2G What short throw shifter?

[LSM]

Can anybody tell me which short throw shifter is the best option right now? I don't want to spend several weeks or months searching for a B&M, so what about the Megan Racing or the Fidanza? Has anybody used the Fidanza? I see a lot of people saying the Megan Racing short throw is a decent product but I haven't seen any posts about the Fidanza. Any other GOOD short throw kits on the market right now? Just for the record, I am not buying some no name Amazon or Ebay short shifter so please don't recommend one of those! Thanks!

 

[609DSM]

The Megan racing is the same design as the b&m. Some have said the quality is bad some have said the quality is good, I can't attest for the quality but this is what I've read review wise.

Its speculated b&m stopped making their short shifter because Megan racing had their same design and sold for far less.

No idea about the fidanza one, I've read some people like it and some don't.

Sorry I don't have concrete facts on what the products are like haha. I have a b&m that I haven't gotten around to installing and it feels and looks very quality.

 

[91talonts1]

As far as I know the Megan racing is the only one still available, and I doubt there's much difference if any between one of those and a knockoff version. I got lucky and found a NIB B&M on the link forums a couple years ago. It has a much better feel than the Megan the PO had in the car when I first got it.
You could always get the KDN from boostin performance, but it's pricey.

 

[609DSM]

As far as I know the Megan racing is the only one still available, and I doubt there's much difference if any between one of those and a knockoff version. I got lucky and found a NIB B&M on the link forums a couple years ago. It has a much better feel than the Megan the PO had in the car when I first got it.
You could always get the KDN from boostin performance, but it's pricey.

So I just looked for the kdn just for kicks cause you said it was pricey. 1600!? Ouch and I thought my b&m was pricey but I bet it's worth every penny.

 

[91talonts1]

So I just looked for the kdn just for kicks cause you said it was pricey. 1600!? Ouch and I thought my b&m was pricey but I bet it's worth every penny.

Yeah it's definitely top of the line, but it's $200 more than I paid for my first DSM and it was a whole running and driving 1g AWD

 

[AllanL]

Can anybody tell me which short throw shifter is the best option right now? I don't want to spend several weeks or months searching for a B&M, so what about the Megan Racing or the Fidanza? Has anybody used the Fidanza? I see a lot of people saying the Megan Racing short throw is a decent product but I haven't seen any posts about the Fidanza. Any other GOOD short throw kits on the market right now? Just for the record, I am not buying some no name Amazon or Ebay short shifter so please don't recommend one of those! Thanks!

do you have access the some metal parts and welding, cutting machines...

easily can be DIY'd...

if not so OC...

 

[jinscho]

Megan is the same overall design as the B&M, HOWEVER the tolerances are nowhere near as tight. This is why the B&M is sought over the Megan knock off. My suggestion... wait and find a B&M.

 

[Dreams Realized]

If you desperately want a shorter throw I would just chop the oem shifter and re-weld it as others have suggested. I have been looking for a B&M for almost 2 years now with no luck. If one does show up I will fight you for it.

Me, I spat in the face of adversity and said "Why not go taller" it took a while to get used to but it's got a rally racer feel to it

 

[pauleyman]

I didnt care for the Megan or short shifting period. I went back to stock. Megan is very sloppy.

 

[jinscho]

If you desperately want a shorter throw I would just chop the oem shifter and re-weld it as others have suggested. I have been looking for a B&M for almost 2 years now with no luck. If one does show up I will fight you for it.

Me, I spat in the face of adversity and said "Why not go taller" it took a while to get used to but it's got a rally racer feel to it

Chopping it down doesn't achieve what a short throw shifter does. All you're doing is shortening the size of the shifter.

A short throw shifter reduces the travel distance between gears, aka the "throw". The B&M is the exact same height as stock.

 

[EShield]

Shortening the stock unit does, for all intents and purposes, shorten the throw because you are shortening the lever which means the physical distance you have to move the lever, the throw, is shorter. However, the effort required is higher. I have had both the B&M and Megan units. They are identical. On both of them I made sure to install a Symborski shift kit, all new shifter assembly bushings and a new pivot cup which solidified them. I got rid of the remaining slop after seeing Jafros video on the topic and welding on top of the shifter support to ensure the sleeve sat flat and right on top of it.

In the end I fine the stock unit is better on 1-2 shifts and removed almost two inches from it and angled it back slightly to stop my hand from punching radios. I plan to do the same on this Talon.

 

[jinscho]

Shortening the stock unit does, for all intents and purposes, shorten the throw because you are shortening the lever which means the physical distance you have to move the lever, the throw, is shorter. However, the effort required is higher. I have had both the B&M and Megan units. They are identical. On both of them I made sure to install a Symborski shift kit, all new shifter assembly bushings and a new pivot cup which solidified them. I got rid of the remaining slop after seeing Jafros video on the topic and welding on top of the shifter support to ensure the sleeve sat flat and right on top of it.

