Has anyone else noticed how sloppy the stock shifter is? This thing has the feel of a 90 year old man's knee joint. I'm not very familiar with Coopers yet, but in the Mustang world, shifters are a common replacement to stiffen up the feel.

I took the boot cover off, and it's cheap flimsy plastic holding the shifter handle on. Are there aftermarket shifter replacements out there yet?

 

Yes there are.



http://www.piloracing.com/shop/prodd...MSSKIT05&cat=8

This just came available for the 05 Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S

 

You've got my attention! So it fits an '05 MCS with a build date of 12/04 right?

What's involved with the installation? I'm a do-it-my-selfer and don't mind tearing it apart. Can it all be done from the topside in the interior?

 

Here is my own custom jobby .....

 

DAN,

OK, what's up with this shifter? Is the box under that package part of the upgrade? Is this just a SS or are you moving the shift box somehow?
Thanks.

Oppps

 

There are two good short shift kits out there and that's the B/M and the Alta. I think that both now will fit the 04-05 models (?)

Instalation includes jacking the car up and removing the catback and heat shield. I've only done an 03, but that was not a hard job at all. Just a bit time consuming.

 

This will fit your car. The install will be done from both above and below. Detailed instructions are included in the packaging on how to perform this install. You will need to drop the exhaust a little though, but not remove it.

Regarding the box underneeth, that is part of the 04-05 package. It replaces the cover on the bottom. It is a bit diffrent then the 03 shifters were.

 

This is a front driver with cables in the mix.

 

onasled,
Can you give more information on your custom shifter? Looks great!
Dan

 

Very simple. It's an Alta set as low as it can go. No bottom on the shift box and it's so low that it just clears the exhaust heat shield. I then had a machine shop make me an aluminum extension to get the shifter closer to the steering wheel. The best of both worlds and perfect for competion.

Before extension http://members.tripod.com/rcsail/seats34.JPG
After extension http://members.tripod.com/rcsail/miniinterior8.JPG

 

I saw that it comes with a ****...but I have a whalen will my whalen still fit on this shifter? If so then I am definately going to get one!

 

I am 99% sure the whalen will fit. When I get my units in, which should be today, I will pop my whalen on one of these to confirm.

 

That is awesome! Do you think the machine shop you used would be willing to sell some of these?

 

I see that the shifter becomes shorter with the aftermarket units (Pilo and the others) but does it actually FIRM up the shifts itself. The major concern I have is that when in gear, the shift handle is not firm, and you can wiggle it left to right. It's sloppy! I want a "notchy" feel of actually being in a solid gear.

I'm not familiar with the Mini tranny design, but are there factory stop bolts to prevent you from bending a shift fork, (if there are any) or from slamming it too hard?

 

It does become ‘notchier’, but not as you would like it. That slop will always be there to some degree being the design of the system. I have been thinking about this lately and will be looking into a complete custom shifter that will alleviate this problem.

There is someone out there that claims he is coming out with a sequencel shift for our cars! I'll keep ya posted when I hear more.

 

Your Stang has the shifter directly attached to the transmission via a solid linkage. The MINI has cables running from the shifter to the transmission. It will never feel the same.

 

[QUOTE=stylin99]I see that the shifter becomes shorter with the aftermarket units (Pilo and the others) but does it actually FIRM up the shifts itself. The major concern I have is that when in gear, the shift handle is not firm, and you can wiggle it left to right. It's sloppy! I want a "notchy" feel of actually being in a solid gear.[QUOTE]

i'm one of the people who just cut off the shifter shaft ( in my case over 3" were removed.) the "slop" was greatly reduced, the mechanical engagement feel was much better, and.......... i actually did some andy ross tech memorial measurements! i posted these in other threads here and on mini2. my recollection is that the fore-aft slop measured at the center of the ball was very low, like 0.02", the side to side was about 0.040 to 0.045", and that the throw from neutral to first was about 1.1"

the cutdown mod made a spectacular difference in the feel, but the ball is very low. here's a picture

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...cat=500&page=2


i recently was in a stock car and i almost vomited over how sloppy the shifter felt.

 

What the B&M Does is to replace the stock Rubber busings that the Mini Comes with to a Solid Bushing. This helps a great deal in the shifting action from the stock shifter. That is what those 4 large cylindrical items are.

 

Sounds like my kinds mod . What tools did you use to cut it down? Would it still be possible to use the Whalen ****?

 

i used a hack saw because i didn't want to throw cut-off wheel debris all over the interior. i just spread/taped some plastic grocery bags around the base of the shifter to catch the gravity powered cuttings.

here's a picture of the shaft after one of the cuts. i cut mine down in 3 stages and i don't remember if this is the latest, shortest shaft, but you get the idea

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...cat=500&page=1

if you do this, you won't need a whalen ****.

 

99% of the "slop" is in the all of the linkage. Replacing the bushings does very little to remove any "slop" at all until you start jammin the shifter.



On the other topic of just cutting of the top of the shift lever, I have to say that this is not removing any "slop" at all, yet it's just lessening the distance that you hand can move. Not sure I see any real benefit to this except to build your biceps in your right arm. There are better ways of doing that.

 

I see your point on the bushing replacement. As for physically shortening the shift lever, it will reduce the throw when shifting and the travel (slop) when it's in gear. I'm visualizing a see-saw. The longer the lever, the greater the travel. Admittedly, if no other changes are made, the effort required to complete the shift will increase. If the effort is more than I like, I think a Whalen should take care of it.

 

On the B&M, is the gear shift shorter like in some of the other short shift kits or is the short shift achieved in another way like the Helix (extending the gearshift from below?

 

I received my ALTA shifter the other day, and it didnt come with all the tools and parts that the B&M shifter did...it just comes with the new shifter. Should the ALTA come with more pieces as well?

 

The Shifter is in stock now. We are shipping the first units out the door. It is moving fast, so place your order soon if you want some from this first shipment.