We wanna get a short shift "kit" and am interested in everyones thoughts.

 

I have the B&M installed on my car. Got it the same time as the pulley and the intake. I like it quite alot. Best thing is it replaced the rubber bushings with some solid aluminum ones which make the shifts have a nice solid feel.

 

Do any of these short shift kits change the geometry of the throw?

 

I have the Alta, and other than 1 issue which was replaced by Alta, and Tate's ineptness at replacing that one (which they also installed), I'm fairly pleased.

I've driven Krut's car a time or two since then, and the stock shifter feels to me like a 'cane' or 'crutch' now because it sits up so high.

You're welcome to take a seat in mine and give it a few shifts if you're interested in checking out the Alta before buying. A bonus for the Alta, is they make a stock **** adapter if you have a stock whalen or want to use your factory **** (they send you an alta one tho), and the stock Whalen will fit, or he will make an Alta threaded one for you. Dunno how interested you are in Whalens, but I was, and was part of the reason I choose Alta.

 

i have an Alta. It replaced a Rogue extender that just fits on the bottom. Alta is far superior as it is all cnc'd anodized Al with adjustable height/throw. i stuck a leather Momo **** on it.

 

Had B&M in mine and loved it.

 

So, 2-B&M, 2-Alta. I am confused

 

B&M FTW

if you put an alta down to its lowest setting you have to leave off the bottom of the shifter box....which could get all kinds of funky from over time.

 

The B&M also comes with a new dust cover/thing that makes sure the bottom of the shifter shaft doesn't rub against the heatshields of the exhaust system. It also takes a stock **** without an adapter.

The throws are shortened but the height of the shaft is maintained. So you don't have to be reaching really low into the console for the ****.

 

I am in the market for a short shift also... I want the stock shifter to remain. You want the height to be close to the wheel... I plan on modifying the bottom portion of the shifter to get the short throw. I am condsidering 2 units... The Helix which has about a 40% reduction in throw, and the Ultek which works the same way but they clain an ideal 20% reduction in throw.. Can anyone comment on these units... Thanks

 

does uuc make a mini short shifter. there bmw one with snick..snick sound is ver cool and smooth.

 

Ok, I decided on the B&M because it does not reduce the length of the shifter, just the throw. I just wanted the throws shorter, the length of the shifter didn't bother me. Thanks for the info

 

I guess I'm confused. The length of the shifter has a direct effect on the length of the throw. I see them as one and the same... the shorter the shaft, the shorter the throw. The only way I can think of to somewhat reduce the throw length is positive bolt stops (which the B&M may well have), but all the stops do really is prevent overshifting.

 

easiest way to describe whats happening is that the top half from the fulcrum (point of rotation) is the same while the bottom half that attaches to the shift cables is actually longer than stock. So the distance the top half of the shaft has to move is reduced because the bottom part of the shaft is longer.

It's the same sort of way that those set-screw based short shift kits work. They make the bottom half longer thus making the top half movement shorter. The only difference between the B&M and the set-screw ones is you never have to worry about a set screw coming loose or the extension shifting around on the B&M as it's a solid shaft.

 

My son installed the UUC shifter in his M3... It is the finest feeling shifter I have ever driven.... It's so fine... great product... but pricey....

 

 

I have an Alta and like it......

 

i had called UUC and asked about the possibility of a MINI shifter from them about 1 1/2 years ago. still nothing on their website. i think they're slowly pulling out of the MINI market because they have discontinued their exhaust (redesign?), and nothing new has come from them for the MINIs since their pedal set about a year ago. (which is really nice BTW)

 

I just bought a B&M short shift kit for an '04 MCS. Question, when I opened the box, it says 10/04 and later. I believe I have a 08/04, will this still work?

 

Sounds like you answered your own question, eh?

 

Jay, if it doesnt work in Soulfire, I may be interested in buying it from you for Lenore.

 

Do any of the short shift kits use the same method for attaching the shift **** as the factory shifter?

Scott

 

If I answered my own question, than I wouldn't have asked it. Back to the first post, will it work?

 

Well, there's probably no way to tell without trying, but it appears that the company that manufactures the kit doesn't think it will work, so I wouldn't hold out much hope.

Try to call the manufacturer and find out what exactly changed in October 2004 that would keep their kit from working with earlier cars. The required modifications to make it work with your August 2004 car may be minor.

Scott

 

I don't think it is going to work. The shifter housing changed in those months, So I don't think it's going to work.