Helix Short Shift Kit http://www.helix13.com/mini/products/suspension-chasis

OR

Craven Speed MINI Adjustable Short http://www.cravenspeed.com/products/...t-Shifter.html

I'm looking to buy one some time this month and i was wondering which one to like go with? lol

 

I recently installed NM short shift kit....same thing as helix i think...
I am cheap so I didn't wanna spend $180 for craven...and the local shop quoted me like $400+ to install + kit...WAY too much for installation i think...

I did the installation myself...wow..it was so hard...try installing it WITHOUT taking off exhaust(stupid V-clamp will not come off!!) and sliding the heat shield off with exhaust still on....

but it was damn worth it...reduces the throw by maybe 20-30%? with good firm feel...add NM enging torque amount and delete noisemaker made my car feel like a brand new/more refined vehicle..

 

400$ is alot that is great feed back thank you... any one else

 

I'd recommend checking the spelling on the title of this thread

 

Are these really worth it? I find that on my R56 I can shift extremely fast as it is. The limiting factor seems to be waiting for a split second while the gear syncros speed up when shifting.

 

You know i love all you guys, but seriously why is every one so quick to bust chops on this forum about spelling .....Im on 4 other forums and this is the only one that i get graded on ....lol...

anyway I'm dyslexic so simple things like spelling is a challenge for me

I hope you feel better

 

I'm wondering the same thing, wish i can test drive a mini with one in

 

Had the Helix fitted to my mini on Monday. It's great, really positive firmer feel and reduced throw. Great bang for the buck.

 

I too am dyslexic. If it was not for spelling checkers, I would never have made it through Regis. Kapro 4, CPM, WordStar, and The Word speller. The problem many people do not understand is we can look at a word spelled incorrectly, read it to some one else and correct it in our head. We read the letters correctly, even though they are incorrect on the page.

At least this forum is reasonably polite. The RSX forum usually degraded to things not suitable for public discourse. I would not want my name linked forever to some of those posts. ( Run for office and see what gets found!)

I would agree with a quick shift kit. Then you can lengthen the shifter. This puts the **** closer to the wheel so you can keep both hands on it longer. Faster overall. I had one on my 67 Bug, and many cars since. Now I have an automatic and it is Sooooo slow. Well actually faster than the manual, but because you are not doing anything, it seems slower.

 

My ALTA adjustable short shifter will be in the NAM marketplace in the next day or two..there's about 10k miles on it, still works perfectly I just want the car to be stock again. Still have original box, instructions, shift **** that came with it, etc..

Probably $60 + shipping.

 

Shoot me a pm with the details Drewster

 

Check the marketplace!

 

If you don't want the adjustability, the Helix will work perfectly. Plus, it makes install a lot easier.
I just got a used alta ssk and for install i'll say this
the vband is a biyotch, but its do-able with screwdrivers and a bit of prying. I'd suggest having 2 people for the job, as one holding things etc makes it a lot easier. Work the screw driver around as you get a part of the vband off, and pry slowly around the diameter of the band. The rubber exhaust hangers can flex quite a bit with a bit of force, so dont be afraid. You can also do the easier way and slide the top section of the rubber off (aka leave it attached to the exhaust hanger on the exhaust itself and remove it from the underbody of the car).

The heatshield is easy, and the dust shield box is a bit difficult, a long thin screwdriver helps to get the clips off. Theres either 5 or 6 total I believe. You can see them when you look up. From there, use a wrench and pry/pop/work the cable off the ball socket, they weren't too hard. If you're doing the helix, this is the end of removing things, and its easy to redo it all after you get the adapter on.
If with the craven/alta, you need to now go inside and remove the center console via 3 torx screws and clips (the clip for the DSC etc was a biyotch and i never got it off, i just manuvered the center console onto the floor out of the way. The next two pieces were a biyotch for me, the "C" clip and the three clips holding the white center ball socket retainer bushing type thing. I ended up cracking the retainer on one of the thin sides (oops), but once you get it all out and back in, its secured well enough that the crack isnt a problem (honestly, its not moving anywhere). After that, regrease etc, it took 20 minutes to reinstall everything (maybe 2 hrs to get everything apart.. we were taking lots of side breaks etc to do other things so total time working on it was prob 2-2.5 hrs to take things apart).

Thats my take on it. I like the adjustability, but i wanted the dust cover back on, so I just trimmed the ribs and can now adjust two positions, highest and middle. I tried the lowest with the cover off, and wow is it tight. Took your whole arm to throw the gear. I think I would of liked this for a week, but then would of got sick of it for daily driving, so I settled on the middle setting and put the cover on without the ribs (dremeled away). I definitely like the position its at now. I probably won't change it to be honest, unless its some realllly long road trip. But I can prob do 200 miles to NY from Boston and back with this setting and be perfectly fine. So, would I have gotten the helix if I did it again? Sure, but i got the alta used at the same price, so I went for adjustability. Also, I like that the shifter is lowered too so that was a plus for me. Though, I like driving without the armrest down now... as my elbow sits for comfortably to throw the gears around.

 

good read man thank you... im going to have dan from grass roots do the dirty work for me...lol

 

The easiest way to remove the bottom of the plastic dust shield is to use a 90 degree angle oring pick. All you have to do is get to the top of the clips and pull down. Real easy.

 

What ever you decide get the box with the extension that NM sells. I accidentally broke mine when installing my Alta SSK and now it is exposed to the heat shield.

 

I'm trying to buy a Helix short shifter, but everyone I've contacted says they are on backorder. I even called Helix and they said it will be a couple of weeks before they have any, which probably means a month or more....

Does anyone know of a vendor that has one in stock??

Tom

 

i went with the ALTA adjustable short shifter

 

Ha! I thought I was the only idiot that did that. I snapped my gearbox cover in half installing the shifter, getting that cover off was the hardest part of the whole job. A new cover is about $16 on penskeparts.com though, so not a big deal.

 

Sorry no Helix SS in stock, we are patiently waiting. I do have the Craven SS kit and the NM in stock if that helps. We had the Craven in our test car and absolutely loved it.

 

Also get a weighted shift ****. Everyone here seems to like the Whalen ***** becuase of their designs but I am simplistic I just went with TWM which I like better to begin with. Once you hook a weighted **** up to a ssk it makes it so so much better.

 

For thos of you who ar dyslxic, I wodn't wory to mch abot spelig. The mind has an amzng abitly to mak coretions if most of the cor letrs are in plce.

Try not to be so crtical of somons abilty to spel a word corctly, you culd just be fat fingerng the kebord, and if it doen't caus the end of the wrld, no harm dun.

Personally, I like all the incredible information everyone shares on the forum. Thanks to all and good luck!

By the way, I think I'm happy with the stock setup, I'd have to drive a modified shifter before thinking of making the change.