I installed my Helix short shifter this weekend with no problems at all. The install went fairly smooth, and the results are great.

To get the dust cover box thing off i used a small set of picks i picked up a harbor freight. The one with the curve on it was great for hooking those snaps off the nub.

The tricky part was getting the ball off the socket, but i found that if i spun the ball all the way towards the passenger side, i was able to grab the end of it with a pair of vice grips & continue to twist it towards the passenger side until it popped off. Not too bad.

The Helix SSK installed without drama. Pop it on, add lock-tite, tighten set screw. No issue. Since I only had blue lock-tite on hand, I cut a small section of 5/8 heater hose i had on hand to slide over the set screw so it can not back out. Some people have mentioned using heat shrink tubing, but i didn't haven any that size. (plus, i didn't feel like going out to get it!) No interference with anything, and no worries about it going anywhere or the set screw ever backing out.

Bending the heat shield took a few times, but it is not hard. I left the bottom of the box off - read posts where it seems to be no issue. The car was perfectly clean under the heat shield, and the way the heat shield lays, it will stay clean (like shingles on a roof....)

Only issue i have, and I knew i would was that the front part of the heat shield needs a little bending. Slight rattle on start up and in first. I knew it would i just got impatient to get done. I'll tune that up soon.

So...the results: Great! The shifts are noticeably shorter, no more 5th & 6th gear over in the passenger seat. Shifting takes a little more effort, but nothing crazy. It's just a shorter, more solid feel. I really like the shifting with the Helix much better than stock, and I also like the fact that nothing in the car has changed (location of shift ****, etc.) Sure, there may be shifters that get you 5% shorter shifts, or whatever, but the helix SSK works very well for me. I really like the simple solution. Plus, at $50 or so shipped, that leaves me with almost enough dough for my pulley. It was easy to install, and required no major hacking on my MINI.

Overall, very pleased with the product & service offered by Eric & Helix, I would recommend this to anyone.

-jac

 

Its good to see so many positive accounts of dealings w/ Helix.
I just made my appt today for early april.

 

just made my appointment for a 19% pulley install for friday! can't wait!

 

how about the feel through 1-4? How has the feel and throw changed?

 

from the short shifter 05 posts:

To me it feels...uh...good.

I find:

•*Shorter throws between gears (duh).

•*Slightly more effort in shifting - nothing huge, just a little. If the car had come this way, i wouldn't have thought twice about it. It's only because it has changed that there is anything to discuss here. If someone not familar with MINIs hopped in, i doubt they would say anything about shifter effort.

•*I don't find it to be overly notchy, or hard to find any gears. I am coming from a miata with a slightly cut down shifter. The helix gets the MINI closer to that. (it still does not match the miata for shift feel, but we are talking cables vs. direct engagement here...the MINI isn't doing THAT bad...)

•*overall, I find everything to feel a little more solid. I still have a little side to side slop on the stick when i am in gear, but this seems to have reduced it a little.

•*I actually think it is a little easier to stuff the car into the next gear, because you don't have to go across zip codes to do it.

•*I also seem to have fewer grey hairs, lower cholesterol, and more stamina through the day. I know this is due to the Helix SSK.

 

i'ld like to second what fishbulb said. i installed my helix short shifter two weeks ago and couldn't be happier. eric at helix is always available to help and share advice. this is an easy install and definately improves the mini. it's one mod that you use everyday, so that makes it more fun and easier to justify.

 

I have had one on for over a year and love it! I also added a whalen shift machine which smooth's and lighten's the force needed to shift.

Alot of people told me not to do it saying it would come loose and fall off. All I can say is bull----! It's cheap, easy to install and works great!!!!

I hear people in here giving advice alot about things they have never tried. Stop already people.

One more thing. Use heat shrink. There are two kinds. One is glue lined and the other is not. You wan't the glue lined one. Once it shrinks down the glue gets soft and fills the screw holes never allowing the screws to back out. If you need some let me know. I will send it for free.

Longboard