In the end I fine the stock unit is better on 1-2 shifts and removed almost two inches from it and angled it back slightly to stop my hand from punching radios. I plan to do the same on this Talon.

umm.. not quite.

Chopping height off the shifter doesn't actually change the distance between throws, you're still moving the shifter the same overall distance as the pivot point did not change. In fact, all you're doing is making it harder to move from point to point as the fulcrum is shorter, requiring more physical effort to move between gears.

A short shifter reduces the throw by changing the pivot point, which on the B&M (and Megan, as like I said previously, same design.. lower quality control standards) is achieved via the mounting bracket AND the two holes at the base of the shifter, which reduces the overall throw by 30-50% depending on which pivot point you choose. This allows you to keep the stock shifter height (remember, the longer the lever, the less effort required to move from point a to point b) while also making the throws short enough so you no longer have to worry about punching the radio.

As for the issues with the QC standards on the Megan (or any other eBay knockoff of the B&M), most of the flaws revolve around that pivot point adapter. Yes, Jafro did make a video on how to address the issues, which involved welding a bead on top of the shift bracket and grinding it down until the pivot adapter could sit perfectly flush. With the B&M, they just made it right from the factory so you don't have to go through the added steps, it just fits. This also allows you to swap back to the stock shift lever if you choose without having to grind down the bead you had to add in order to remove the slop from the Megan/eBay copy.

I stand by my original statement, find a B&M, they're out there and worth the effort to find.

 

[Esquire the Bold]

I say just wait for someone on here to post a B&M for sale...I managed to get mine about a year ago from another user by constantly checking.

 

[EShield]

umm.. not quite.

Chopping height off the shifter doesn't actually change the distance between throws, you're still moving the shifter the same overall distance as the pivot point did not change. In fact, all you're doing is making it harder to move from point to point as the fulcrum is shorter, requiring more physical effort to move between gears.

A short shifter reduces the throw by changing the pivot point, which on the B&M (and Megan, as like I said previously, same design.. lower quality control standards) is achieved via the mounting bracket AND the two holes at the base of the shifter, which reduces the overall throw by 30-50% depending on which pivot point you choose. This allows you to keep the stock shifter height (remember, the longer the lever, the less effort required to move from point a to point b) while also making the throws short enough so you no longer have to worry about punching the radio.

As for the issues with the QC standards on the Megan (or any other eBay knockoff of the B&M), most of the flaws revolve around that pivot point adapter. Yes, Jafro did make a video on how to address the issues, which involved welding a bead on top of the shift bracket and grinding it down until the pivot adapter could sit perfectly flush. With the B&M, they just made it right from the factory so you don't have to go through the added steps, it just fits. This also allows you to swap back to the stock shift lever if you choose without having to grind down the bead you had to add in order to remove the slop from the Megan/eBay copy.

I stand by my original statement, find a B&M, they're out there and worth the effort to find.

You basically just reworded what I said.

Jafros was a B&M. I've been doing the DSM game for over 20 years now. I have no time to argue with people over semantics. This is what my 20 plus years of experience has taught me. OP can make their decision however they choose.

 

[LSM]

To the people saying cut and weld the stock shifter....as a couple of others commented, that shortens the length of the shifter but it does not actually shorten the throw. With the short throw shifter, the pivot point of the shifter is put in a different spot which changes the degree of angle the shifter rests at, which in turn changes the length of the throw. There is actually a big difference between shortening the length of the shifter itself and shortening the throw of the shifter. EShield, he was not re-wording what you said, he was in fact explaining the difference. You may have 20 years of experience in mechanics and that is great, but this is really just basic geometry, which may not have applied in what you have been doing in that time. not at all trying to be a dick by saying that, just stating a possible fact. Again, chopping the shifter shaft and changing the pivot point is in fact 100% two different things whith two different end results......basic geometry! That is what makes it a true "short throw shifter" as opposed to a "short shifter." As far as doing it myself, I don't wanna do all the math and have to remember geometry and all that crap just to save $80!

As for the B&M, just as I had initially said and also what another person a few responses back has said, I don't wanna wait a year or two or more to find one that someone is sellinh.....as the person above stated, he had waited over two years now without any luck. I would rather just buy one now that is halfway decent and then keep searching for a B&M.....possibly while making my BM's.....but at least I'll have something that works fairly well until I do finally find one!

Lastly, I still didn't see any replies on the Fidanza! Only one person mentioned it but said he didn't know anything about it other than the typical some like it and some don't. Has anyone used a Fidanza short throw shifter or have a friend who has one or even have any knowledge of them for any reason?! For some reason I can't even seem to find a picture of one for the DSMs so I have no idea how they're even made! I know there are a few ways manufacturers make these and at least one of those ways is pure poop. Can anybody give me any info on this?!

 

[LSM]

The Megan racing is the same design as the b&m. Some have said the quality is bad some have said the quality is good, I can't attest for the quality but this is what I've read review wise.

Its speculated b&m stopped making their short shifter because Megan racing had their same design and sold for far less.

