B&M and clone short shifter 2nd gen eBay Megan [Merged 3-7]

[flyinghighlm]

This has been dicussed before, try the search option...but basically EBAY is just as good as the expensive ones...save yourself some money.

 

[mattdev]

I just got one on ebay that was supposedly a replica of a B&M. The company was like some rice company called JDM. All that to say, it was pretty shady, I thought it was straight forward but ended up having to grind down some of it to get it to fit perfectly. I spent $40 bucks shipped, compared to what, $130 for a B&M. So it's still worth it, just go w/ a different knock-off brand.

 

[Mitxubishi]

First time dropping a short shifter, is it pretty straight forward or a pain in the ass? Haven't bought one yet but you guyz have any ideas wherez the place to get one? Thanxs

 

[weaver]

I bought the ebay knock-off and am very happy with it. It shifts really smooth and took out alot of the throw distance. You can change between 70 and 35% reduction if I remember right. The only problem I had with it was the lack of instructions. I eventually figured it out, but it would have went alot smoother with some directions. Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[turbosax2]

My brother has the B&M and it is really nice. Also, seriously consider getting the Symborski shift kit (http://www.machv.com/symshifkit1.html) - when we put that in it made a HUGE difference.

 

[eboy0]

Does the ebay one have alot of side to side play in gear?

 

[totaleclipse_05]

I got mine from eBay about a year and a half ago and I love it. They are very easy to install. I can probably switch out a shifter in about 10 min start to finish now. You don't even need to go underneath the car and unbolt anything like you have to do in Honda's.

 

[Zack Huffman]

It's easy. Only have to pull out the center console. 2 screws on the sides near the back, 2 underneath the ashtray/cupholder, 2 by the radio and unplug the cig lighter. Then pull the cotter pins on the shift cables and bolt it in.

I have the B&M and I highly recommend it.

 

[eboy0]

I did a short shifter swap, and I'm getting alot of side to side play in gear.

 

[totaleclipse_05]

I have no side to side play with mine, just a little front to back. I can fix it, but it's not too bad.

 

[SinEclipse]

I have not install a short shifter before but I think you only have to remove the center console to expose the shifter rod. From there you can remove the bolts and such holding the stock shifter and directly replace it.

 

[Locke]

I have a ebay short shifter. Had to press a bearing in, grind off some of the aluminum part, and test fit many times. Took ~30 minutes start to finish. I don't have any play. I like it.

$40 from Auto Square on eBay, well spent.

 

[2GeNTSi]

What the...I don't remember that piece on my ss. I bought mine like three years ago and I haven't had any problems with it being defective or anything.

The only pain during install was the e-clip they use on the bottom of the shifter. Also I don't know if they revised it at all, but make sure you put thread lock on the main mounting point because I forgot to the first time around and I noticed it started to get sloppy because it was loosening itself. I put some thread lock on it and re-torqued it and it has been fine since then.

Well worth the 30 bucks I paid for it.

 

[Defiant]

The B&M comes with LocTite.

But not $100 worth of it.

 

[tt281gt]

Mitsubishi shifter threads are the "funny" ones. My bet is that you'll find the knockoffs use the same thread as Honda, Mazda and Nissan, greatly expanding your choices in aftermarket real-thread-on-no-cheezy-plastic-adapters-held-loosely-with-tiny-Allen-screws stuff.

I know im replying and quoting an old thread/post but just to let you guys know, I bought an ebay knockoff that came with its own knob but my 2g knob threaded right on nice and tight.

 

[Defiant]

We're several generations into the product now. It's likely they've corrected early anomalies.

 

[sjk9671]

I see there is alot of clones that look like the B&M shifter. Ive also heard that some clones are amazing and some suck. Does anyone have a link of a good ebay B&M clone? You know, I only want to do this once

 

[pooker]

The vendor powerimport sells reputable knock off ones, no pun intended.

 

[Locke]

Ha, "reputable knock-offs" thats funny.

I got mine from Auto Square. Was not a direct fit for me though, had to do a little bit of grinding. Works great.

 

[snowborder714]

If you're going to do short shifter and underhood bushings, you might as well do shift plate bushings! One of the best upgrades I've done...after installation, shifts were clean and crisp. No more crappy 2-3 shift either.

http://www.machv.com/symshifkit1.html

 

[sd_ff22]

back with an update.
I ended up buying the shifter from dsmparts. I was installing it and a symborski kit today. well The syborski kit is AWESOME. All I can say is don't ask about it just get it. I know that some will say "Just buy some washers" but I wanted that roller bushing too.

well after messing with the shifter and trying to get it to work, I found that the pivot pin to the riser block would not stay threaded. I even used thread lock! so after that mess I was installing the lower e clip... and it broke! I happened to have a circlip that was just about the right size so i used that instead. then after buttoning it all back up, I go to thread my greddy knob, AND!!!! The threads are different!!! W>T>F?!
now what?? have the end welded up and use a die to cut the factory threads in it?!!?

 

[FenixTX717]

I have had a few experience with the knock off e-bay ones....the 1st one I ever bought worked great....the second one I bought sucked ass and didn't work....the 3rd one I bought and worked.....the 4th one it wasn't....


conclusion.....if your getting them off ebay, get the middle priced one usually one that comes with the shift knob....the just sell the shift knob hah! but I got the 2 bad ones for like 30 something shipped...and those sucked....but the around $50 shipped ones worked perfect....basically the base part that holds the shifter, should be purple or silver, there is an off purple pinkish one and that doesn't work at all....neither does the off blue one....

 

[Locke]

Not on the B&M, nor on the clone. On both, the lever is machined and solid.

I suppose I should have been more clear. In that instance, I was talking about why it had to be ground to fit. The factory shifter assembly is two levers, one that moves side to side to select the rail, and one that move fore and aft, to pick the gear on that rail. The latter (the one with the knob on it) is solid, yes. The former is stamped and folded steel. We leave the stamped and folded steel OE piece alone when changing the shifter.

That is the issue, because there is a high level of tolerance on that particular part from the factory, that when using the "JDM" branded knock-off, you will have to grind away various amounts of metal from the aluminum fulcrum piece to get it to lay flat against the top of the factory rail lever.

(...) I go to thread my greddy knob, AND!!!! The threads are different!!!

My factory knob threaded right on.

 

[sd_ff22]

yeah I was doing some reading and it seams that about half of the knock offs are threaded different and the other half are stock thread. hmmm. good news though that I didn't have to grind anything. the block fit right where it should on that shoulder.

 

[sd_ff22]

anyone with a megan shifter know what these are threaded for? my buddy thinks they may be honda knob threads.
hhmmm.