the gears.... took her out for a test drive and i think it'll take some time getting used too... just replaced OE shifter and B&M T-shifter handle with a uber small ball.... i can see i'm going to love it far more than original.... can't wait to track test it... gonna need some road time...


So iff you're feelin froggy, post some of your short throw shifter opinions, mishaps, and any kind of install questions!!

jramosthe1st!

iTrader: (1)

i've read just about everywhere that there is an excessive amount of vibration with most short throw shifters especially at higher speeds. care to confirm or deny those claims?

BlackZenki82

i will say that there is a minor rattle in the top of first gear, all of second, none in third, and the bottom of fourth.... now this may be just my case because i have yet to put the two front bolts of the bottom plate on.... they are extremely hard to get to.... to me 10 minutes to to remove each one... also, when i went to pop on the lower ball bushing it cracked, it was still on firm so i left it on... that might be a cause.... once those two front bolts are on.. and the bushing replaced, when i get one, I'm confident that all noise will go away.

As for vibration, i can't speak for the lower quality shifter, like the eBay ones, but my shifter has no vibration what so ever, i shakes as the transmission shakes like normal. but nothing excluding that rattle sound, which is not a vibration, nothing vibrates IN my B&M unit, i was actually surprised how firm it was, if not TOO firm... kinda gotta muscle it in 5th and reverse.

By the way, i got my early model B&M for 45$ on eBay, used, shipping included.... awesome deal.... otherwise I'd never be able to afford a B&M right now.....

I recommend that if you're going the short shifter route, don't go with the shifter only package.... go with the self contained shifter and plate, the whole replacement unit, you may spend more but from what i hear with the other cheapos, it's well worth it....

shaban

My b&m vibrates a lot at higher rpms, after 5500 all you feel is it vibrating in your hand, did that both on my KA and now on my SR. other than that, it's a really short throw and well worth the money.

BlackZenki82

well i just took it out on my first higher speed test drive since install....meaning i took it on the interstate.......... i noticed ZERO vibration in the shifter, at any rpm range.... yet that rattle is still there.... sounds like the ball in the bottom of a rattle can spray paint rolling around the bottom.... sounds like it might be a retaining clip in the shifter itself... yet no vibration... the rattle is kind of loud with the windows, up, yet bearable... maybe even fixable if i tear it all down and rebuild the thing, re-oil, proper install, and not the sloppy install i did ( i always get in a rush when I'm putting new stuff on my car).

but overall, NO VIBRATION, shift ball stays firm in my hand, hell even feels a little better, due to the firmness i can feel exactly what the engine is doing...

once i tear it all our and rebuild it (easy procedure), i will take pics, step by step, even the two front pesky bolts, in all their pain in the *** glory, from start to finish

BlackZenki82

well just did a rebuild on the shifter, new bushings, new boot, the boot eliminated the smell, thank god... as for that rattle i hear in 2nd and 4th, the new lower bushing seemed to have fixed some but not all of the rattle.
had the shifter since the 28th of last month still no problems, and no vibrations, just that rattle sound in those two gears....

but wouldn't ya know, as soon as i get the parts from Nissan, actually on the way to pick them up, my A/C goes out, and living in Florida, it's a need...

anyways, just an update...don't forget to tell your war stories with shifters here.... good or bad!!!!

Drifter262

anyone got opinions on the megan racing short shifter?

Ivory8g

yep I am wondering about the megan short shifter as well. never got to feel it but my friend has it in his 95 zenki and loves it.

BlackZenki82

I've read mixed reviews about a lot of shifters in my search of mine.. I've found that the one main one to rule them all is the B&M..... now I've heard horror stories about the eBay ones that are just the handle and not the whole unit, i would stay away from those... for my money I'd stick with the whole unit, base plate, and shifter unit, just make sure you use the OE lower bushing, if it breaks like mine did while installing on the new shifter, you can get one at any local nissan dealership for $2.99... not bad

NiSmO Knight

iTrader: (1)

Its just a copy of the B&M, but for a third of the price. Some people love it, heard one or two bad stories about them, but I've never used one, so I can really say.

I just know that most of the stuff from Megan is crap.

EDIT: Also wanted to say something about my C's shifter, it was just the shifter rod. Reduced throw which was great, but gave me the OH **** moments while driving once in a while since it would literally pop out of the linkage. Sometimes it even kicked itself out of 2nd when I would clutch and cruise up to make a turn... But the issue of mine that made it pop out I think was installer error (first time installing a short throw in a 240) So yeah... Buy the compete replacement units LOL

shaban

My cousin just got a Megan Short throw, once he does his SR20 swap, I'll tell you guys how it is. He also got a megan dual tip exhaust