No idea about the fidanza one, I've read some people like it and some don't.

Sorry I don't have concrete facts on what the products are like haha. I have a b&m that I haven't gotten around to installing and it feels and looks very quality.

It's cool man, I appreciate your honestly and giving me what info you could!

 

[jinscho]

To the people saying cut and weld the stock shifter....as a couple of others commented, that shortens the length of the shifter but it does not actually shorten the throw. With the short throw shifter, the pivot point of the shifter is put in a different spot which changes the degree of angle the shifter rests at, which in turn changes the length of the throw. There is actually a big difference between shortening the length of the shifter itself and shortening the throw of the shifter. EShield, he was not re-wording what you said, he was in fact explaining the difference. You may have 20 years of experience in mechanics and that is great, but this is really just basic geometry, which may not have applied in what you have been doing in that time. not at all trying to be a dick by saying that, just stating a possible fact. Again, chopping the shifter shaft and changing the pivot point is in fact 100% two different things whith two different end results......basic geometry! That is what makes it a true "short throw shifter" as opposed to a "short shifter." As far as doing it myself, I don't wanna do all the math and have to remember geometry and all that crap just to save $80!

As for the B&M, just as I had initially said and also what another person a few responses back has said, I don't wanna wait a year or two or more to find one that someone is sellinh.....as the person above stated, he had waited over two years now without any luck. I would rather just buy one now that is halfway decent and then keep searching for a B&M.....possibly while making my BM's.....but at least I'll have something that works fairly well until I do finally find one!

Lastly, I still didn't see any replies on the Fidanza! Only one person mentioned it but said he didn't know anything about it other than the typical some like it and some don't. Has anyone used a Fidanza short throw shifter or have a friend who has one or even have any knowledge of them for any reason?! For some reason I can't even seem to find a picture of one for the DSMs so I have no idea how they're even made! I know there are a few ways manufacturers make these and at least one of those ways is pure poop. Can anybody give me any info on this?!

The Fidanza seems to be harder to find than the B&M, with fewer people willing to speak up and voice their opinion on it. I personally have never seen one, and I've spent a lot of time over the past few years hanging out and rummaging through parts at both Performance Partout and DSM Partout (both fairly local to me). I've seen a few B&M's, but much more commonly the Megan variant. As I stated above, the Megan CAN be fitted properly.. it just requires welding and grinding so there's no back and forth play on the pivot bushing. This video on YouTube actually explains the flaws of the Megan shifter very well:

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. The fix to that flaw is to weld a bead on top of the mounting bracket, and grind it flat in order to fix the gap and allow the pivot bushing to sit perfectly flat. Once that issue is addressed, the Megan shifter functions exactly as the B&M.

 

[EShield]

To the people saying cut and weld the stock shifter....as a couple of others commented, that shortens the length of the shifter but it does not actually shorten the throw. With the short throw shifter, the pivot point of the shifter is put in a different spot which changes the degree of angle the shifter rests at, which in turn changes the length of the throw. There is actually a big difference between shortening the length of the shifter itself and shortening the throw of the shifter. EShield, he was not re-wording what you said, he was in fact explaining the difference. You may have 20 years of experience in mechanics and that is great, but this is really just basic geometry, which may not have applied in what you have been doing in that time. not at all trying to be a dick by saying that, just stating a possible fact. Again, chopping the shifter shaft and changing the pivot point is in fact 100% two different things whith two different end results......basic geometry! That is what makes it a true "short throw shifter" as opposed to a "short shifter." As far as doing it myself, I don't wanna do all the math and have to remember geometry and all that crap just to save $80!

As for the B&M, just as I had initially said and also what another person a few responses back has said, I don't wanna wait a year or two or more to find one that someone is sellinh.....as the person above stated, he had waited over two years now without any luck. I would rather just buy one now that is halfway decent and then keep searching for a B&M.....possibly while making my BM's.....but at least I'll have something that works fairly well until I do finally find one!

Lastly, I still didn't see any replies on the Fidanza! Only one person mentioned it but said he didn't know anything about it other than the typical some like it and some don't. Has anyone used a Fidanza short throw shifter or have a friend who has one or even have any knowledge of them for any reason?! For some reason I can't even seem to find a picture of one for the DSMs so I have no idea how they're even made! I know there are a few ways manufacturers make these and at least one of those ways is pure poop. Can anybody give me any info on this?!

If you want to get into basic geometry (more accurately, trigonometry) then you will need to start identifying things as angular throw, which you are discussing, and linear throw, which I am discussing.

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Linear throw is represented by the red, angular throw by the green. While cutting the shifter does not change the angular throw, it clearly changes the linear throw.

 

[AWD-Tony]

I've had a B&M original on my 2g. Loved it!!

 

[EShield]

The B&M requires the same "fix" as the Megan. Here is a video of Jafro having to do it for his authentic B&M.

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The problem is not the machining of the shifters. It is the poor machining of the stock component.